It’s been 10 months since I got on a one-way flight from Toronto to the other side of the world.  It’s been a wild ride, to say the very least! Lately, I’ve been thinking about how my mindset and priorities have changed and developed. To mark the 10 month anniversary I’ve compiled a shortlist of the things I’ve learned and only could have learned by trotting the globe for the better part of 2016:

1.) No matter where you go, people are kind

I already knew this before from my previous travels, but this thought has been reinforced through and through. A person’s kindness is not dependent on where they are from, how much money they have or which religion they follow. While there are many exceptions to the rule, these exceptions are far and few between. Also, a smile goes a long way.

2.) The world is accessible via cheap airlines

Places like Fiji, Maldives and Singapore sound far, exotic and expensive to get to from home. But from budget airlines’ major hubs such as Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and even Sydney, these places are only a few hundred dollars away. I got to the Maldives and back from KL for around $250 CAD with AirAsia, and that is a 5 hour flight one way! The seats were uncomfortable, they charge you to check your bags and they don’t give you water to drink but hey, I got to the Maldives for pretty cheap!

3.) You don’t have to see everything

I use to have FOMO – fear of missing out. But I realized that it’s just not possible to see EVERYTHING in a place unless you decide to move there. And quite honestly, not everything is THAT interesting. I try to do a bit of research before I get to a place and get some tips from the hostel staff and dorm mates when I finally arrive. I found out, more often then not, that several heavily marketed attractions and activities are just that – heavily marketed and not worth your time or money. Losing FOMO was one of the best things to happen to me mentally – your chances of being disappointed are so much lower and you can focus on the more important things.

4.) Do the things you want to do or else you will regret it

There were a few things that I took a chance or leap on because I knew that if I didn’t, I would really regret it. A few of these things – skydiving in New Zealand (no matter how freaked out I was), camping in the outback in Australia and making the trip to Tasmania. All of these things worked out so well and if I had passed on these opportunities due to fear or financial restraints, I knew I would be disappointed in myself. And you know what? It all worked out in the end. I would go skydiving again in a heartbeat; Seeing Uluru and camping under the Milky Way in the outback is one of my favourite memories and I ended up spending more than a month in Tassie and didn’t want to leave in the end.

It’s always better to take the leap than to regret your chances after.

5.) Money isn’t everything

At the start of my travels and throughout the first few months, I was so worried about money that I would end up picking a not-that-great hostel to save like $4 a night. However as time went on, paying for convenience and comfort is worth it. Things such as:

• Paying an extra $30 for a flight that is NOT at 6 am in the morning
• Getting a room with AC in a humid, tropical climate (SE Asia, ugh)
• Getting a 6-8 person dorm vs a 12-16 person dorm

But as saving a few dollars started to not matter as much as my travels went on, the whole idea of needing a lot of money faded. As stated in previous blog posts, before I left home I was SO worried about not having enough money that I became obsessed with spending as little as I can. But now I can say that money isn’t everything. I definitely need it to continue getting from place to place, but I’m both not as worried about money as before. I just know that shit just works out (see below).

6.) Stuff loses meaning

I travelled for 10 months with 4 pairs of shoes; my Gore-Tex Saucony trail shoes, flip flops, flats, and a pair of Merrell sandals that I ditched and made room for a pair of boots when I got to Australia. I had a few tops, some dresses and one cardigan I picked up halfway through the 10 months. While a part of me would occasionally long for x item that is hanging in my closet at home, you get use to living out of a backpack and not having many choices of clothing. And after so much time, I actually ended up forgetting what I had at home. Recently I video called my parents and had them go through things in my room so I could pick out what I wanted since I was meeting my friend Jasmin in Bangkok right before returning to Australia and she was going to bring things for me, and I couldn’t think of things I wanted them to find. They went through all the things in my closet and I ended up picking out only 2 items at first. It was a very strange – to be shopping within your own belongings and being able to choose whatever you wanted and I couldn’t decide. Maybe that’s just a byproduct of having such few possessions for nearly a year.

7.) Some people lose meaning

When I announced to friends, family and co-workers of my plans to travel for one year or more, I was met with an overwhelming amount of love, support and well wishes. I had some really beautiful send-offs; my last few weeks were packed with seeing people, parties, gifts and long farewells. But while there was a really positive response, there was also a few not so great ones, or a more truthful way of putting it – no response at all. And while I don’t need to waste another moment of my time trying to figure out why it was like that, I realized that those were the people that just did not have any meaning in my life from the start or in some cases, from that moment on. When you have a major change in your life, you will tend to lose some people you thought were going to be there, usually because a) they’re jealous or b) they don’t understand you or c) both a and b. And that is fine, because it’s really these turning points in your life that show who really matter to you. I believe some of my friendships and relationships have strengthened because I am so far away yet we keep in touch or I feel their love from a distance or they had such beautiful parting words for me.  To have such surprising positive support from people that I didn’t expect, it really shows who belongs in your life when you come back home and who doesn’t.

8.) It’s about the people, not the place

Don’t get me wrong, it’s very much about the place too (why would I be travelling then?) but it’s much more about the people. My favourite memories are always about how much I laughed with this group of people or a deep, connective late night conversation I had with x person or discovering a new place with a new travel buddy. The place, whether it’s a beautiful exotic beach, cosmopolitan city or run of the mill hostel, always comes secondary to the people. I could start writing about some of my favourite moments but this post would become a long essay!

9.) You might meet someone special, but would have to say goodbye sooner or later

Another thing I already knew but felt should be a part of this list and emphasized. This goes for romantic interests, newfound friends, travel soulmates and occasionally the seemingly random yet perfect blend of people all together in one place at one time. While everything seems to be of temporary nature, frequently saying goodbye has me remembering to savour each and every wonderful moment.

10.) Your style of travelling may change

This was something I didn’t expect to happen to me, but it has. While I still enjoy staying at hostels, eating street food and doing things the “budget backpacker” way, I am now in a place where I’d rather spend more money to be more comfortable. Once in awhile (depending on where I am), I will get a private room. If I have to stay in a hostel it will be the hostel with the best reviews because I cannot tolerate sub-par accommodations anymore. I still like eating local cuisine the local way, but I am much more wary of hygiene and cleanliness and will opt to eat at a restaurant even if it costs more. I enjoy using Uber and Grab if it means not having to lug my backpack (and now a new suitcase!) through 10 million steps to the metro. I have adopted this thinking now, when I have even less money than I did when I started, but that’s OK.

And a bonus one…

11.) Everything works out 

Not every thing goes perfectly when you travel – it rarely does. I have almost missed planes, gotten in fake taxis, my bank card wouldn’t work and I didn’t have much local currency, almost got off the wrong boat stop (???) and have gotten sick countless of times. But in the end, shit works out. You end up where you’re suppose to be or you find a way there.

Are there any things you have learned from travelling (whether long term or short term)? I would love to hear them!