The Psychology of Travel

Summer of 2022 is coming to an end but that does not mean that travel bug has come and gone. Many of us require a taste of summer in the fall and winter, as well. Do you have any travel plans? Allow me to illustrate my experience of travel and why I believe it may be beneficial to us all. I would like to share what travelling has meant for me and how it has allowed for further personal growth.

“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” – Dalai Lama

I have been travelling solo since I was 16 years old and thus far have enjoyed 53 countries. I have met some of the most beautiful souls; some I have kept in contact with and others it was a night out or a bus ride. I have learned self-control, patience (to an extent, still have much work to do), cultural similarities and differences, and have added to my level of awareness (on many subjects), recognized my ignorance, among other things. I appreciate travelling alone as it allows for me to step outside my comfort zone. It forces me to make decisions on my own, to plan, to connect with others and learn through my experiences. This reinforces my independence and resilience. Traveling alone has assisted in my practice of mindfulness and attempts to be more so consciously aware.

“To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.”

– Freya Stark

I have gone through every emotion while being on the road. I have found ways (i.e. journal) to cope with and process my feelings, by tapping into my inner knowledge and my past experiences. Since I do not have my family or friends close I must discover alternative ways of connecting and coping. Thus taking comfort in connecting with strangers and or receiving reassurance through nonverbal communication and gestures of those around me, but ultimately having to pull from my own resources. I am forced to think on the spot, embrace the immediacy of a situation and as I said, become resourceful. I feel as though I have strengthened my being as a result. I have been able to demonstrate much to myself through experience: I tap into my creativity, my problem solving skills, parts of me that are awakened by simply being in a different environment. I believe we learn through experience, otherwise knowledge remains a collection of information that has yet to be confirmed.

Furthermore, I typically do not run on a schedule, when I travel it is free flowing, all I know is when I need to be back home (or want to be back home), ridding myself of the need to control situations. It is a liberating experience and I can focus on being present. Though, I have observed others, myself included, thinking about what I am going to do the next day or the following week of vacation, instead of enjoying the present moment. We can get so fixated on the future (anxiety) or the past (depression) which results in missing the present. Both anxiety and depression are messengers, indicating that something is not in balance. I do not wish to avoid these messengers, however feel through the experience to come to an understanding. Now, the places I choose to explore invite and entail a bit of risk and danger and this, too, can bring about thoughts and feelings that may not serve me well in the moment. It can also be as simple as missing a bus or train for such feelings of anxiousness or periods of low moods to arise. In such moments, I bring myself back into the present moment, self-regulate while remaining solution focused.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

– Augustine of Hippo

Moreover, I have learned that being open minded while travelling is important; not to place your preconceived notions onto another nation or people but to observe without judgment. Difficult to at times but travelling compels you to do so. For instance, I have met wonderful people around the world that do not feel the same about animals as I do. For some, they are street beings and are not treated or kept in the same fashion as I have experienced. For me, they are beings nonetheless and I choose to treat all entities with the same equality. Now, this stems from my belief of “we are all one” and I am aware that others do not need to adopt such a belief. This does not mean that person is good or bad (I attempt not to label). It’s just another reality, their reality, one that I may not be used to but have to come to terms with. I attempt to understand others as much as I can, whilst knowing that I have not walked in their shoes (unsure of their conditioning, biology, psychology, sociology, etc.) and therefore exploring their minds to further the connection and accept them as they are. This can be applied to our present relationships as well, not just strangers we meet on foreign lands.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

– Marcel Proust

Each time I travel I learn something new! I love history so I tend to gravitate towards such connections and conversations, those that can offer their perspective on different events that have taken place – usually locals. I love food, so it pleases me to find out what the typical food in a country and try at least one dish. And I enjoy people from all backgrounds – I learn things such as values, traditions and how others are changing and growing with the times. One thing I absolutely love seeing is people of all ages travelling. I have witnessed older adults travelling on their own (in couples and in groups, as well) and recently, at a hostel, this woman said to me, “I took a risk and stayed at a hostel to meet others but didn’t think anyone would want to speak to someone as old as me”. Her experience was quite the opposite. Hostels are great as there are many fellow travellers that inhabit them – of all ages, cultural backgrounds and experiences. Travellers have a community of their own and the majority are more than supportive. Also, you’re never really alone even if you’re travelling alone. Risks and fears must be embraced and only then will we know what we are capable of.

 “Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”

– Gustav Flaubert

Travel can look very different for all of us. For me, I have enjoyed Couchsurfing, staying in hostels and Airbnbs. Reason being is that I am able to enjoy an authentic feel of the country/city that I am immersed in. I appreciate seeing the day to day activities of the locals I am in proximity to. To me, it feels like home away from home. I have also stayed in hotels and All Inclusive Resorts and have realized that as time goes on, I am preferring Airbnb more so. Any way you choose to travel, a journey is a journey – get away from the cycles and patterns that you are used to and go ahead and flirt with uncertainty and freedom, even if for a short while!

One last thing I would like to mention: travelling does not require a ton of money. I have met many travellers that have made just enough for a ticket out. There are countless options when one is out and about, such as work away, Couchsurfing, etc. When there is a will there is a way. Also, a vacation can be anything you want, for instance, taking time off work and spending time with family or exploring one’s own backyard. It is whatever you make of it. However, immersing yourself in another culture and people is a different experience all together. 

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

– Anonymous

So, you see, there is a wealth of knowledge along with unexpected experiences that one may encounter while away and thus adding to one’s growth. I enjoy breaking away from my routine, learning, and simply experiencing something new. And when I come back home I feel refreshed and rejuvenated. I take mini vacations while at home (weekends away) and one big one during the year because in my opinion I am on this beautiful planet to experience other beings and the world around us – to work and play. There must be a fine balance.

Below are some of the benefits I and many others have found from traveling:

• A realization that we are all the same – in that we all experience grief, love, pain, joy, etc.
• Indulge and appreciate the culture and differences we bring
• Education – about self, others, world around us
• Increase one’s social skills
• Opening channels of vulnerability
• Increase in confidence, self-esteem, acceptance
• Increased decision making skills
• Perspective
• Humility
• Personal growth

More quotes to ponder:

“Jobs fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul.” – Jamie Lyn Beatty 

“A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost

“To travel is to live.” – Hans Christian Andersen

“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac

“The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have.” – Anna Quindlen

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” – Seneca

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home.” – James Michener

“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls.” – Anaïs Nin

“You don’t have to be rich to travel well.” – Eugene Fodor

“Travel is never a matter of money but of courage.” – Paolo Coelho

“If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.” – Anthony Bourdain