I have
been going on around a few destinations for the past year. And while thinking of what has
been, what could have been, and what will be, a few things are crossing my mind as
I’m hopelessly stuck right now (and for the next few months), dead broke. Again.
For some reason, I won’t be having my salary at hand right on time, which means
me and the apartment will be a solid team. That being said, I think I’ll be
having more time to finally write about all those things that happened during the
summer. But before telling those tales on trails, I found it timely to look
back and review some quick notes,
kind of preview in itself – of what I’m expecting myself to write about on my
recent previous travels.
Life isn’t about making more money
than we know how to spend. It’s not always about the money. I remember a certain instance in Sagada when we were haggling for
a deal, asking for a discount, explaining we were just some poor travellers who
happened to be in Sagada ― with a tour guide who blatantly
spanked me that such thing as poor traveller does not exist. On the contrary, I firmly believe that it should never cost us the world to see the
world. I may be poor but I manage to travel every now and then because I choose
not to deny myself the simple pleasure of travelling while I still have the time, just enough money, and much energy to do so. Of course, it goes without
saying that travelling could really be costly; and budgets, figures, and
numbers are usually an issue. But it shouldn’t always be. All I have right now is a job with no promise of security, continuity, and
conformity, thus all I earn is just a bit more than enough for
basic needs. Thus, I carefully plan for trips to afford it, and thankfully I always
find a way with it. There is internet out there and most of the time I go for diy trips, follow the backpacker path, for a huge cut on costs. With careful
research and a mouthful of adventurous frame of mind, everything was insofar
turning out just fine.
Nothing is as far away as a
minute ago. Time, and time again.
Aside from resources, time is yet another essential element when travelling. Working
for five days a week, time is a huge consideration, aside from the usual
problem on a tight budget. Holidays and long weekends are rare and must-not-miss opportunities to travel. Though I’m
a huge fan of spontaneous trips, I always deem time as an essential travel factor. It may not be
obvious but travelling is cheaper when you have more time. Let alone the case of booking
for plane rides. Having more time means more opportunities to compare ticket
prices and study those surcharges, taxes, and terminal fees offered by
different airlines. Looking at the time from another perspective, life
is a race but there are certain humps and loops that require us to slow down
for a smoother ride. Life doesn’t have to always be fast-paced, revolving
entirely on our careers. Travelling every now and then while the time permits
isn’t that bad, we can always make money, but time and memories are not.
You always have to make the
plan that things never go as planned when travelling. There’s almost
always a little chance that something would not go as planned for every trip.
That frustrating feeling when the unimaginable happens such as getting lost,
missing the last trip, badass weather, etc. Extensive research usually helps
but there are just some things that are way beyond our control. Was able to experience getting lost in the middle of trails while climbing mountains,
getting caught in a storm while hiking, among other unexpected troubles. But at
the end of them all, it just left me wiser. And definitely stronger.
A journey is best measured in
friends, not in miles. Unfortunately, there is this long list of travel buddies
we just don’t want to travel with. Fortunately, I am blessed with good ones that I rather end up thinking if I’m actually that travel buddy they would want to trade if they have the chance.
Seriously, there are those inevitable instances when people turn out to be some
people other than what we expect them to be. But the bigger picture presents
that a deeper understanding and acceptance of each other’s imperfections is the
key to harmonious travel. After all, travelling isn’t all just for relaxation
but also an opportunity to understand people and eventually
learn about and from them and learn from and about you through them. Been on
good solo trips before, but still, the best ones were those I did with friends.
You’ll never find your limits
until you’ve gone too far. The moment we step out of our own comfort zones where
risks and dangers present themselves, that crystalline moment shatters, the
unknown and the scary thing becomes a normal part of ourselves, and endless
possibilities unfold after the other. This is by far one of the best magics travelling has done to me. A year ago I
was dead meat when it comes to heights and yet I climbed mountains, I was
generally shy but I eventually learned to reach out asking for directions from
locals, and greet and even trust strangers. It turned out travelling wasn’t only a physical
challenge, but a mental one. It was a test of character which paved the way to a handful of self-discoveries by giving me countless chances to experience
things, to reflect with an open mind, find out what I really like, deal with
various mood swings, and eventually grow some balls and properly play them.
