Top 5 Reasons To Travel Now

Over 8 million people travel by plane every day! With global tourism ever on the rise and travelling becoming more affordable and creative, a greater amount of people are taking to the skies, seas, rails and roads in search of a break from the ordinary.

If you’re still not convinced that travel is the best thing since sliced bread, have a wee look below at the top 5 reasons you SHOULD travel now! If you’re short on time, feel free to scroll through the bold headings as I often do

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1. Travelling Abroad Can Improve Your Communication Skills And Help You Like Your Job

Many of us have experienced that terribly uncomfortable moment when a conversation falls to an awkward silence or worse, listening in silence whilst “the fun one” in the group brags about crazy travel adventures.

Countless books by travel enthusiasts and studies performed in the name of tourism psychology have found that travel can have a profound impact on communication skills and social relationships.

Your experiences abroad can help boost your conversations and influence the way that you relate to and interact with others.

The power of travelling doesn’t stop there. Regular travel can even improve employee morale and one’s well-being.

Feel free to print this bit for your boss…

A study by The Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism reported that participants experienced greater levels of happiness towards work after travelling; an increased desire to work harder to earn more to travel again; and overall satisfaction and optimism towards life.

This study gets better! After their travels, participants also viewed themselves as more self-sufficient, self-reliant, upbeat, flexible, (*takes breath*), healthy, relaxed, enthusiastic, and accomplished. The study concluded that travelling seems to inspire, give one energy and provide a way to improve oneself and have fun. Enough said.

2. Regular Travel May Improve Your Physical Health

We love our screens and the ease and comfort of controlling our lives from our phones. At times this can be a very sedentary experience unless you’re also killing it on your fitness app!

When you book a trip, you’ve paid for it with your hard-earned money. It only seems reasonable to get moving, see as much as you can and get your money’s worth.

When I explore a city, I tend to ditch my map and the public transportation (in areas deemed safe for tourists, very important) for a bit and just walk–traversing through as many side streets and free museums as my size 5/38/7.5 feet will allow.

I find I am also less tempted to go on a snacking binge when I’m out and about because I keep busy and I’m aware of my budget. By the end of the day, I’ve walked for hours, only taking breaks to sit down for a coffee or a beer.

The convenience of major cities is once central, you can often safely explore the surrounding areas on foot for hours; however, it’s always good to read up on the parts of the city to avoid as not all areas are as welcoming to tourists or safe.

If cities aren’t your thing and you prefer a wander through the vast and varying Scottish Highlands rather than a crawl through Edinburgh, then on you go.

Nature enthusiasts are thrilling fellow explorers with ideas, tips and tricks to mastering the off the beaten track experience. Just a quick search in the country of your interest will reveal suggested walking routes and cycling routes especially in rural areas, not to mention rest stops along the way.

*Having MS, I am aware that heat, stress and not enough sleep can affect me quite negatively (tbf these can affect most people!).

Days before a trip to Vermont, I had my first MS attack (relapse) after a particularly stressful week and restless night in sunny California. This prompted a change in my travel behaviour and forced me to slow down a bit. Travelling and holidays with MS is an excellent resource from the MS Trust UK to peruse before even booking a trip.

Even if it means losing a day of travel, stop and rest until you feel fit to move on. Your friends and family members will understand.

Your health takes precedence over any hike or museum. Whether you have MS or not, it is incredibly important to not allow your body to get run down on the road.

To avoid this, the fitness gurus at LIVESTRONG highly recommend packing healthy snacks and water, walking as much as possible, resting, exercise and making healthy dining options when you opt for a meal out.

3. Travelling Abroad Is The Best Way To Learn A New Language Or To Practice The One You Learned Donkey’s Years Ago

After four years of studying Italian in secondary school why not put it to good use in well, I don’t know, Italy!

My sisters and I studied Spanish from primary school to uni and our parents made a point of it that we put it to good use in Spanish speaking countries. My younger sister even studied abroad in Spain for 5 years and had adventures I could only dream of at her age.

Learning and practicing a foreign language can help you to do more than order tapas and postres for your table and impress your friends (although very important!). It can also help you in sticky situations.

After collecting a friend from the airport in San Jose, CA, a lovely but frustrated lady whom only spoke Spanish hit the side of my car.

My Spanish was not perfect, I assure you, but at least I could ask for her side of the story and slowly talk about the next steps. This situation could have gone quite differently if I didn’t know any Spanish and I like to think understanding her helped.

If you can speak another language you’ve already won half the battle. Now to put it to good use! The internet is littered with ways to study, work and travel abroad.

The most difficult task ahead will be which one to choose. Your bilingual status might just set you up for a new path.

4. You Can Travel The World And Do Some Good Volunteering

As you may have already read in Help! I Need An Adventure, one phone call from a friend got me started on my journey. My secret? Volunteering!

The non-profit organisation my friend informed me of provided FREE training, food, a shared car, accommodation and pocket money every month to spend on whatever my heart desired. Sound too good to be true? I also felt this way. Here’s how it works.

The organisation is called Camphill. Before my friend rang me, I had never even heard of it!

Have no fear, Camphill does not only accept single travellers and couples. They also accept families though usually for a longer commitment than the standard 12 months. More on the application process here.

Because the organisation is international, I had an easier time moving and travelling to the other Camphill locations. Experience is appreciated but not necessary in order to apply.

Besides being fun and the best decision I’ve EVER made, there are numerous benefits to volunteering and travelling with the same organisation.

The main ones are familiarity, security and trust. Some Camphills even cover visa fees which is always a major help. By not having the stress of utility bills, rent and the rigmarole of moving to a new country, I can solely focus on my task as a volunteer. Then, once holiday time comes around, I can use the pocket money I’ve saved.

Take into consideration that no one organisation can be the perfect fit for everyone. Also, volunteering can often be quite hard work and long hours. I strongly encourage you to do your research, read reviews, contact the organisation with any questions, then, decide which volunteer opportunity best suites your interests.

5. Some Countries’ Economies Depend on Tourism

If you need that last push to get you out of the door, consider this: some countries’ main industry is tourism. Their GDP is dependent on adventurers like you. I’ve been telling my credit card company this for years!

As of less than 2 years ago, tourism was recognised as the third largest global industry and responsible for 1 out of 11 jobs (UNWTO).

Just think, while supporting the success of another’s economy, you have the opportunity to encounter different people, languages, architecture, food and lifestyles. So here’s to hoping that friendship bracelet you bought in Greece is making a bit of a difference!

I get it. Life is busy and the bills have to be paid. However, when you’re about to hit retirement and you reminisce, do you wish to see an overworked, underappreciated, younger you or a daring you who took a year or two off to explore, meet some fantastic people (or your next partner as I and many of my travelling friends have) and take a break from the 9 to 5.

The world is changing. From car sharing to couch sharing, a way is being paved for frugal but keen travellers to get a move on. It’s no longer impossible. FYI touring your neighbouring cities/settlements is a great place to start!

There’s nothing more sobering than looking at a world map and realising you’ve only seen a fraction of it.

Yours in travel,

B The Travelling MS x