Peeling Away The Layers

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.  - Aristotle

I’m going to find myself! This is a very common response to the question on why are you going on such a long trip. I’ve always found that statement a little odd, especially since I myself don’t feel like I was lost when I started any of my trips. It is as if the act of wandering aimlessly will magically reveal the figurative treasure they were searching for. I am not unique in that sense, since I know and met many backpackers that have a strong disposition in life. Yet almost every traveller will admit that they are undertaking some form of an intrinsic journey. In doing so, they will undergo a profound evolution within themselves. This may not be evident to the person initially, but it will be apparent to friends and family once they return home. A change this profound surely could not have happened by chance. It was most likely due to a string of conscious decisions. So maybe it’s not about finding one’s bearings in life, but really the peeling back of the layers within themselves to reveal what is truly important at their core. Why is it that travelling has the ability to do so? Is it the fact that putting up a false image is taxing enough and the energy should be spent on hauling that 70L backpack to the next hostel? Or is it that it has the effect of lowering inhibitions to a level where the truest self is slowly revealed? Whatever the reason may be, allow the journey to uncover your true self. What you may have been seeking may have been within you all along.

Digital Souvenirs

We didn’t realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun. - A.A Milne “Winnie the Pooh”

My trip through Southeast Asia has been one of my most memorable trips ever. But it wasn’t the sights of ancient temples or the sounds of a bustling weekend market that truly made it memorable. It was the people that I met along the way and their unique personalities that I had the privilege in getting to know. My conversations with them were more than just the basic interrogation of where they were from and why they were travelling. It was truly a connection between two souls through the interaction of sharing our unique stories with one another. Eventually, the time to part ways would arrive, so what could I keep as a memento to remember them by? Carrying space comes at a premium for a backpacker, so I needed to be mindful of what I chose to bring with me. Luckily, the advent of social media has allowed me to keep a souvenir that backpackers just 10 years ago weren’t able to do. Friend requests. Like digital trading cards, I would often look at how many I’ve accumulated throughout the journey thus far. The idea of social media is to bring people together is it not? It was a way to forever keep them in my heart and mind, at least in a digital representation of the memories that we once shared together. How is this any different than back at home? It is not uncommon for me to ask someone at a social function if I can get their Facebook or Instagram contacts. An automatic reflex that has been ingrained in me now through years of repetition I guess. Yet this seemed different somehow and after some reflection I realized something. It was if I was subconsciously asking them if I could continue travelling with them even if it was in spirit. A personal connection partially transposed into a digital one. Although I’m back at home now, I look at the pictures and stories of the people I’ve met that are still on their journey and feel like I’m right there on the road with them.

The Backpacker's Path

Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor - Alexis Carrel

Two hours riding a motorcycle in a torrential downpour while not even at the halfway mark. Mountain biking 90km through the Cambodian countryside in mid-thirty degree heat. Fighting off a host of various ailments including infections, colds and food poisoning. The backpacking lifestyle is a far cry from the type of experience one would expect from an all-inclusive resort. It often means that you will be tested during the trip and will be placed in very uncomfortable situations. That’s just it really, it was just an uncomfortable feeling. It is inevitable in this form of travel. It’s just part of the process. Really ,without it, backpacking would not be the same. It’s not that I find pleasure in the masochistic aspects of this, but more that hardship will bring out certain traits of the trip that wouldn’t arise otherwise. It’s the hardships that truly shape the experience. Constant highs may seem like paradise, but it’s really when it’s contrasted with occasional lows that will make you really appreciate the moments. Like a pulse that has both high and low peaks, it’s a fitting metaphor for what travel life is all about. What truly living is all about. Travel can and should bring you out of your comfort zone. Let it. Experience it. Flow with the spontaneity and surprises that the drama of travel can bring you. Amidst all the trials and tribulations that you might come across on your journey, it might come as a surprise the amount obstacles you’ve overcome along the way. May knowing that bring you the confidence to continue on without hesitation and fear. Adventure awaits.