5 reasons to make you fall in love with travel

This is my first blog post so there will be random information about me thrown in which tie in with my reasons for why I love to travel.

A bit about me

All my life I have always felt different from everyone. There have only been a rare select few people who have understood me – well at least tried to understand me anyway.  I am a highly sensitive person which I believe enhances an already enriching travel experience. Long story short, this pretty much means that my senses are more ‘finely tuned’ than most peoples are. So certain situations can be more difficult for me because my nervous system becomes overwhelmed quickly by all the sensory information overloading it.

Imagine if you were to go for a run with Usain Bolt. Well, the chances are that you would become tired more quickly than he does. This is like if I am in a noisy place then I can’t stay for as long as most people. I become overwhelmed and tire more quickly compared with others around senses such as loud noise. Just like some people tire more quickly at many things faster than others do. You know, like when you went on that imaginary run with Usain. (Yes – be jealous – Usain and I are on first name terms and no, don’t be silly, I am not dillusional).

Reason number one

…So it is not that I’m odd or boring, I actually like to think of myself as limited edition. I am unique and different in a magical way. The reason I say magical is because high sensitivity can also mean becoming overwhelmed in a positive way. I feel emotions intensely which means I experience positive emotions more deeply than most people. This leads me to reason number one for why I love to travel. When I travel I become extraordinarily overwhelmed at the incredible beauty of the world and at the kindness of strangers. (Albeit there are of course many strangers of the opposite type).

Now don’t get me wrong, travel has negative moments, just like ordinary everyday life does. However, I experience a greater sense of peace and clarity when I am away getting lost down some foreign road. I will be on my way to somewhere with a goal in mind when an intriguing looking road catches my eye. And before I know it, I’m lost again. Although, these moments often end up with amusing stories for later so I tend not to dither over such incidents. For those who don’t understand my Scottish way of speaking – by dither I mean ‘to be anxious about something’ as defined by the Cambridge dictionary (ironically an English dictionary). Side note – I wonder if there is a Scottish dictionary, if not there really should be, don’t you think?

Reason number 2

Ever since I can remember, I have struggled to fit in – ‘she’s shy’ – I heard this my whole childhood. I was made to feel like it was something ‘I’d grow out of’. As if it is not completely acceptable to be this way just simply because society is more full of the opposite kind of people. And anyway, it’s not that I’m shy (although to be shy is not a bad thing at all). I’m just more of an observer than a talker. Because most aren’t, I have always struggled to feel like I fit in. When I travel, I prefer moments of serene peacefulness while I drink in the wonderful sights rather than to have constant continual chatter.

So my second reason for why I love travel is that I can simply just observe. I don’t have to partake in meaningless gossip and I can have peace and quiet whenever I want. However, while travelling, I don’t mind ‘noisy’ moments so much because conversations with most people you meet tend to have an air of excitement and awe about them. My energy is not instantly drained. Instead, I feel more alive and grateful to be able to share such invigorating life-changing experiences. And of course – due to my ability to get completely lost several times a day, many life challenging experiences are also shared. But like i said, failures often lead to funny stories so remember not to let them dishearten you!

Reason number two ties in with number three like a neat little bow. A recyclable one of course as I am very environmentally conscious. (sustainable travel is something I will discuss in my blog at a later point). Anyhoo back on to the planned route … yes, that was my first attempt at a travel pun – you’re welcome.

Reason number 3

My struggle to feel like I fit in disappears when I travel. Always having to explain why I am the way I am but receiving in response nothing but a blank stare as if I am some sort of alien sent from 4 galaxies over is exhausting. I mean come on – why does the fact that I find the noise of nightclubs overwhelming somehow establish that I’m boring and most definitely weird. Well, I am weird but in a good way – I promise! But I am most definitely not boring! In fact, I would say I’m less boring than many people my age because I am willing to go out and explore the world.

Anyone watch the Big Bang Theory? Well, I strongly relate to the feeling of being a ‘misfit’. However, I would so much rather be a sparkly coloured bright pink unicorn in a herd of identical sheep. Not to say sheep aren’t great but unicorns are Scotlands national animal so of course, they win hands down! For anyone thinking ‘unicorns aren’t real’, well, they’re in the Harry Potter series so of course they are real you silly hippogriff! Sorry, well, not sorry actually, I love Harry Potter so there most definitely will be spells where I sparkle some magic into my blog posts. (See what I did there?).

Anyway, so yes basically reason number 3 (we’re getting to the point, I promise) is that I no longer feel like a misfit. Well I suppose I do actually, it’s more that I am amongst a bunch of misfits (no offence). People who find purpose when travelling which is not understood by family and friends tend to feel like a misfit. But like me, find a sense of belonging when amongst fellow travellers. For someone who has felt out of place her entire life, this feeling is transformative. My confidence as a person grows because I feel accepted wherever I go. No more blank stares of confusion at the notion of me choosing to stay in on a Friday night. Is that really so bizarre? The funny thing is that I find their reaction to my reply as bizarre as they find my reply.

Dear God – why is it so difficult to be ever so slightly different in this world!? Seriously God, I actually would like to know? Travelling for me is like a particular moment on The Big Bang Theory. Sheldon says to his friend Leonard’s mum ‘I feel very comfortable around you. It’s surprising because I generally don’t feel comfortable around, well, anyone’. When I travel I feel like I belong and feel completely at ease. I relish every single morsel out of this rare beautiful feeling.

Reason number 4

The beauty of travelling, in particular solo travelling, is that I can do what I want when I want. Doesn’t that sound just sublimely sublime? Yes I realise that is not grammatically correct but it is just simply so sublime! Do I want to climb to the top of that beautiful hill I saw yesterday to see the sunrise – yes? Then there is nothing and no one stopping me!

Does anyone truly prefer paying for a night of sticky floors and sweaty bodies in an overwhelmingly loud space with complete strangers over watching a spectacular sunrise? Obviously, I enjoy getting to know strangers because I love travelling. But I prefer not to have to wedge myself between a hundred or more of them while they attempt to dance. I say dance but what I mean is an awkward jumping about with no sort of rhythm at all type of ‘dance’. Just to point out though, I do realise that just as I am different, obviously others are too. So I get that for some absolutely mind-boggling unfathomable crazy reason people seem to revel in experiences like this.

Reason number 5

Travelling is an escape from ‘normality’. For whatever reason it may be, if you want an escape, then travel and you will not regret it. It brings about a sense of freedom that I rarely feel anywhere else. You can go anywhere and experience a whole new way of life. New people, new cultures, even new food and new drinks! I honestly could not recommend travelling more. Ironically, I would feel lost without it!

So in summary –

1. The world is a beautiful amazing place and travel allows me to appreciate it more.

2. Conversations with other travellers are not only inspiring but also full of laughter and positivity.

3. I feel like I belong amongst other travellers and rarely feel out of place.

4. Do what you want, when you want, where ever you want.

5. It can be a way to escape normality.

Happy Travels!

Girl With The Suitcase.