Why should one travel? That is indeed the first question that you will ask yourself. For most people, traveling means going on vacation – driving by car to Italy for a few days or going on an all-inclusive holiday to Turkey. That is quite the standard version of traveling for most.
But what I mean is a lot more than just a few days of recreation. I am writing about going on a long-term journey. Or you could call it a gap year.
Who has not dreamt about simply leaving everything behind and to escape the daily hamster wheel – as my dad used to call it? To never know, what the next day or even the next hour brings, not to have any liabilities, to be able to freely manage your time, and to experience new adventures every day – no more routine.
In the year 2013, I started on a somewhat different trip for the first time. No package holiday, no baggage, without booking anything upfront – I just went for it. Driven by curiosity for the big, wide world and by the desire for adventures. Together with a friend, I went to the Indonesian islands Bali and Lombok – only equipped with our backpacks.
We rented mopeds, which was a complete bargain thanks to the help of our couchsurfing host. On the other hand, they were in a corresponding state. To make the matter worse, we were still missing skill in driving mopeds. It did take only a few minutes, and we already had our first prang behind us. Not to mention the crazy road traffic in Indonesia.
In other words: It was a real adventure. What a feeling of freedom it was, when we drove along the fantastic coast roads of Lombok, only dressed in shorts and t-shirts and to enjoy the breathtaking place. All concerns and any stress seemed so infinitely far away. The first time in our life, we tried out couchsurfing and met the most lovely and craziest people. People that we otherwise would have never got to know. Daily, we had unforgettable experiences and met a lot of new people.
Amongst others, we got to know a girl from Germany. Together with her, we traveled a few days through the region. This young woman aroused my interest for traveling. She had already been a year on a journey around the world – solely on her own! For this courage, she received my whole admiration. Never could I have imagined this for myself.
But from that time on, a dream seemed to have awakened in me. This backpacking trip to Indonesia had given me the travel nerves. More and more I started to think about if I would indeed be able to go on a real journey around the world – on my own! Silently and secretly I started planning, how I could realize this dream.
There are so many reasons to travel.
For one, there is the desire for adventures and the curiosity.
One wants to see beyond the box.
What else is on this big, wide world?
How do people live in other countries?
Are people elsewhere also happy or even happier?
How are we different and what do we have in common with other people?
Traveling changes. You get more cosmopolitan and more self-confident. You learn that you are able to do the impossible in difficult situations, and that there are more good than bad people in this world. Before my journey, I always had the impression that the majority of people are evil and egoistic. But this journey has opened my eyes. More than once, I have been in hopeless situations and have been completely desperate. But always there has been a solution, or some person came that saw my problem and offered help. People shared completely selflessly the few they had with me. Also, I have learned to approach strangers, which had been a thing that has always been difficult for me, before. Partly, I have been really surprised of what I was able to do.
When I told my circle of friends and relatives about my big plans, naturally, I initially got confronted with lack of understanding, or some believed I was joking. Especially the fact that I wanted to start in Africa was completely suspicious for them. Traveling alone as a young, blonde girl with a backpack across Africa – something like that seemed completely impossible. Some cannibals from pristine forest would surely devour me.
Initially, I reacted somewhat insecure to such claims. But with time, they encouraged me even more. I wanted to prove them that it was indeed possible to travel Africa on my own as a young woman. And those wild tribes from pristine forest would not devour me. I wanted to leave my comfort zone, and to see how people live in simplest circumstances and still can be happy.
If you also …
… then pack your backpack, and go on the adventure of your life. Simply DO it! Everything that you need is a tiny little spark of courage.
I do not know anyone who has ever regretted such a journey. It does not have to be a complete year or even more for the start. Dare to have big dreams and believe in yourself. Do not let yourself be dissuaded from your goals by the doubts or fears of other people. Especially not from those people, who have not been on a journey for that long or have never been where you want to go.
Naturally, there is always a long list of things that will divert us from our dreams. Some of them are for example: an apartment or a house, that needs to be paid off, monthly fixed costs, a partner or a family, a pet, a job … – the list could go on forever. Old habits die hard. It is our nature to be very critical about everything that is new. How many people are there, who do their job for their entire life, which does not even fulfill them; or who live in a partnership, in which they are unhappy? Mostly, the reason for this is their fear of change. Who knows, if a new job would make me really happier?
A very nice proverb says: „Nothing ventured, nothing gained.“ If we never give in to change, we can never get better. Time has become a luxury good in our western civilization, and stress controls our everyday life. Is this what we want until the end of our life? Many do not even know that there are other options. It is our own decision what we make of our life. Just because the others live by the norm – school, job, family, pension – it does not mean we have to do the same. Especially you should not wait until you are old to enjoy your life. We never know, when it will be over.
But you also have to regard a few things, when you plan a journey of this kind.
You have to:
… be absolutely cosmopolitan and respect people, regardless of color, culture or religion.
… inform upfront about the customs of a country and to respect them.
… be without any prejudices.
… be prepared for adventures that you surely will never forget again!