One of the most beautiful things about travel is not found at our final destination. It is the delightfully interesting, wonderfully passionate and wildly curious travellers we meet along the way. Every traveller has a story to tell, and if we take the time to stop and listen, we open ourselves up to the possibility of meeting someone whose journey uniquely interlaces with our own.
However sometimes we miss these opportunities because we are not open to receiving them. To place ourselves in the best position to meet like-minded travellers, we need to be flexible, be aware and travel alone.
Be flexible. Who doesn’t love planning a holiday or adventure? I know I’m certainly guilty of being in an almost-permanent state of travel planning. While an element of planning is essential for any successful trip, it is most important to approach travel with an attitude of flexibility. Rolling with the punches, and being open to changing your original plans and ideas, can lead you to wonderful new opportunities. When the chance to try something new presents itself, just say YES and see what happens!
Be aware. Take out those headphones. Look up from your smartphone. Put away the google map. When you step back from the technology that clouds your everyday, take a deep breathe and look around, I can almost guarantee you something amazing will happen. You’ll notice that backpacker who smiled in your direction, you’ll have a laugh with those beautiful local children chasing you down the street, and you’ll stop for an amazing meal at a cafe you almost walked past. You never know just who you’ll meet (or what you’ll eat!) when you simply look up.
Travel alone. This is the most important thing you can do as a traveller. When you are alone your senses are alert and alive in ways that they are not when you are surrounded by the familiar. While travelling with loved ones is definitely a wonderful and important experience, nothing will bring you closer to like-minded travellers and open you to the endless possibilities of your journey, like stepping outside your comfort zone and braving the world on your own. While traveling alone will undoubtedly bring you closer to fellow adventurers, the greatest person you will meet from this experience…. is you.
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