Travelling is often at the top of our perpetual ‘to do’ list and is something that many strive to experience at some point in or regularly throughout their life, but with such comfort and safety to be found at home, why should we even bother? Beyond top-rated Instagram photos and comical stories to share over dinner, what else actually is there to be gained?

The reality is, when superficiality is put to one side, the yield is boundless.

As Rachel Wolchin so beautifully put it; “If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet”.

For as long as I can remember I’ve had an unwavering desire to travel to every corner of the globe; desperate to immerse myself in the unknown and ready to be astounded by all that our world has to offer. Having spent 8 months of my gap year travelling, embarking on what I hope to be the first of many adventures during my adult life, I now have no doubt that my heart was honest when it told me it would be the best thing I would ever do.

When I set off on my adventure I knew of much that was sure to come – the wonderful inevitabilities that we all associate with travel; meeting lots of interesting new people, learning about fascinating cultures and deep-rooted traditions, witnessing the breath-taking beauty of the natural world, visiting places of upmost historic significance and doing things I’d never even considered doing before (granted, I didn’t expect for all of these features to be as prevalent as they were – each in turn moving me to tears of joy and awe), however, I was not in any way prepared for how this experience would impact my mind and, truly, my soul.

The most noteworthy changes that I saw during my travels were an increase in my gratitude and appreciation for the people, opportunities and nature around me, as well as a shift in my general perspective on life and the reinforcement of the fact that it is too precious to waste (it’s a cliché we hear daily but, in all honesty, how often do we truly live by it?). Not to mention the greater clarity of thought that I gained, especially about my journey here on this Earth, and the somewhat epiphany I reached that our only obligation is to simply be. I am now carrying all of this learning with me in my day to day life and despite it seeming heavy, it has really lightened the load of my existence. I feel freer knowing that I am capable of doing anything that I desire and I feel lighter knowing that I am just a tiny component of this huge, complex, incredible world, and even further, universe.

To me, that sums up the beauty of travel; although it is only temporary – as with everything in life – the lessons, memories and self-realisation will always stay with you. Being away from home and without any routine, it’s easier to exist in the present moment and to allow your mind to be free of menial stresses and trivial concerns. As a result, I found that I had so much more headspace to think, and consequently, to create, heal and observe. It is an opportunity to learn about yourself, what you truly need and want from this life. Never before had I examined and deconstructed the intricacies of my own thoughts and to say it was eye-opening would be an understatement; having the time and space to give yourself permission to do so is such a blessing but should be not a luxury, but a given. Travel is a gift to yourself from yourself and is a gift that we all deserve.

So, with all that being said, where are you going to explore next?

All my love,

Lucy x

‘Travelling is a return to the essentials’ – Tibetan proverb