Don’t Forget Why You Are Traveling

Traveling can be both amazingly fun and incredibly exhausting.  On one hand you have the “fun” – meeting new people, getting to know other travelers, exploring historical places, gazing at beautiful scenery, experiencing new cultures, trying different things, getting out of your comfort zone, etc.  On the other hand you have the “exhausting” – where you are going, how you are going to get there, how much it is going to cost, safety precautions, what to pack for travel, staying in touch with family and friends, planning the next day, planning the next week, planning the next month, etc.  Combine everything I just listed, let them float around in your mind, and I promise you’ll feel mentally drained by the end of the day.  But you can’t let that interfere with what you’re trying to accomplish or detract you from why you set out on your journey in the first place. You simply cannot.

I’ve been in Uruguay for the past week and spent a few nights in Punta del Este, a beach town located roughly two hours from the capital of Montevideo.  It was completely unplanned and I had no idea where I was going, what I was going to do, or where I was going to stay, but I went anyway.  During the summer season, Punta del Este is crawling with people – both tourists and locals alike.  Prices are spiked high and the beaches are packed.  Fortunately for me, spring has just started here, the weather is still fairly cool, and when I arrived the sky was dark with rain clouds and the beaches were practically empty.  My hostel was half the price of the summer rate and the city seemed more or less deserted.  Did I like this?  No.  I loved it.

Over the past month, I’ve spent so much time on walking and sight-seeing tours, bus rides and subway rides, blog writing and picture taking, I started to forget why I set out on this journey in the first place.  I began this trip wanting to experience the world, and while I feel like I’ve accomplished that so far, I keep forgetting to do one thing – appreciate it.

Climbing to the top of San Cristobal Hill in Santiago, Chile and gazing across the city at the Andes Mountains was amazing.  Listening to an opera by Verdi in Buenos Aires, Argentina and experiencing the sounds of one of the finest opera houses in the world was amazing.  Day after day I’ve been experiencing many amazing things, but I have to remember to not only appreciate them, but also appreciate the world for giving me the opportunity to experience those things.

I can’t forget why I started this journey in the first place – to figure out what I’m passionate about in order to begin the life I want to live.  Your reason for traveling may be different from mine, and that’s okay, but don’t forget why you are traveling.  Don’t forget what you are trying to accomplish.  Tomorrow I’m heading out on a 30-hour bus ride to São Paulo, Brasil, where I’ll undoubtedly engage in more sight-seeing and walking tours. Yet once again, I can’t forget why I am traveling.  I can’t forget why I am really here.