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.

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.

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.