Lovely dreamers, traveling is not only for the rich and famous, or the Instagram travellers, and it doesn't have to be expensive AF! If you can find the right people and locations, you can have the time of your life for less than you would spend on a crazy weekend out in pubs and bars.
Personally, we've always had the need to learn new things, about other cultures, places, history. We're so in love with random trivia that we enjoy reading (me) and watching educational YouTube channels (Andy) more than anything else. That's why we didn't even bother with owning a TV, ever.
But because we've hit a rough patch, got our quarter-life crisis, and moved 2000 miles away from home, another thing hit us. We were so busy with surviving, we forgot how to live!
We forgot that wonderful feeling you get when you discover a new place, when you reconnect with history.
In Spain, it was rough, because of the weather conditions (hot, hotter, so damn hot that even the Devil himself said "Beach please, I'm out!") and because Andy was working insane 12-14 hours shifts 6 days per week, we didn't get to see much, but then...Scotland became our new home.
And here, we found the love we thought lost - for exploring, for travel.
We've seen a few magical places, we've done some fun stuff, all on a super small budget, because we've started saving for the future (wedding y'all!), and most importantly, we've made a lot of great memories.
Throughout this new travel section, we will take you along on our travels, share everything that is relevant, and hopefully encourage you to go and see some of it for yourselves.
But enough with the chit-chatting, let's get to it!
Top 10 Compelling Reasons to Travel in Your 20s and 30s
1. It's therapeutic
Be it depression, an anxiety of any form, stress, or any combo of the 3, travel can fix them all. All you have to do is take a road trip, or pack a backpack and get on a train to somewhere, get your hiking boots on and go. You don't have to spend a fortune, and you don't have to see it all in one go. Take your time, and go as far as you can or need, one location at a time.
We found it to be helpful when times get rough- it takes your attention off the stuff that is toxic, and it does charge you with positive energy.
Also, when you're dealing with the loss of a lost one, it's a very healing experience.
2. You'll never look better in photos
Some say that your 20s are your beauty decade. To be fair, we agree and don't agree with this statement. It's simply because true beauty lies within, but honey, that ass, and those ta-tas won't stay as perky after a few decades.
That being said, when you'll be old and grey, you'll look at those wonderful photos you've taken of yourself around the world and thank the stars that you decided to travel when you were young.
3. You get to know yourself
When you travel, you get to discover yourself as well. You find what you like, what you don't like, you gain new expectations, learn about new aspirations.
Travelling uncovers a whole new side of you - the "undertone", as I like to call it. Are you a secret bohemian, that goes with the flow, stays at hostels and shares a room with a dozen stragers or a prince/princess that needs luxury in life?
That's how you find out!
4. It strengthens your relationship
Because we are the "Marshmallow and Lilypad" of couples, we're here to drop some relationship knowledge on you. When you've been together for more than a couple of years, and you live together and share EVERYTHING, you'll need entertainment. And no, not just Netflix.
You got over the "getting to know you phase", so you'll need to keep each other interested, happy. Guys, it does take more than the stuff in common and mindblowing sex to keep a relationship going in the long run.
Travel is one of those things. When you're traveling together, you learn so much about one another! Likes, dislikes, how many languages your partner really speaks, how they deal with nature, bugs scare, wild animals, and so on.
Take us for example. We've been together for over 6 years now, moved together after one week, never spent more than 2 months apart (worst 2 months of our lives btw), but we still learn stuff about each other because of traveling.
5. You make new friends
As an adult, making friends is not as easy as it was when you were a kid. Life and growing up just make things like these harder. When you take a journey, sometimes you find some awesome people with the same interests as you, similar dreams and some that help you evolve as a person.
Embrace the new found friendships, because quality people are hard to find, and true friends, real friends, are gems.
6. You learn new languages
Did you know that by just by learning Spanish you can understand more than 437 million people from around the world? And you know the easiest way to learn it? Yep, it's traveling. Gelling in contact with people that speak other languages and surrounding yourself with other cultures makes it easier to understand and learn new words, phrases, expressions, and most of all, how to differentiate accents.
7. It opens your mind
When you take a journey around the world, you really expand your knowledge, and it is practically impossible to not want to know more about the cultures, the history, languages, architecture. You reconnect to the curious child in you, and you get to question everything. It's fascinating how beneficial traveling is for your wellbeing and mind.
8. You create awesome memories
Even before you'll be old and grey, you'll have TONS of awesome stories to share with friends, family and why not - the world. Plus, if you have a decent camera, you can take lots of photos to help you tell those stories.
The experiences you live in your travels will mean more than just fun memories, to be fair. In your sad moments in life, like the loss of a lost one, having the memory of a trip you once took with that person can actually help you heal.
9. It gets you out of your comfort zone
Yes, I know, staying at home, tucked in bed, with tea and a good book, or game, or Netflix, is so comfortable, and soooooo relaxing! But sometimes this might be too relaxing. You get stuck into a routine. Work - home, home - work. This leads to depression, anxiety and stress.
It's the vicious cycle that travelling helps you break.
You get out there, you see things, and then, you'll want more. And more. And more. Like getting a tattoo - it's uncomfortable, but when you get one, you'll want at least one more.
10. It's educational
Besides learning new languages, you learn about history, geography, and let's not forget - the food. One of our biggest dreams is to travel the world, and of course, eat everything! And in your 20s (and early 30s) you really have the stomach and the energy for all of that.
We want to, and we'll do it, like one of the most amazing human beings out there - Mikey Chen.
We both think that's the best way to really know a country and its culture - through traditional food and drinks. What do you think? But that's all for today, lovely dreamers! We hope you liked our 10 reasons why you need to travel in your 20s, and that we inspired you to pack a backpack and start exploring this wonderful world, one country at a time!
In the meantime, make sure to follow us on Instagram, where we share our travel favourites - right now, from Scotland! Next - the world!
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