What i learned while travelling: 6 countries in 20 days

If you don’t know your limits, Travel! For the most part, most of us are living well within our comfort zone. We rarely do something new cos new is scary. Uncomfortable. We prefer to shop in the same few shops, take a certain route to work, hang out with the same people. Familiar. Comforting.

But the only way to grow is to step outside the comfort zone. There’s no better way to do this than by traveling. Especially to another country where people speak another language.

I’m a pretty boring guy. I like routine. I like to have my breakfast and lunch and dinner at a certain time. Get a certain amount of sleep and for the most part, operate well within my comfort zone. Any unforeseen changes have a tendency to deeply annoy me. It’s only when I travel that I learn things about myself that I never knew. Or do things that I never knew I was capable of.

These are the things I learned about myself in my previous trips as well but is reinforced every time I travel :

1. I’m not an introvert: When I’m on the road, sometimes I have no option but to forget my fear and speak to strangers, ask for help or directions from strangers. I would never do that in my normal life.But 1 A.M in the metro station at a shady part of Berlin I was forced to ask 2 scary looking guys if they had change for 20 Euros to buy a ticket from the ticket machine. It was turned out fine.
2. I’m way smarter than I give Myself credit: The more I travel the better I get at it. Also, the more I travel the smarter I get. Figuring out routes, metro lines, how to get somewhere, how a system in a foreign country works. Most of it is common sense but it does ascertain the fact that I’m capable of mastering and figuring out things I never knew I could.
3. I’m not a slave to sleep: At home you might snooze the alarm and decide to sleep in, thinking you were never meant to wake up before the birds, but when traveling especially to catch early morning flights I realize that waking up at 3 A.M is something I’m actually capable of doing. And more so, I can function perfectly fine the whole day with just 3-hours of sleep. Something I never knew was possible cos I’m usually grumpy if I sleep a minute less than 6 hours at home.
4. I’m strong as hell: This one I already knew cos I’m a workout addict. But every time I travel, I realize I can do so much more. Walk 20 miles a day with a heavy backpack, with no sleep and no food, No problem. Can’t find a toilet? You’ll be fine. Haven’t showered? It’s not the end of the world.You’ll learn how strong your body really is.
5. I was born to lead: When things don’t go according to plan, which they inevitably will, I can step up and make changes and take quick decisions and convince others in the group to follow me. It’s a great feeling.
6. I was born to move: I’m endlessly fascinated by the new people and culture and way of life that I see while traveling. You realize the world is so much bigger than the small little house and city you confine yourself to. I want to learn more.I want to move more. Who needs Netflix when you have a whole world out there waiting to be discovered?
7. Fear is temporary: Sometimes everything goes according to plan. Those are the most boring trips I have had. Sometimes nothing goes according to plan. Those are the trips worth remembering. That fear when you miss the bus and realize you may not get through security and board the plane on time. Let that happen a few times and you’ll stop letting it bother you and realize missing the plane is not the end of the world. Things pass. And in the end, everything will be fine.