1 1. It taught
me to be social
I used to be somewhat shy. I was never the one
who would go up to a stranger and ask them anything. But when I backpacked, I
had to pluck the courage to strike up conversations with strangers if I wanted
to know the way to the railway station, or to the supermarket. It has helped me
in my professional life too.
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| Meeting new friends in Cambodia |
2. It gave me
perspective
Too often we get caught in the daily grind and
often forget our dreams, our aspirations and our ambitions. Backpacking always
gave me a sense of putting things into perspective and looking at the bigger
picture, and remembering what I am here for.
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| At the summit of Mt Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo |
3. It taught
me financial management
Backpacking taught me how to budget, estimate
and spend. I needed to be clear on spending on the road and keeping some cash
for emergencies. I needed to make decisions on what to buy and what not to buy.
$3 will buy a meal in Cambodia, but will only buy you a bottled water in New
Zealand. Get the drift?
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| Show me the money! |
4. It made me
realize how beautiful life is
It’s understandable when you get depressed with
routine and when all you can think of the whole week is how to kill your boss.
Backpacking taught me that I can get out of the daily grind and that I have a choice to make on living life every day.
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| Ticking off a bucket list item - visiting the Rice Terraces in Banaue, Philippines |
5. It gave me
memories
A cooking class in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Watching the Milky Way and chasing stars at Aoraki Mt Cook, New Zealand.
Conquering Mt Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia. Visiting the magnificent Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Those are memories I treasure, and puts a smile on my
face whenever I remember them.
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| Trekking into the Hooker Valley Trail, Mt Cook, New Zealand |
6. It taught
me to reconnect with myself
And I mean that in a good way. On my solo
backpacks, I have nobody to talk to except to myself, and that made me learn how to enjoy my
own company. I can spend hours with myself, with a book or a cup of coffee. I am more sensitive and alert when I am alone, and my senses are heightened. And trust me, nothing is more liberating than finally learning the art of being alone without being lonely.
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| Watching the sunset alone on a deserted beach in Sabah, Borneo |
So go out there and explore your world! You will
never know until you have tried it!
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