I
didn’t know it at the time, but almost
everything in my life since that moment has
either been influenced by my travels, or
my travels have taught me to handle situations
on a level I would never have learnt by staying
put on my own Tierra firma.
Travelling
taught me to be patient.
My first destination was Africa where they operate on a completely
different time frame, “now” means soon, “soon” means
sometime, “sometime” means maybe never. Minutes
mean hours, hours mean days. But with patience things do
seem get done, the Africans don’t rush around like
Henny Penny working furiously on their stress levels. What
I learnt is: we don’t need to either. Though I do admit
to a busy life, I no longer stress if things don’t
happen exactly as I plan.
Travelling
taught me how lucky I am.
Venturing anywhere in the world away from home is an eye
opener, discovering everything from the fascinating cultures,
to the living conditions in far flung locations, really brings
home how lucky we are to live the way we do and have choices.
Suddenly the fact that it takes 1 hr to get to work seems
insignificant when we learn about the Bushmen in Botswana
who may walk up to 25 kms every day in search of wood, in
order to cook food and stay alive.
Travelling
taught me about the circle of life.
In some countries animals eat their neighbours to stay alive.
In some countries the sole purpose of childbirth is to produce
offspring to look after their parents later in life. In some
countries remnants of our ancestors stand in order to teach
generation after generation.
Travelling
taught me that a century is not a long
time.
Discovering history in places such as Europe, Asia and Egypt
where you can visit monuments and even human remains dating
back thousands and thousands of years makes our centuries
seem like a drop in the ocean.
Travelling
taught me friendship
My first ever travel agent told me prior to my overland trip, “you
will make the best friends in the world on your travels”.
How true that is, click
here to view last month's story again, for an insight
on group travel and the friends you will make. Travelling
taught me how important family is. The family unit for so
many people around the world is the most important part of
life. From parents giving life and teaching their young everything
they need in that life, to children looking after their parents
later in life as aged-care facilities are not available.
The family unit is seen in so many places as a very important
social structure. Whilst we may have luxuries otherwise not
available in other locations to support our aging, its nice
to stop and remember who gave us life.
Travelling
taught me how important education is.
Citizens in third world countries, especially, are aware
of the benefits of education. Education means a good job,
which in turn means finance, which in turn means food on
the table, a roof over the head and survival for the most
important thing in life – family. Never will I complain
about homework again.
Travelling
taught me that life is short, enjoy it
and thank your lucky stars that you can!
The world is your best university. If you are “umming” and “ahing” over
whether to take that trip or not, don’t hesitate, just
do it! You won’t regret it.
Meg
Hall
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Well
we have made it to Malawi and are staying
at a campsite right on Lake Malawi, which
is more like an ocean, it is so massive and
even has a few sets rolling in.
Dear
Cara,
