Everyone has their own reasons for doing the things they love in life. One person’s passion may not be interesting at all to someone else. It’s one of the beautiful things of the human experience, we all are so similar, yet so different.
When it comes to myself, I have two main passions in my life; sports and travel. Even amongst those who consider travel their passion, there is a wide spectrum of reasons why that passion burns deep inside of them. Here are 9 reasons why I travel.
1. To Learn
Travel is an immersive, hands-on learning experience. Whereas growing up learning in classrooms could be boring, when you travel, the opportunities to learn are at every turn. Walking amongst ancient ruins or historical locations. Interacting with locals inevitably leads to the sharing of tidbits about the culture and traditions. Trying new foods. Discovering a phrase in a new language. Learning just hits different when you are traveling. It’s fun, interesting and transformative. Learning and travel go hand in hand.
There are museums, tours and other excursions that are literally built around teaching things to tourists. The variety of knowledge you gain through travel is extensive. You’ll learn about history that you either forgot from school, or you simply were never taught. For example, in Vietnam we visited the War Remnants Museum and it offered us the chance to learn history from a different side of the story, and it certainly was informative and eye opening.
2. To Gain a New Perspective
Travel has deeply changed who I am as a person, my values and what I care about. It isn’t always glamorous, despite what Instagram shows you. Travel has challenged everything I’ve ever known to be true. It has forced me to confront situations in life and in the world that are more comfortable to ignore. Travel has shaken me to my core and quite frankly, sometimes it has scared the hell out of me, but it has also given me faith in humanity.
Travel has and continues to make me appreciate everything I have in my life. Many people complain about the most trivial shit that really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. What many are lacking is a different perspective to show them the full view of reality. When you are in Laos and see a person smiling while brushing their teeth and bathing in a dirty river, it impacts you and the way you think.
You see 5-8 year old kids on the streets in Mexico begging for coins and trying to sell you bracelets. You can’t help but think about your nephew that is the same age, living in a house full of toys and comfort without much to worry about. It has a way of jolting you in a profound way.
Travel though Italy and witness people take time out of each workday (or the entire month of August) to go home and eat lunch with family and take a nap. You’ll begin to question why everyone in the US is busting their ass every single day and waiting until an unpromised “tomorrow” of retirement to begin living their lives. Why don’t people enjoy life now a bit more and smell the roses?
Seeing people in different parts of the world living happy existences without many of the things we’re told we need to be happy in the US makes you start to question the way things are done.
My perspective on the meaning of life, all of its joys, all of its problems and everything in between continues to evolve as a direct result of what I’ve seen, absorbed and been a part of during my travels. Visiting the awe-inspiring Machu Picchu and slamming steins of beer at Oktoberfest were some of my “bucket list” reasons to travel in the beginning, for sure. But gaining a new perspective has become a reason why I travel that I never saw coming. And now it is just as important.
3. To Challenge Myself
There’s a particular quote attributed to Roy T. Bennett that I believe in deeply to my core. “It’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow and transform.” Sometimes in the typical everyday life rooted in routines, each day can blend into the next. It’s difficult to see any changes or growth in your life. Travel is the 180° complete opposite.
Travel forces you to be completely thrown out of your comfort zone as you are challenged on a daily basis. You’re navigating language barriers and communication. Figuring out where and what to eat in a country with foods you aren’t accustomed to. Using your brain to hammer through logistics like how to find the bus to your next destination and where can you get your laundry done. Every day is filled with challenges for you to overcome. Travel is more than just sightseeing. It’s really a series of tests and puzzles that you must pass and solve.
Travel also challenges you to say “yes” to things you otherwise wouldn’t. You are constantly presented with opportunities for new adventures. Travel represents an opportunity to face your fears and conquer them. The results are feelings of accomplishment, growth, self confidence and boldness. You have to be courageous to travel.
Here are just some examples of how travel has challenged me and led to adventures I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams:
- I wanted to have a deeper and more meaningful experience traveling in Latin America. I created a goal for myself to learn Spanish. Although I’m not completely fluent, I’ve accomplished this goal and can have conversations with locals, enriching my travel experiences.
- I’ve learned to surf and am by no means Kelly Slater, but I’m no kook out there either. I’ve been able to catch waves in Indonesia, Australia, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica & Mexico. Surfing scares the shit out of me sometimes. I’m not a strong swimmer, but the thrill of successfully riding a wave is beyond worth it.
- I was pushed by my Bro, Nick, to try mountain biking for the very first time. It was not on a calm and leisurely stretch of pavement or trail. My first time was on what is considered to be one of the world’s most dangerous roads in Bolivia. In fact, it is known as “Death Road” as many people have fallen over the 3,000+ ft vertical drops to their inevitable deaths. I lived to tell the story and am proud that I didn’t back down and cower in fear.
- I’ve eaten countless meals off a foreign menu where I can’t tell you what I ordered or what I ate. My stomach gives me trouble on almost every trip, but I’m not afraid to battle test it.
- Canyoning down waterfalls and rapids in a jungle of southern Vietnam.
- I stared over the edge and jumped with reckless abandonment at the OG Bungy Jump in Queenstown, New Zealand.
- I climbed active volcanoes in Guatemala as my mid 30’s knees barked the whole way up and down.
- I dropped acid with a group of new friends in Australia and went for a bush walk, ultimately leading to the top of a mountain with incredible views enhanced by said LSD and a powerful, deep introspective spiritual experience.
- I’ve had to navigate so many land mines on the road. Trying to get necessary medical treatment in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico after coming down with typhoid fever/salmonella poisoning. Nick needed to get potential life saving rabies treatment in a tight window when he was bit by a stray dog in Guatemala. We had to figure out what the fuck to do when we flipped over our camper van in New Zealand. Not all challenges are fun, but these trying moments force you to adapt, think on your feet and grow stronger.
4. Because I Value Experiences over Possessions
I started my life path after college like most in America do. You get your first job and then start thinking about moving out on your own. Only, when I saw my student loans and how much interest I was being charged each month, something burned inside of me. I decided to stay at home with my parents and I knocked out all of my debt in a few short years, a sacrifice that was well worth it. I vowed to never take on debt like that ever again.
Little did I know how much of an impact that period of time in my life would have on me. I could never have known that it would play a role in allowing my passion of travel to develop and foster. Being debt free is the only way I could live the way I do, and have for the past 6 years of my life. I without a doubt, would not have been able to quit my job and travel around the world for over a year in 2017 if I had been hampered with debt.
The experience of not wanting to pay more for things than they actually cost in the form of interest, along with a few quick excursions overseas to Amsterdam, Thailand, Denmark, Iceland and Norway showed me what was possible. I was inspired by others I met early on during those vacations, which is what they were, and started to see the possibilities of living life a different way.
I began to realize that a lot of what we’re fed in American and western culture in general, is a bunch of bullshit. Life isn’t about a big house, a fancy car, expensive watches and closets filled with extravagant wardrobes. I always felt so much more enriched by my experiences through travel than any Mercedes or Rolex could have provided me. I was happier with less stuff and more experiences. The mass marketing and commercialization of everything works, and it has a lot of people brainwashed.
It also became obvious that travel didn’t have to be expensive. This is another myth sold to you by the media and clever marketing. Hostels aren’t what you saw in that 2005 horror flick. They are fun places with shared spaces. Hostels are conducive to meeting interesting people who want to have a great time in a new country without breaking the bank.
Beyond accommodations, there are so many ways to save money for travel and while traveling. It’s part of what inspired us to create the Bros Around the Globe blog in the first place. Our goal was and still is to inspire others to break out of the matrix and see the wonderful world out there. The Bros aren’t trust fund babies and never in our lives have we pulled in a six figure salary, but we managed to do it. You can too.
5. Because Life is Short and Mysterious
How many times do we hear some sad, terrible story of someone’s life getting cut short just as they were getting started? Or other unfortunate life circumstances get in the way. It’s an inconvenient reality of life.
As Winston Churchill once said, “Time is one thing that can never be retrieved. One may lose and regain friends. One may lose and regain money. Opportunity, once spurned, may come again. But the hours that are lost in idleness can never be brought back to be used in gainful pursuits.”
We are so lucky we happen to live in a period of time where we have air travel, and the world is a relatively safe and welcoming place, despite what you may hear on the news. Think about the fact that we have a metal bird that can transport you to the other side of the world in less than a day. It’s crazy.
Wanna talk about crazy? Now think about the fact that we are floating on a rock in an infinite amount of space and we don’t have any clue how or why. Now that’s crazy! The odds of us being able to experience life on a planet with delicious foods, inspiring and talented people, an incredibly diverse range of species and wildlife, mind bending landscapes, oceans, lakes, rivers, deserts and mountains, it barely makes sense. For me personally, I think it would be crazy to post up in one spot and say, “this is good, this is all I’d like to see”.
Again, we’re all different and I’m only speaking from my perspective. But as long as my circumstances allow it and I am fortunate enough to be healthy and to have the means to make it happen, I can’t imagine living life any other way.
6. To Meet Other Like-Minded People
This is something that resonates with so many travelers I’ve met on my journey. When travelers are back “home”, no matter where that is, they struggle to feel a connection to the people there. Whether it’s related to meeting new people or with good friends and loved ones, I hear the same thing over and over. “I feel like no one gets it.” It’s especially true for travelers that have spent extended periods of time on the road through long term travel or living abroad.
When you are on the road, staying in a hostel or on an excursion with other travelers from different countries, you’re all just vibing. The story of someone quitting their job and traveling with zero plan is commonplace and there’s a level of respect and a tip of the cap to those who take the leap of faith. Back home you might get the “head tilt, are you crazy?” type of look. I’ve met people from all walks of life with all sorts of interesting and inspiring stories while traveling.
I recently met a guy in Guatemala who gave up his barber and hairstyling business back in the UK. He took his set of clippers on the road for a wild journey through Central and South America. His journey has led him to meeting local barbers in each stop, getting invited into their homes for meals and hospitality, exchanging haircuts with each other. He has tapped into a subculture and it is enriching his travel experiences and giving him countless remarkable stories to tell.
I met another dude from the Isle of Man while in Merida, Mexico, who has been riding a bicycle from Canada all the way to Argentina. He has been riding for over two and half years and has just entered Argentina in the past week or so. These are just two very recent encounters off the top of my head. There are truly some incredible people out there doing extraordinary things.
For me, my tribe of people is on the road. I love everyone in my life back home, without question. But people can’t relate to the lifestyle, unless they’ve lived it. You can’t expect them to understand the things that drive your passion and why you choose to not only travel, but on a deeper level, why you choose to live your life the way you do with a completely different value system than the majority of society.
There are definitely people back home who do get it, but it’s a lot more difficult to find them. It’s easy to feel out of place and a little ‘off your rocker’ when you’re home, but once you touch down in a new country and start meeting the people who “get” you, you don’t seem so crazy anymore.
7. To Satisfy My Curious Nature
I’ve always liked to explore. Whether it was at my sister’s soccer tournaments as a kid wandering around some school hallways I was unfamiliar with. Or going to the top floor of my office building in NYC and ignoring that “Do Not Open” door to the roof, revealing a spectacular view of the concrete jungle. Even when I go to a NY Rangers game, I’m the guy who walks behind a curtain and watches the game from a luxury suite. I’ve always liked to push boundaries and see what’s out there.
One of my favorite things to do when I touch down in a new place is to wander around aimlessly, walking as much as I can and observing everything from the people working on the streets and in the little shops to the architecture, public transportation options and smelling the food stalls. Everything and everywhere is an opportunity to observe and explore.
As a child I had a globe in my room, a gift from my grandfather who has been to probably upwards of 70 countries (he’s old school, he never counted or kept track). He would always bring back tales, souvenirs, new friends and photos from places I would only read about in my school textbook or see on TV (this was pre-internet and personal computers in the early to mid 90s). In addition, my grandmother worked for British Airways and I still have a model of the British Airways Concorde that she gave me as a kid, which inspired me to fly.
I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of my grandpa’s friends on the road and stay with them and create a deeper bond between all of us. It’s a special and unique experience. He definitely has inspired me to keep traveling and always supports me and my lifestyle. Perhaps watching ‘Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?’ and being interested in geography as a kid played a role in my curious nature as well.
8. To Escape the Routine
I understand that there is value in a routine. Routine is deeply tied to discipline. Without somewhat of a routine, it’s hard to make progress and work toward goals in your life. I’m talking more about the routine of living in the same place for months, years and decades on end, doing the same things and going to the same places and eating the same foods over and over again. That kind of routine gets old quick for me.
Not everyone is the same, and I respect that. Some people love their routine and it works for them. But self awareness is key. I am aware of who I am and what drives my soul and what hinders my spirit. I’m a person who gets bored very easily, simple as that. I like to keep it moving and keep my life exciting, not knowing what’s around the next corner.
I do have some routines in my life, but I carry those with me when I travel. They aren’t tied to being in the same physical location for an extended period of time. I find that by traveling long term, I naturally catch a lot of sunsets, learn new things, get out in nature, have thrilling adventures and meet new and interesting people, almost by default. When I’m in the routine of being rooted in one physical location for months on end, it seems these things are not as spontaneous and naturally occurring, but require more effort and planning.
9. To Become a More Well-Rounded Individual
Any person who has traveled extensively knows this to be true. It simply makes you a better person. Let me be clear, I don’t mean in comparison to others. I don’t think I’m better than you because I’ve traveled more than you. I simply mean, internally, and externally, as an individual human being, you are better from it.
Travel has made me more confident and courageous. Experiences through travel have made me learn to adapt to unanticipated situations better than I ever could before. It has filled my brain with knowledge it would have taken eons to learn through books and schooling. Travel has given me the ability to read people better. It has made me trust people more (tough coming from a New Yorker, we don’t trust anyone).
Travel has made me better with communicating through body language. It has sharpened my sense of direction. Travel has made me more aware of my surroundings. Living a nomadic life has made me a more mindful and present person. Travel makes me think about issues not just from my personal perspective as an American, but as a human being in a shared experience with 8 billion others on Earth.
The more I travel, the more I grow and transform. Each time Nick and I hit the road we always like to say we “level-up”. We level up on certain skills like I’ve mentioned here, but really, we are leveling up our human experience. We are getting more in touch with the world, the universe and all its creations.
Travel is something I truly believe everyone should try to do if they can, and I don’t mean staying at a resort in Cancun or Jamaica. I mean putting yourself amidst the group of working class regular people in a new country to see, absorb and digest how they live, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel. Most of the benefits of travel and the reasons why I travel cannot be found at the all-inclusive resort and hotel restaurant or pool.
I believe that travel has the power to make the world a better place. It’s not just about getting your hot girl Instagram shot at a waterfall in Bali. If everyone traveled just a little bit, people would understand each other a little bit more. People would be a little less prejudiced, racist and judgmental.
I never anticipated that living out of a backpack would allow me see all the good in the world. Travel has made me more understanding and empathetic of others and the situations that they are going through. It has shown me that yes, we are all very different, but at the same time, we are very much the same. We all want to live, laugh, eat good food, share with others and live a peaceful existence with our communities and loved ones.
Travel will show you that you can meet a local who has a wildly different opinion than you on any variety of issue, and that is ok. There are different cultural norms and what’s taboo in what place is commonplace in another. There is no right or wrong. Just different. This is a lesson that can go a long way in improving human relationships with one another everywhere across the globe in this day and age. We don’t have to agree on everything to respect each other and be friends. Listening to each other, agreeing, disagreeing and moving on to the next laugh are all just a part of life.
Til’ the next adventure…safe and happy travels.
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