Angela TalattadContributed by Wanders of Eve
Tamsui Waterfront, Taipei, Taiwan | Image credit: Trix Tuazon
I am not saying you have to put a big chunk of your finances or your savings into travelling. In fact, I encourage you to travel responsibly. I don’t know about you but as for me, I live by two travel principles. First, know your priorities. Did you pay the bills, did you set aside your savings, or did you address your family’s needs before you booked that seat sale and hopped on a plane to your next destination? And second, save before you go because who would want to come home broke? Your depleted account or failing to keep up in paying your credit card bills may make you regret of even having to go on that vacation and the memories you have made in your trip may become less appreciated because it will remind you of, well, your debts.
Also read: Dear Traveller, Why Do You Wander?
So let’s say your priorities are in order and you have saved enough for that dream holiday, how then can it become a good investment?
It can help you become an entrepreneur
I do not want to give the impression that you have to travel so you that will become an entrepreneur. Rather, it is what you make out of your travels that can help you become one. Travel can lead you to self-discovery. Do you have a passion for writing about your adventures? Then maybe you can use that skill to pursue a part-time, or maybe a full-time career, as a writer/blogger. You can become a professional photographer perhaps? Or maybe you can put up your own chain of hostels or set up your own travel and tours company. It will be no easy feat but you can turn your passion into profit if your heart is into it.
Connections
As you travel, you will create friendships. And eventually, you will establish your network of acquaintances across the globe. It makes you a part of a community where exchange of views about a common interest and passion thrives. These connections will help nurture your awareness about cultures, social issues, or way of life. In so doing, you will begin to have a better understanding of places and people. Travel connects us. And when we are connected, we learn to cultivate respect, trust and compassion. Don’t these virtues make the world a better place?
Also read: How Travel is Changing Me
Because memories last
This one’s rather obvious. In a world that is obsessed with consumerism, every advertisement seems bent on convincing you that the more material wealth you possess, the happier you are. A few years from now, the bags or shoes or clothes you’ve bought, most of them you don’t even need, may end up piled in the closet and might have already lost their appeal to you. But on that same period of time, if you have invested a fraction of your money into travelling with your family or friends, the memories will last you a lifetime. Invest in memories, not just things. Many years will go by after, but you will always find joy whenever you recount those good times you had on the road. Imagine yourself thirty or forty years from today, your hair white with age, and your grandchildren, the youngest one sitting on your lap, are listening intently while you narrate one of your past adventures before they go to bed. It will not be just another bedtime story; in a way you are helping shape their perception of the world and how they should treat their fellowmen through your travel experiences.
Also read: 8 Precious Life Lessons You’ll Learn from Travelling Often
They say travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. Let me put it this way instead – travel is one of those things you buy that makes you richer. Buying a plane ticket to that dream destination sure cuts you off a few bucks but you saved for it anyway. And having the right attitude, your experiences will bring worthwhile returns, not just possibly to your pocket, but most importantly it will nurture your soul.
