Travelling; Pros v Cons.
Those lists- I've made 'em!
Having now travelled far and wide myself during my twenties, there were times I wasn't sure I was making the right decisions or felt I was missing out on too much back home.
And you can weigh up these pros and cons all you want, but at the end of the day, if you really want to do something or go somewhere, make like Nike and JUST DO IT!!
Here are some of the reasons to add to your Pro list...
1) There's no time like the present
Ask yourself is there anything holding you back? Job? Partner? Kids? Chances are in your 20's you're still trying to figure out what you want or "finding yourself". Why not go find yourself on a beach in Bali or swinging on a zipline on the Philippines?
2) You'll regret it if you don't
I'm not one to live my life by regrets, so when an opportunity presents itself to explore even a little bit more of the World, I'll take it! Screw the staff meetings or your dad's birthday- there will always be more of those to come.
Experiences matter. Never miss out on the chance to have an adventure!
3) Money doesn't really matter
Travelling on a budget IS possible. Skip the 3-star-hotels for £3-a-night shared dorm in a decent hostel. You meet the best people and save those extra dolla's for activities!
4) You'll make friends for life
This one is especially true for me. Chances are, you're going to meet like-minded people who share your passion for globetrotting and exploring new cultures.
5) You will experience personal growth
Learning from new cultures and the people you meet while travelling may teach you a lot that you didn't know about yourself.
6) Work will always be there when (or if) you come back
Even if you have to leave your current job to go travelling, work will come by again when you're ready, trust me. We have all of our lives to work, but take advantage of your twenties to explore the World.
7) Think of the stories you can tell
As a child I was always asking my grandparents to tell me stories of their past, and having grown up during the War, majority of them were so varied and interesting. Although, when it came to my Parents or Aunts/Uncles, their stories seemed to revolve around work, buying homes, getting married and having babies. Which, most of my friendship group are going through right now and as much as that's so exciting for them, I want to be able to recount my global adventures to my children and grandchildren... with some censorship!
8) You'll experience new cultures, religion and food
I always find each of these so interesting and intriguing.
Swap St Paddy's day for Yi Peng or a Burn's Supper for Vietnamese Pho.
Tell yourself to try at least one new dish or experience a religious ceremony or building in each place you go. Take your senses on an adventure as well as yourself.
9) Taking time out to discover what you do and don't want
This may be harder for some people than others, but often taking time out of everyday life can help us to understand the things we absolutely do and do not want in life, from the personalities of people we meet, to countries we visit or even the accommodation we stay in.
10) JUST GO!
Chances are, if you're making a list in the first place, then you really want to go.
There's never going to be a "perfect" time, whether you're saving for a mortgage or just started a new job or relationship.
Take a step back, breathe and trust that everything will fall into place.
Stace x
