Making Travel a Priority
Occasionally I find myself complaining that I don’t travel enough, that I NEED a holiday or I become jealous that a Facebook friend is visiting yet another stunning place and I’m stuck [insert wherever I happen to be living at that time].
Usually it doesn’t take me long to come to my senses, or before someone else does it for me – reminding me that actually I’m incredibly lucky to travel as much as I do.
If I think back to my life five years ago so much has changed, and travel has played a huge part in those changes. In 2012 I was in my final year of university, the furthest I had traveled was Australia and although I was desperate to see the world there were many times I was left wondering if it would ever actually happen. Leaving my little island country, tucked far away in the Pacific seemed almost impossible – how would I ever have the money, knowledge or courage to actually hop on a plane and leave.
That was until I made a plan, worked hard to save some money and then hopped on a plane and left… to Nepal of all places!
The day that plane came bumping down the runway in Kathmandu will forever be ingrained in my memory, I was completely terrified and really had no idea what I was doing but somehow I made it to my hotel. Then I made it through a crazy, wild adventure around Nepal and India. Finally, I found myself seamlessly fitting into life in London. All of a sudden the things that once made travel seem impossible were now irrelevant. I had made travel a priority in my life and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
At 25 many people are well into establishing a career, working towards buying a home or starting families but I honestly can’t see myself doing any of those things just yet. I have an insatiable desire to see the world, and if that means I’m not making huge strides up the career ladder right now, or that I won’t be able to buy a home when all my friends are, then those are things I am willing to sacrifice for now.
Things to know if you want to make travel a priority in your life
++ Building a career might be slightly more difficult compared with your friends who are happier to stay put in one place. I’m certainly not saying it’s impossible to travel and build a career at the same time, BUT if you want to travel extensively it might just take you slightly longer to climb the so-called career ladder! (If climbing the career ladder is something you want to do!)
++ You’re going to have to work extra hard at relationships with family, friends and romantic interests! Communicating with people is becoming easier and easier, with the likes of Facebook and Skype allowing you to easily connect with those back home and friends you meet on the road. But you still need to make an effort to keep those relationships going, unless you are somewhere completely isolated it isn’t hard to send a message asking how they are a couple of times a week, or to plan a weekly/monthly Skype session. You are the one who decided to go off travelling so be prepared that keeping relationships going might fall more on you.
++ Choose wisely where you spend your money. You may really want that new iPhone, a new wardrobe or weekly dinners/nights out with your friends but if travel is your end goal these things just aren’t important. I promise you that taking a sunrise balloon ride over Cappadocia in Turkey, eating an authentic curry in India, watching the lights twinkle on the Eiffel Tower at midnight or wandering a bustling bazaar in Marrakesh is going to be far more rewarding!
++ Learn to go with the flow. If travel has taught me one thing, it’s to expect the unexpected. Then learn to roll with it! You can’t always be in control when travelling, shit happens and sometimes there’s not much you can do about. Often times it’s best to accept and move on. I’m very particular about things but travel has taught me life doesn’t always have to be perfect; sometimes you mess up a booking, choose to eat at a terrible restaurant or end up in a dorm full of messy snorers. The good news is that it can also work the other way, often what you were expecting turns out to be 100x better. Learn to go with the flow and your travels will become far less stressful and more enjoyable!
++ Learn how to say hello, and goodbye. Travelling will open the door for you to meet so many amazing people, but with that also comes the need to say goodbye. I’ve always been quite shy, especially when meeting new people, but travelling has given me so much more confidence when interacting with new people. I’ve made some of my best friends while travelling. A downside to meeting so many wonderful new people is that it usually means saying goodbye as you will eventually end up going your separate ways. As hard as it is to constantly be saying goodbye to new friends, it’s amazing knowing you now have friends all over the world.
Making travel a priority in your life isn’t always easy; but I promise if you stick with it, make some sacrifices, save the money and dedicate yourself to seeing the world it will be absolutely worth it!
I would love to hear about your first travel experience.
What inspired you to travel?
Let me know in the comments!
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You might enjoy these other posts about my travels so far
How to Visit Los Angeles on a Budget
How to Travel the Isle of Skye Without a Car
Jan Allott says
You’re absolutely right Emma, we have to decide which path we want to take and not regret the choice! You are filling your life with so many experiences, people, places and memories. Love reading your blogs
Amy Friend says
Another awesome read Emma. Makes me want to do some more travel next year , better save the pennys !
#lovetotravel#savethepennys
Amy says
Another awesome read Emma. Makes me want to do some more travel next year , better save the pennys !
#lovetotravel#savethepennys
Alissa says
This is such a great post! I want to travel the world someday but not to an extent where I would sacrifice it for career. I think I can do both cos where will I get the money for traveling? Lol It’s fun when I think about it though where you just work to whatever place you go to. Traveling is such an experience!
Emma says
Thanks Alissa, I am so glad you liked the post! I agree, you can absolutely have both a career and travel! I just made the decision that travel was more important to me than establishing a career (at this point in my life anyway!). I’m still working slowly in the background on building a career in my chosen field but I accept it might take me longer as I choose to travel more.
Travelling is an amazing experience that’s for sure!
Emma x
Maria says
I absolutely agree with you. When you make the decision that travel is a top priority for you, things will fall into place or so it seems. If you have a big goal like that, it is all of a sudden easy to skip that $4 Latte and pack your own lunch etc. That is if you grew up with a certain privilege, of course.
Emma says
I’m glad you agree Maria! Once I made the decision to travel it was very easy for me to sacrifice other things in order to save the money. But I definitely agree that I was lucky enough to be in a situation where I could this and understand there are many people who don’t have the same privilege as myself.
Marta says
I absolutely agree with you: If you feel that travel is what fulfils you more than anything else, than it is worth making sacrifices to allow travel to happen! I travel as much as I can and I am managing do it often and to faraway places even now that I have two kids: sure it means I need to be very wise with what we spend, but when we finally land in a faraway place we have been dreaming of for months… how amazing does that feel?
Emma says
It definitely is at the moment! So as long as it’s what makes me happiest and most fulfilled I will keep it up.
So glad you are able to continue travelling – definitely worth being wise with money, your children will thank you for it!
Do you have any upcoming trips planned!?
Emma x
Jennifer says
Learning how to say goodbye has been the hardest part for us. We have been traveling full time fore 3 years and still don’t know how to deal with it. Thanks for posting!
Emma says
Goodbyes are also the hardest for me! I’m not sure I will ever get use to it no matter how long I travel but I do try to look on the positive side that I now have friends and family all around the world!
Emma x
Katrina says
“Learn how to say hello and goodbye” – this! I remember before embarking on my first solo trip at age 20, I was stood in the garden with my dad just about to set off for 9 months in La Palma and I told him that I was worried because I was so shy and had difficulty making strong connections with people. His advice? Well, I just had to do it! 8 years later and it’s getting easier but I still hold people at a distance when I first meet them. Saying goodbye is also never easy!
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Sammy says
This was amazing to read I went on a trip to Europe for 7 weeks I’ve only been back for two weeks and I booked a one way ticket to London so excited Making travel my priority I was born for this good luck with your travels 🙂
Therie says
Beautiful! I love this!!! Inspiring and thought-provoking.