A holiday is more than just about fun experiences, breathtaking views and splendour cuisines. For some single folks out there, it is also an opportunity to meet new people, and who knows, maybe even find love.
The bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert detailed how the American author fell in love with a Brazilian businessman while holidaying in Bali, Indonesia. That book, which was then adapted into a Hollywood movie starring Julia Roberts, was so popular that it became something of a cultural phenomenon. People fall in love more easily while abroad. If you were to meet someone on a scary suspension bridge, you were more likely to have an attraction to that person than if you were to meet that same person on a safer, less scarier bridge.
Due to being alone, you are more likely or to be precise, compelled, to engage with the local people while you are on the road. Thus, prompting you to break free from your comfort zone hence broadening up all the possibilities. An avid trekker myself, all through the years I have witnessed people finding career and love, eventually settling down in the place once seems foreign to them. No matter what you’re looking for while on holiday, travelling as a single person can be a wonderful experience.
Then what is holding back people from tramping the unknown road? The biggest reason normally is fear – of the dangers that lurk in a country you know nothing about, of getting injured, robbed, kidnapped, raped, killed. All valid reasons, but all those things could easily happen to you in the comfort of your own home.
“The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear,” Nelson Mandela once said.
Travel. Real and deep, is about learning. It’s about stretching our boundaries and comfort zones, to discover a better self. Backpacking teaches you to face your inner fragility. The truest self of yours exibit itself when you are in a place with utter novelty. People shrug off the cliche of pretending, for they are indeed just a 'No-body' while on the road. We heard about ties between best friends shattered in a journey, or in some dramatic extent, newly-wedded couple opt for divorce after a honeymoon trip. Genuine self is often exposed in a journey abroad. Do not proclaim someone to be your best partner or friend, not until you have survived a trip together !
Everything comes with an expiry date, including dreams. Things if let undone now, then we may never again for the rest of our lives.
Thank you so much for writing down these words which really give me some inspiration about finding the genuine self.
I used to be a person who extremely enjoy being alone,because I think I myself was interesting enough and I don't need anyone to please me anymore,but it's a sad story that I'm losing myself.
I don't know why,maybe it's the result of being not tough enough or something,because I counted too much on someone for a period of time,which gradually reduced my courage to be alone.However,you know,you have to go through this life yourself and everyone shows up in your life is just a passer-by(At least that's what I think for time-being,but absolutely I hope I can change my mind in the future and maybe I hope that day will come soon? Or indeed I don't? I don't know...),so what's for sure is that our relationship finally came to its end.
Unfortunately I think I still haven't recovered from it,so I really aprreciate your sharing of travelling abroad solo,cuz it gives me a wonderful idea about finding myself and being myself again.Also,I'm looking forward to finding my future partner in a journey as I have been being single since I was born,and I attach great importance to the communicatin of people's mind in a romantic relationship instead of just marrying for some certain purpose.
Hope I will never give up chasing my dream and never give up finding myself.And your words is something I will never forget!
By the way, I would aprreciate it if you could give me some advice on myEnglish writing.Because I think maybe there is some inappropriate expressions in my last reply and of course also this one. Thank you.
@李萱 All sorts of comments are warmly welcomed, even if they are running contrary to my belief. Freedom of speech is guaranteed in my forum, rest assured. Everyone can copy my words written, that is a way of learning afterall.
I'm Linda. So astonished was I when I knew your travel experience. You know, to complete a journey alone is the universal dream of enormous humans. But exactly minority of people could make it come true.You did a thing that many people dare not to do. You led your life with your free style, which breaks my innate perception,just like a ray of light in the dark.Then, you gave us a task that doing a journey plan with our partner,I realized that a jouney like this can be carried out until then.I put my heart in the task . Maybe I will have a journey as my plan one day. And then I will tell you about that.Haha!
Wanderlust , is the 'desire' for wandering. People wandered for various reasons. Just got out of a relationship? At a crossroads in your career? Stuck in an overall life rut? Hit the road solo for the first time could be your best remedy.
The thrill of stepping out of your comfort zone is the key to rebuilding your confidence, broadening your horizons and ultimately finding success.Those are the findings of a new global survey, which asked more than 15,000 respondents in 20 countries to share how first-time travel – be it their first time travelling abroad, to a new destination, or travelling solo – changed their lives.
In the survey, commissioned by online site Booking.com, nearly two-thirds (65%) agreed that undertaking a new travel experience helped increase their confidence. Respondents also said their experiences helped them meet new people (40%); cook and eat new types of food (43% ); learn a new language (29%); and inspired them to learn about another culture (29%).
For millennial folks,a generation that is always online, relies on the Internet for everything, and wants everything instantly ! Trampling the road, slow down your life so that new possibilties can permeate in, could be an altenative. People returned with a pocketful of experiences, became fearless and realised that with a few general street smarts, the lovely outweighs the nasty when you’re out there on the road, alone.
The brave may not live forever, but the coward never live at all.
Being an avid globe trekker should be a lifestyle to a person who is eager to be stretched! Travelling abroad solo itself is easy, but the breakthrough in one's mind means a lot to a person. That's how we essentially diffrentiate people. I have a strong feeling: one day, in my near future, I'll take my own backpack trip. You are difinely one of those only several people who has a profound impact on me, during the past 19 years in my life. Expecially my ideology. This is exactly what greatness you have from my point of view.
With all the discussions on travelling to date, I wish to bring to light the imperative of being an environmentally friendly traveller.
'Have you been to where they filmed The Beach yet?' It’s one of the first questions you’re met with upon arrival at the Thai island of Koh Phi Phi. Famous for its starring role in a film featuring Leonardo Di Caprio, Maya Bay went from practically deserted in 1999 to a tourist magnet attracting in excess of 200 boats and 5,000 visitors a day - this on a shoreline only 800-ft long and 50-ft deep. Authorities in Thailand announced the closure of Maya Bay indefinately, extending a four-month tourism ban that came into effect in Feb 2018. The move is in response to the untold damage caused by these boatloads of tourists. Sunscreen is believed to be the main cause of coral whitering. Chemicals including oxybenzone, octocrylene and parabens, which cover most major brands, are causing irreversible damage to coral reefs which may took decades to merely grow an inch in size.
The tiny Pacific island nation of Palau will ban “reef-toxic” sunscreens from 2020 in what it claims is a world-first initiative to stop chemical pollution killing its famed corals. Palau, which lies in the western Pacific about halfway between Australia and Japan, is regarded as one of the world’s best diving destinations, but the government is concerned its popularity is coming at a cost. The US state of Hawaii too, announced a ban on reef toxic sunscreens in May this year. Sipadan Island of Malaysia, where numerous National Geography documentaries are scened, limits visitors to the island to 200 per day and no one is allowed to stay overnight. All these just to preserve the delicate marine ecosystem.
It’s human nature to feel connected to places or things that we understand on a personal level; in other words, the only way people will care about preserving places on this earth is if they feel physically, emotionally, or spiritually invested. It is only through this process of connection that our personal empowerment is fully realized.
One might wondered how then we wade off the sun ? The other alternative is sunwear – cover up, wear a sunshirt. Or, visit the beach during the morning or dusk hours, when the UV is weak. When you are on the road especially in forests and beaches, leave nothing behind but footprints. On that note, I wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !
I really agree with your oppions about travling. Chinese tourism will never experience the true meaning of travel. However, chinese especially students are under overprotection from their parents, so it's almost impossible for us to travel alone or travel like a backpacker. I love traveling a lot, but following a travel agency is not what I want, I don't want to seat in the bus all day and be compelled to a scenic spot that is full of chinese. I prefer contacting with the local people and finding different beauties of the place. I want to find out the beauties what no one else knows. Your lesson gives me courage and power. And I love that sentence you said before: " We wandered afar, to find a place call home "
Some wandered afar, to find a reason to go home....chuckles !
I attest this, each and every time when you came back from an ardous trip abroad, you will cherish your loved ones more. We have no clue how much a person weighs in our heart, until we are detached.
@始于初见 You can start with a local wandering first, to some places that feel exotic to you, like XinJiang, Tibet or Xishuangbanna. Subsequently you may cross the borders to nearby countries, like Laos or Vietnam. Take one step at a time, but always good to start with somewhere smaller and cheaper first rather than waiting for the Grand Journey.
IPhone, IPad, IMac, IPod...and the series go on with innovative gadgets marketed every now and then. Apple Corporation is constantly ranked among Top 3 largest company in the world. You are witnessing the splendor of an empire, which is pioneered by a maverick traveller----Steve Jobs.
In mid-1974 Steve took the trip to India for his spiritual quest all along with Danial Kottke so they can meet the guru Neem Karoli Baba. They visited many cities and temples from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, to the temple Kainchi Dham Ashram in Nainital… Following is an excerpt from their memoirs:
“When we went to India, we were looking for remarkable experiences, we didn’t have a guru we didn’t have particular school and so we travelled around for 7 months, had some interesting experiences, no major enlightenment experience.Out there in the dry creek bed, in the middle of India, completely disoriented, all our rhythms and beliefs shattered, where we were sure a flash flood would come through any moment, the two of us praying to any god that could hear us; Dear God, if I ever get through this, I’ll be a good person, I promise.”
After this, tough experience he realized that the world needs; not just a spiritual revolution but a technological one. He left India with a shaved head after becoming a vegan Buddhist and a more focused and hardened individual. Upon returning to USA, he sold his Volks Wagen van for the capital to start Apple.
Former USA's president Barack Obama travelled too. In 1967, he moved to Indonesia with his mother and remained there until 1971, when he was sent to live with his grandparents in Hawaii. He witnessed the hardships of life, realising the world being violent, unpredictable and often cruel. Thus, the desire of fighting for a righteous course ,ingrained in his young soul. He pursued the study in law and eventually graduated with a Doctorate degree from Harvard University. In 2009, Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to him.
.
您确定给 “
4008987008