Growing up, one of my fond memories was traveling across the country with my dad on official duties. He usually teased and called me his ‘briefcase’ which he carried around. From then on, the love for traveling was seeded in me. I wanted to see the world differently, learn new things, watch changes in weather, eat new things and much more. Traveling became a part of me that I would stifle in years to come.

As a teenager, I couldn’t follow my dad all around. I mean, every teenager would think that is lame. Asides the regular travels from home to school (oh yes! And summer exchange programs), there was really nothing much in my teen years. Yet, somehow, traveling crept into my CV as a hobby/interest. I’m sure some of us have some things on our CVs that we can’t fully defend 😂 Well, I had to change that.

Some of you may be like me with a flair for traveling, for exploring the unknown, for trying out new meals, seeing new places, falling in love even, gazing at stars at night, and by day having crispy breeze blow out the blues from our humdrum and dull lives. But many of us don’t travel. Why? Because ‘adulting’ happens.

Adulthood is a trap. Some of us live in the cycle of working our butts off so we could travel — which is a good idea! Except that many of us let it roll into years, and then more commitments come in. Soon enough, we have money to travel but no time.

So I propose you travel now! I saw this quote which fueled my passion for traveling. It says: ‘Travel. Your money will return, but your time will not.’ With each passing day, time keeps moving, so it’s important we make the most of now. As young adults with lesser commitments, I believe there’s no other perfect time to travel but now.

To travel, you need to let go of the idea that you need a lot of money to travel. My trips this year have been on super low budgets, yet I have experienced life like never before. I have seen great waterfalls that reminded me of the greatness of God, I have met ordinary people living simple lives void of the trappings of a digital and modernized life. I have tried foods that have enticed my palettes. I have grown and expanded my horizon. And I’ve only visited a few places! 😂

Yes, I hope to have the luxury of a big budget spend on trips to come. But that won’t stop me from exploring the world before me now. You don’t have to leave your shores before you experience how vast this world is. Start where you are, visit locations that have nothing to do with your tribe. Go to places where you know nobody. Learn even from sitting with a stranger on a bus. It’s not enough to say you’ve traveled, make sure you’ve grown with knowledge and enlightenment.

Hope to hear of your travel stories!

Love,

M.❤️