Five Reasons I Love to Travel

A true adventure abroad is something that I hope everyone has the opportunity to experience at some point in their lives. Whether it is two weeks, two months or two years, travel helps to change your perspective and leads you to discover what you’re really made of.

Sailing the Whitsunday Islands, Australia

I am in no ways saying I ‘found myself’ while travelling (in fact, I find this term slightly obnoxious and totally overused), but I think that each trip has helped to shape me into the person I am and want to become.

Over the past little while I have made a conscious effort to surround myself with like minded, driven people. People who want to do big things and go places. I often think of how easy it would be to become complacent – I like nice things and enjoy having a good income, but ultimately it’s not enough. There have been times over the past little while where I’ve felt myself slip into that trap.

I know that if I put off the idea of another great adventure (be it another backpacking trip, or a year or two of living and working abroad), it will be something I will always regret. Now the question remains – where to go? What to do? Right now I have no idea what this next adventure will be and what it will entail, but I know it will happen one day.

I’ve often been asked, what is it that I love so much about travelling?

1. Simply put travel makes me feel alive! Every day you are experiencing something new. Granted, like anything you have to take the good days with the bad. But ultimately there is nothing like waking up excited to start the day because you have no clue what it might hold.
2. Travelling makes you appreciate the little things in life. Whether it is a hot shower, a conversation with a good friend, or clean clothes, the things you constantly take for granted at home become that much more meaningful. The challenge here becomes keeping this mindset once you have returned to a daily routine. Each time I return to Toronto, I have a newfound appreciation for the city and my family. I come home knowing that I am lucky to be Canadian.
3. The newfound friendships. Over the years, I have formed some amazing bonds with people from around the world. Whether I am in Vienna, Sydney, or New York, I know that there is a comfy couch to sleep on and a friendly face, eager to see me.  I’ve met many people travelling with the mindset that they’re never going to see these people again, so why make the effort? I’ve gone years without seeing some of my past travel buddies and when we finally meet again, it’s like I saw them last week. Quite often, these people understand you more so than some of the people who are a part of your daily life at home. I’ve made some of my very best friendships through my travels and in turn, it has given me a world-wide network of friends.
4. It has made me realize that ultimately, we are all the same – whether we are from a small town in South East Asia or a bustling city in Europe. The more you travel, the more you understand what a small place the world really is and just how alike we all are.
5. It is an opportunity to see and do things I would never get the chance to do at home. Riding a donkey in the desert, sleeping in a cave hotel or hiking a glacier – don’t think you can do those in Toronto!

Climbing the Franz Josef Glacier

I’ve had to stop myself at times because I can talk about travel all day long and well, a lot of people simply don’t want to. I also never want to become ‘that’ person, who doesn’t shut up about all the places they’ve seen. Don’t get me wrong, I have other interests outside of travel, but ultimately this is what inspires me.