The Benefits of Traveling and Why You should do it More
One of the many things that this pandemic had taught me, is that I love travelling more than I thought. Cold mountain air in a green scenery with a hundred years old trees or white sands with light blue water as far as the eyes can see were something that I yearned. Don’t get me wrong, I love doing things that I love doing in my home. At the beginning of the pandemic, reading books, playing video games, and binging felt just as enjoyable. Unfortunately, the enjoyment kept declining over time, until eventually boredom came, and I felt like my sources of entertainment were gone. At that exact moment, I knew that I love the outside world very much, and I miss being in it.
It is fair to say that we have been trapped for too long. Well, not actually trapped, but we were advised to stay at home since the risk of going outside and getting infected is higher than before, so it is in our best interest to stay at home, although it did came with unforeseen consequences. The creases on our sheets, the stacks of our dirty laundry, and the mundane routine at home is getting more and more familiar, since it has been going on for too long.
I have been traveling since I was a child. I used to accompany my grandmother wherever she goes when I was a child, while my family and I would go for a holiday at least twice a year when I was still at school. The freedom that I experienced, the freedom that we had before, to travel and visit the familiar scenery, to explore somewhere we have never been, to see what’s beyond our sight had been taken away momentarily. I don’t know about you, but I want it back.
Luckily, I sort of got it back when I got the opportunity to explore and travel this year once the precautions and the protocols are in place. And so I did, I hiked a mountain on October and went to Bali on December, and let me tell you it was exactly what the doctor ordered. Those trips, along with other countless trips that I’ve done made me learn many things that I would like to share to you. Here is why I think travel is beneficial and why we should do it more.
1. You will expand your comfort zone
Traveling and its preparations will get you out of your routine and expand your comfort zone. Weeks before I hike, I started exercising to make sure that I was physically and mentally fit. Suffice to say, the hike became much easier thanks to those preparations. On my walk to conquer the summit, I felt humbled and grateful knowing that my preparations bear fruit. My body adapted to the cold air really well, I did not get dizzy despite the high altitude, and the steps that I took felt light despite the weight on my shoulders. Thanks to these preparations, I can enjoy the cold, clean air and green scenery more since I did not have to worry about my ability to reach the summit and get myself home safely.
I expanded my comfort zone the day I decided to hike and thankfully, it sticks with me and did not shrink back. I jogged three times a week for four weeks to prepare, gradually increasing my limit. The new me that likes physical exercise beat the old me that did not. The old me couldn’t even last jogging for 15 minutes. The new me, however, love them and can go twice as long. Go out there, get up from your bed, go somewhere you never been before, and go do something you have always wanted. I never thought I can last half an hour of physical exercise and here I am. I have always wanted to experience hiking and so I did. If I can expand my comfort zone by expanding my limit and doing something that I have always wanted to do before, then you can do them too.
2. You will experience new things
Traveling will expose you to things you haven’t experienced before. Gorgeous sceneries you haven’t laid your eyes on, delicious delicacies your mouth hasn’t kissed, the gamelan beat you haven’t heard, or even arts and crafts your hands haven’t touched. These new experiences will make you feel humbled because it turns out we know so little, and we’ve only experienced a smidge of what this world could offer. This realization will expand your perspective and broaden your sense of self. Let me give you an example
In order to reach Bali, I had to get on a ferry to cross The Strait of Bali. Before I hop on that ferry, I always believe that mountains are superior than beaches and seas, since I love seeing trees, being inside a thick fog, and breathing cold air. All it took was just a half hour ferry ride to obliterate my belief. I fell in love with the sea that day. Once my senses were exposed to the calming sound of waves crashing against the hull, the freshly clean ocean smell, the sight of foamy wave on top of the beautiful greenish deep blue sea. Mountains are no longer superior to the seas, I love both of them equally.
3. You will become wiser, smarter, and more interesting
Even though you may not realize it, traveling fills your brain with new bits of information. Information about cultures, places, history, people, hobbies, or even food. I mean sure, reading books or watching documentaries will put new information in your brain too, but getting your knowledge first-hand is always preferable, since you are the one who process the information yourself.
Traveling will also strengthen your empathy and understanding towards other people and culture. It will erase any one-dimensional point of view that you may have toward others. Once you interact with them. Once you come back from your travel, you will become more interesting because you will have more to talk about from the wisdom you get from your travel. Travel more, learn more, understand more, and tell your stories more.
4. You will create memories with people you care about
Traveling is a great way to make a mark on someone else’s memory. When you go somewhere with someone dear, you will always remember the beautiful moments you’ve shared together. When I was 3 years old, my grandmother took me to Bandung to visit his sister. When I was 4 years old, my grandmother took me again, this time to Surabaya to visit my great-grandmother, and we’ve done countless more after that.
Those early childhood trips that we took together left a huge mark on me, because it’s the earliest memory that I can recall about her. Me and her sitting on a green bench inside a “Lodaya” or “Sancaka” train with vendors offering their goods inside and outside the carriage. Because she took me to those trips, I will always remember that she will forever be on my side accompanying me wherever I go, and I will always love her very much.
I hope my writing can influence you to go out and travel more. The world is more than words and pictures, go experience it and tell people about your stories.
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
― St. Augustine
Read to learn, write to be remembered
