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    You are at:Home»Lifestyle»6 Life Lessons I’ve Learned Traveling The World
    Lifestyle

    6 Life Lessons I’ve Learned Traveling The World

    avatarBy vinja25/09/20183 Comments4 Mins Read
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    On a Hammock at Swimming Lake Restaurant in Battambang, Cambodia /// Vinjatek
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    School gives us the foundation to survive this world, university gives us skill sets to thrive in this world and traveling the actual world gives us everything else.

    “Close some doors today. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they lead you nowhere.” -Paulo Coelho

    Vagabonding is an enlightening hands on education, training and experience for invaluable life lessons.

    Uluwatu Temple Kecak Dance Ceremony in Bali, Indonesia /// Vinjatek

    Culture Shock is Like an Adrenaline Sport

    Contents

    • 1 Culture Shock is Like an Adrenaline Sport
    • 2 Living Out of a Backpack is Optimal
    • 3 Getting Lost is a Great Way to Explore
    • 4 Culture Offers Immense Knowledge
    • 5 There Are no Races, Just 1 Species
    • 6 The Low Cost of Happiness

    Most humans don’t actively seek the high of adrenaline coursing through their blood. As it’s a response to stress, increased heart rate, pulse rate, and blood pressure caused by fear, stimulation and or too much excitement – symptoms of culture shock. Symptoms that a select few find gratifying and thrilling like extreme sports enthusiasts.

    Ever since I started to embrace the “shocks” of experiencing new cultures, it has become the most intense learning, self improving and fascinating experiences in my travels.

    PHOTO: Taken during a religious ceremony at the Uluwatu Mountain Temple in Indonesia.

    Bungalow in Nusa Lembongan Island, Indonesia /// Vinjatek

    Living Out of a Backpack is Optimal

    Although I was a minimalist before traveling the world, I took it to another level by effectively living out of backpack with great satisfaction. It’s profoundly liberating to be this mobile and efficient without the literal and figurative baggage of a “normal” lifestyle. I carry about 1/3 of the gear of typical nomads, yet my functionality and comfort is equal or greater.

    I’ve learned that you don’t need a massive backpack to live out of a backpack, just the essentials. Male or female, traveling for a week, a year or indefinitely, people just don’t need a lot of stuff.

    PHOTO: Taken at my temporary beach bungalow home on Nusa Lembongan Island in Indonesia.

    Bridge From Ceningan Island to Lembongan Island on a Motorbike // Vagabonding - Vinjatek

    Getting Lost is a Great Way to Explore

    In normal circumstances, getting lost is one of the 3 worst things (accident and police incident) that can happen while in transport. But when I’m out exploring a new city, I tend to wander without direction or a specific destination and the result is often rewarding.

    Being lost compels me to hone my navigating skills but more importantly, it takes me off the well beaten path to places and things not in guide books. Places and things that I would never have found without getting lost.

    PHOTO: Taken while crossing the bridge from Ceningan Island to Lembongan Island in Indonesia on a motorbike.

    The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey /// Vinjatek

    Culture Offers Immense Knowledge

    The world is like a perpetually self-writing interactive textbook full of history, art and ideas. Culture being the most significant of the world’s knowledge. Culture shows us the past, present and future of a people.

    As my understanding of the different people around the world advanced, I’ve become significantly more; socially perceptive, tolerant, intelligent and evolved. Knowledge on a level no school or training can offer without literal hands on experience traveling the world.

    PHOTO: Taken at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

    Lunch on a Mountain in Bali, Indonesia // Vinjatek

    There Are no Races, Just 1 Species

    We humans started from a single race but now there are about 30. While the differences and diversities of each race is what makes us special, its also what keeps us detached and conflicted. From extensive travel as well as living in many parts of the world, I realized that people are all the same no matter where they are from – that is, once I got to know them.

    Our looks, beliefs, lifestyle and of course culture may vary greatly, but in essence we are all the same. Now I have a broader, more open-minded and intelligible perspective on the world and myself.

    PHOTO : Taken while eating a Balinese lunch on a mountain peak in Bali, Indonesia.

    Saigon Street Food, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam /// Vinjatek

    The Low Cost of Happiness

    Although I’ve long retired, I still make a decent living. But at the risk of oversimplifying, I spend much less as a world traveler than I ever did living at “home”, all the while being happier. Exploring and living in poorer countries makes you see that happiness is not expensive.

    For example, a $2.50 dinner for 2 people with 5 courses and drinks. Sure, it makes me happy that it’s so cheap, but it’s because it’s cheap and damn good that makes it special.

    It’s deeper than that though. Seeing people live and smile with so little is a beautiful thing, of which I’ve learned from. Money can most definitely buy you real happiness, but that doesn’t mean it has to be expensive.

    PHOTO : Taken while eating dinner at a street restaurant in Saigon, Vietnam.

    These are just a few of the life lessons that world travel can teach but there are countless others to learn with more time and distance.

    [The featured image was taken in a bungalow at a lake in Battambang, Cambodia.]

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    vinja

      American patriot, former covert operative and active operations consultant, living globally as a vagabond.

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      3 Comments

      1. avatar
        NomadFutur on 01/02/2014 5:09 AM

        As someone whos currently planning to go backpacking travel around the world, I thank you for this article, it was a lesson in itself.

        Reply
      2. avatar
        Eller on 01/02/2014 5:13 AM

        I especially like 1 and 2, its soooo true.

        Reply
      3. avatar
        Cache on 28/10/2015 7:00 PM

        When I studied anthropological race classifications, there were eight. I realize the concept is dynamic, but 30 seems like a lot. Perhaps you are including some ethnicities.

        We are not only the same species, but the same subspecies. I agree that there is precious little basis to further classify our subspecies. The trouble is that as soon as you use the word “race”, people jump to the conclusion that race must exist, but I don’t believe that to be the case.

        Reply

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