What I’ve learnt from travelling

I’ve learnt a lot from my previous backpacking trips. Both times, I felt that the experiences set me up adequately for the next adventure in my life. The first time I went – eighteen years-old, straight after exams, arm in arm with two friends – I had my first true taste of independence, which I was so grateful for as I started university that autumn. More recently, I went abroad with one friend, and the confidence I felt as a result is giving me vital momentum as my departure date comes closer.

A photograph of me looking out at the Plaza de Espana. The structure is reflected in the water, as is the bright blue sky.


I’m keen to keep using all the things I’ve learnt as I go abroad again. Here are some of them:


How to travel with others

I’ve never travelled solo, but I have experience travelling with others and an evolving understanding of how to be a good travel companion. When you travel with others, you spend endless hours together, often in less than comfortable arrangements: long coach journeys, sweaty hikes, dingy apartments. Being able to communicate throughout these is vital. You have to be honest with one another about your needs to ensure you maintain a healthy, resentment-free relationship. Now I’m going solo, I’m considering how I apply this knowledge to my new situation. It’s very transferable; I need to be a good travel buddy to myself. I have to be honest about what I need and what I want, because, unlike when travelling with company, there will be no one there to help me discover these things.


How to pack efficiently

Efficient packing is a skill I’m still learning. However, I do have a list of absolute essentials now. These come from things I’ve taken before that I would struggle without, or things I was missing that I really longed for. For example, tupperware is the absolute hero of my travels! I’m also getting better at packing an efficient wardrobe. The first time I went away I didn’t take enough shorts, and last time I took some tops I never ended up wearing. I’m trying to remember this and not let that experience go to waste as I long to take everything with me.


Days aren’t infinite, but they are long

I understand that I will never be able to see everything I want in one place, no matter how long I’m there for. This acceptance means I know that there is no point cramming so much into a trip that I’ll feel as though I haven’t truly had time to experience anything in depth. But at the same time, there are still a lot of hours in a day, so it’s good to be aware of lots there is to get up to. It’s helpful to take things at a steady pace, and then have the time to explore detours, to stop and smell the flowers!

Furthermore, relaxing is just as necessary when travelling as in ‘everyday’ life. If I can’t take care of myself by taking time to wind down and recharge, I’ll burnout and miss out on more than I am by just taking an afternoon to chill out. Sometimes I need to take a pause and enjoy a book in a park or play some card games for the evening, without putting pressure on myself to feel as though I am ‘achieving’ something new every moment of the day.


I am more independent than I realise

Both times I’ve backpacked, I’ve learnt about myself and what I’m capable of. Going travelling at eighteen was one of the best decisions I have ever made, as I learnt how well I managed without the immediate support of my family (although I always had them at the end of the phone). I was able to push myself and learn how I functioned independently. The confidence that this experience gave me to go off to university that September was absolutely vital; I’m sure had I not had the experience, I would have found university an even more challenging adjustment. Travelling has taught me I have strengths I didn’t realise, and I’m so excited to learn more about what I can do.


Me on a balcony at Park Güell, wearing a yellow jumpsuit. There are green trees and a blue sky with faint clouds.

I love it

An obvious statement, but travelling has taught me that I have a real appetite for discovery and exploring new places. I enjoy the constant change and learning, and I am determined to do more. It’s why I started this blog; I’m going on more adventures and I’m excited to write about them.


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