Why is travelling so important?

Some people may disagree, but I honestly think that travelling is just as important as getting an education. In fact, it is probably the best form of education that you can get.

Travelling gives you the opportunity to learn about so many different cultures, and to experience the ways of life in different countries. Whereas without having discovered new places and cultures, you almost live in a little bubble of the same day to day routine, never leaving your comfort zone and not opening your mind to all that is out there.

Of course, this is not necessarily a bad thing, and exploring unusual places is just not some people's cup of tea. But I have found that with travelling you can learn more about different cultures than you would learn in school or from watching the television or reading articles online. You get to see firsthand the poverty in parts Africa, and realise how lucky you are to have the life you do, but you also get to know the local people and see that, despite the poverty they face daily, they are such happy and positive people. You also get to learn that a lot of Africans don't live in poverty, despite what the charity adds on the TV tell you.

You can visit the beautiful temples in Indonesia and learn about their background and history, see  the amazing artwork and sculptures crafted by the locals and just embrace their way of life for the little time that you are there. Or even just live in outback Australia for a short while, watching the sunrise across the beautiful scenery each morning, while wild kangaroos hop along next to your car.

Meeting new people is also a huge element of why seeing the world is so important, especially if you are travelling alone. It gives you the opportunity to meet likeminded people from all over the world, The UK, Canada, Japan, Germany and Argentina, to name a few. Those who all have the same goal as you, to explore the world and embrace it. Some of these may be the types of people you never thought you would get along with, but you do as you learn more about them. But best of all, you meet people who you get along so well with that you know you will be friends with them for life, and no matter where you both end up, you will always keep in contact.

 Above all this though, the biggest reward you will get from travelling is what you learn about yourself. Life slows down, and the stresses you once had disappear, and it gives you the opportunity to learn about who you really are and what you want in life. For me, a girl who used to be so self-conscious and nervous, it has helped me to become more confident being me, not feeling the need to change for anyone, and has allowed me to have a more carefree outlook on life.

The people that I meet long  the way meet the 'real me' and not the me who would subconsciously change to make others happy. By travelling alone I have learned to be more independent too. Whether or not this is going to affect things when I eventually settle back home, I don't know. But right now I am too care free to worry about the future, and I am living each day at a time, excited about my next adventure.  

So my advice to anyone, would be to get out there, explore the world and everything it has to offer. Home will always be there to go back to when the time is right.

Leah-Lou x