Opinions - Fuck it, let's go!

Growing up, I did not travel a lot, at least up to my late teenage years. The odd family trip was the only thing we did, and I was coming to realize that it was a chore I had to do, not because I wanted to, but because I had to. The odd family trip may sound like fun for most, but for me, it was not travel. The thought of going to a place, staying there for a couple of days and visiting all the tourist places the guide books mention as a "must-see" was not my idea.

I dreamed of seeing places that not many people would go to. Unseen places, waterfalls, and the roads off the beaten path. With the wanderlust gene coming into full force in the last years of my teenage, I was restless and eager to be footloose. And then, one day, I said. “Fuck it, let’s go.”

As a millennial, and like many other millennials across the world today, we've been redefining the meaning of travel. The typical holiday is out. We need long and meaningful experiences. For years, I have been trying to get my fooloose soul to travel more than ever. But things like university, jobs and the financial concerns that come with it kept getting in the way.

And then, there was the general advice that I kept getting from all quarters;

“Get a job, save enough money, make your future secure. You can travel after you retire is what any responsible person would say. But why then? Why not now? Why not travel when you feel like it, instead of waiting for the future to come. A future that is not guaranteed, and not likely to pan out the way you planned it in your head.

Does it not make sense that I focus on the here and the now, rather than putting my dreams and thoughts on hold for an uncertain then and there?

So why should I want to say Fuck it, and just go?

Waiting brings stress, tensions and unhappy thoughts. Why wait for something that I think will happen, when you can make something that you want to happen? It make no sense to wait when you can start. Of course, I do not mean that you need to drop everything and just go. I mean start. Start in that direction. Make a plan and prepare. Do your homework and plan out the finances. But keep at it. Don't stop.

Travel is often used as a break, and it helps one to re-focus, and obtain clarity in their thinking. Travelling throws you out of your comfort zone which can help you in dealing with difficult situations. It changes the way you relate to others. It makes you realize that other people are the same just as you or me. Cultural shock is a valuable experience that places you into someone else’s comfort zone and out of yours. It becomes easier to relate to different people.

Traveling is a humbling experience. The more I travel, the more I realize how little I know about the world and about life itself. Suddenly, my daily worries and complaints seem minuscule and small. It has made me learn to put things into perspective, and understand what is worth being upset or worried over, and what is better to just let go.

Travelling when young is important. Life has no guarantee. It is impossible to say when your ticket will expire, or when there will finally be the ‘right time’. Travel is not something that should be kept in a bucket list. If you are footloose, hit the road. Wander. Explore, dream and discover. Take the road less travelled, see where you end up. Take your soul everywhere, and come back.

And then, maybe you will find your purpose, and the reason you travelled in the first place.

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That's it for now, cheers!

Disclaimer: I originally wrote this post on my blog on The Footloose Nomad