“There is still no cure for the common birthday.”
― John Glenn
At 9:34 this morning, I said goodbye to being 26.
(We’ve always been one of those families that are sticklers about waiting ‘til the exact time of your birth before you’re officially declared a year older).
And while today alone might be worthy of celebrating, what’s also on my mind is another anniversary still about six weeks off – the 5th year anniversary of when I first left for London after my college graduation and began a journey that’s now five years strong.
This last half of a decade has seen me studying in England, waitressing and bartending in New Zealand, and volunteering in places like Tahiti and India – but as each new stage has given way to the next, one thing I can’t ever seem to stop doing is learning.
Travel is pretty cool that way – it keeps you on your toes, teaches you lessons big and small, and ensures you never get too comfortable in what you think you know.
Before I go blow out some candles (and mourn how much closer I now am to 30), here are 27 lessons travel has taught me – about journeys, about the world, and especially life itself – in the hope that they might inspire you as well on this Monday evening:
1. When challenging a train, the train always wins.
3. Overnight bus rides are the tenth circle of hell.
4. When an elephant showers you with river water (that he’d previously relieved himself in), it’s wise to keep your mouth closed.
5. Meeting people and having encounters will be among your strongest memories.
6. When your body says rest, you rest.
7. The best meals are often the simplest.
8. The more you give, the more you get – i.e. live life with an open hand.
9. You live your way into the answers.
10. The journey is as important as the destination – even 42-hour train journeys.
11. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, you will be ripped off in India. It is as inevitable as Delhi belly.
12. You can always come home.
13. If you smell gas/petrol, there is probably definitely a leak somewhere.
14. Being open to difference is the key to understanding and connection.
15. Gratitude is everything.
16. We need fewer words to communicate than we think.
17. If someone opens their home to you, graciously accept their hospitality.
18. When things go wrong, that’s usually when the story begins.
19. If you’re suddenly craving pizza or McDonald’s in India, the travel gods are not going to strike you dead.
20. People love it when you share your passion(s) with them.
21. You will have bad days on the road, just like you have bad days at home. Travel does not come with a good mood-guarantee (however much I wish it did).
22. A sense of family and home will often appear right when you need it most.
23. You can’t trust everyone – but give everyone the benefit of the doubt at first.
24. Carrying a backpack more than 10% of your body weight will get old fast – but charming goats make up for it.
25. There’s a lot to be said for getting lost.
26. Adventure is a frame of mind, not necessarily a specific kind of trip.
27. As I was reminded on a recent jaunt to NYC, life comes down to love: being with those we love and doing what we love.
Although the perfect travel days are lovely, the hardest days are the ones that teach you the most and help you grow…which is true in life, too.
I’m turning 33 this year and trust me, my 30s have been the best years so far, even though they have definitely been the hardest (see above).
Happy birthday to you!!
Thank you, Carmel! You are spot on about the hardest days – it’s all about what helps us grow, isn’t it? I love what you said about your 30s as well – that’s so fun to hear they’ve been your best years. Seems like I’ve got lots to look forward to then 🙂
Hello! My name is Candace and I’m a traveling writer, photographer, and sketch artist… I so admire you as a musician as well, h u m b l e Candace. Happy birthday to you.
Ha, thanks so much, Elisabeth! Hard to believe it’s been a few years now since that conference in Hua Hin. Don’t worry – while I’ve put priority on my writing/sketching pursuits right now, music will always be my first love 🙂
This was a beautiful post Candace. I love the way you see the world and this list was no exception. Here’s to the next 5 years of learning! I wish you the absolute best 🙂
Thank you for your kind words, Lindsey! They really mean so much, it’s always great to hear from you here 🙂 By the way, I absolutely loved your latest post about refocusing – trust me, I’ve so been there. Do what feels right and follow your heart! The writing will flow in due time.
Nice post! I can realte to how you feel about getting close to 30. Large part ‘mourning’ happens because of the transient deadlines society, family, peers and others put on our subconsious minds (getting married, finding a steady job, settling down…. blah blah)
But hey, you are a travel writer and travel is going to make your concious mind blow past it :-).
To specifically answer your question what travel has taught me
Travel has taught me to not take myself too seriously. It has given me the mindset where I am able to look at myself from an “outsider in” perspective.
Thanks, Vinayakan
P.S: When you get to 30, I will be waiting on the other side for a deep conversation with you in Tamil
Thanks, Vin! And, as always, you speak the truth 🙂 I think I’ve also learned not to take myself too seriously – especially in situations where I’m hanging out with people I don’t share a language with…sometimes it’s fun to resort to a little slapstick comedy and make a fool of myself, if that’s what it takes to break a language barrier. Thanks again for sharing your wise words! PS – I love that idea, fingers crossed my Tamil improves that much in three years 😉
I LOVE #3 – OH LOAS!!!! And #2 makes me a bit teary! Loving these 27 lessons!! xoxoxoxoxox
Oh, Carter, I knew you would empathize with #3 😉 I think that one just about took the cake, ay?? So happy to hear these resonated with you! Sending lots of love your way today. xoxox
Great post, Candace and a very happy birthday to you!
I feel like I’ve definitely learned in 10 months of travel that pretty much everything on your list is true. But especially #6 & #18. As someone who is perpetually busy, it has been really hard for me to accept that I just can’t go full speed every day, and it’s so critical to have those fallow periods where you recharge. And we’ve definitely had enough go wrong on this trip that I’m able to see, even in the moment, that the story that will result will likely be more interesting and memorable than if things had simply gone as we had planned.
Thank you so much, Steph! I’m very glad to hear I’m not the only one who has had to learn to rest while on the road 🙂 And you are absolutely right – another way of phrasing #18 would have been to say “when things don’t go according to plan…” Although it never fails to upset me at first, it always ends up being a better story because my humble little plans were kicked to the wayside. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts, I can’t wait to see what these next ten months hold for you and Tony!
I positively love this. I’m about the be 28, and my travel life has been much more stationary being based in Spain, but it all comes down to passion, a love of adventure and generosity. I’m so excited to do the Camino this summer for charity and give back!
Thanks so much for your lovely comment, Cat! I think whether we’re moving around a lot or based more permanently somewhere in the world, it’s really just about being open to the world and the adventure it offers 🙂 I hadn’t realized you’re doing the Camino this summer – that is *such* great news. I’m now off to your blog to read up about your big trip…and as I am sure you will hear many times, buen camino!!
Great post and a I wish you a very happy birthday!
To me, travel has taught me, among many other things, that the best way to find yourself in a city is to get lost, many times. Oh, and that it’s actually easy to find and share common interests with completely different cultures… with limited or no knowledge of the local language.
Thank you, Katherina! I love what you said about finding common interests in other cultures – isn’t it remarkable (and just kinda fun) when that happens? That really goes with what I was saying about how we need few words to connect with someone – a smile, laughter, and simply a desire to connect really go a long way. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts 🙂
2, 12, 16, 21 – truer words 😉
Thanks, Kirsten!
I cannot believe you are only 27!!!!! You are such a wise, talented soul. One of the gifts of my travels has been finding you, my dear. So happy birthday friend. And as someone who has already crossed that scary bridge of 30 I can tell you that life keeps getting sweeter, wrinkles and all. You have such a bright future!
And I you!! I think I will probably go to my grave saying this, but I could not be more grateful that our paths crossed in Goa this year – Hannah was like a little puppeteer, bringing us all together and helping to create some serious magic! I’m thinking of you and Brian lots right now as you journey back to the US, and can’t wait to see what these next few months hold for you both. xox
I second everything Kim said! You have done so much in your 27 years. You have big talents, and an even bigger heart. Our time together in India will remain one of the best of my life – I will never be able to look at another strawberry daiquiri without thinking of you, Kim and Jenny! And trust me when I say, just as Kim and Carmel have, that life really does get better in your 30s. It blows my mind to contemplate all the incredible things you will do in the coming years. Happy birthday sweet Candace, may all that you dream of come true – I have a very strong feeling it will xxx
Hannah, I can’t tell you how much I love this comment! There was truly something magical about our time in Goa, and I am beyond grateful that our paths crossed there. Thank you so much for your kind words and birthday wishes – I really am excited about this upcoming year and hope to carry some of the creative energy from Goa with me into it! PS – Even just last week, I was talking about caipirinhas with a friend and suddenly had a huge craving for a vodka caipirinha from Boom Shankar 🙂 Miss you, lovely!
I like #2 the best. 😉
Happy birthday, Candace!
Thank you, JoAnna! And yes – #2 is a definite good one in our case, isn’t it?? So sad I won’t see you at Book Passage this year, but I’m looking forward to seeing where our paths cross next!
What a wonderful post full of beautiful wisdom. Thank you for sharing it. Number 15 really struck a chord with me. Going home to London sent me into a spin and bought up lots of old and useless guilt. The perfect antidote to that is gratitude — a much more splendid emotion.
Thanks so much for your comment, Victoria. It was really interesting to read the posts about your trip home – and I’m glad the little line about gratitude here connected with that! Gratitude is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? It has become more and more important to me over the last year – it’s amazing how much it can change your perspective in life!
Great post. I believe that travel is the best way to learn about yourself and the world around you. Especially love #16 – “We need fewer words to communicate than we think.” That is so very true!
Thanks so much, Debbie! I’m really glad you enjoyed the post, and I couldn’t agree more about the power of travel – I love the simultaneous educations that so often take place during a journey…learning more about a place while learning more and more about yourself at the same time. It’s one reason I’ll never stop traveling!
All 27 points are spot on…but I’m particularly fond of #9. Powerful stuff!
Thanks very much, Wade! And yes – leave it to Rilke for some seriously good inspiration 🙂 Have you read his “Letters to a Young Poet?”
Hi from Singapore, this is beautiful 🙂 definitely inspired to travel after reading this!
Hello, Lycia! Thanks so much for stopping by and saying hello 🙂 I absolutely loved my time in Singapore – I’m not sure if you saw it already, but here’s a link to my sketch of Bussorah Street: http://www.candaceroserardon.com/2013/04/singapore-travel-sketch So glad to hear this post has inspired you to travel!