Travel is not for everyone
A person’s preferences and passions in life are shaped by various factors. For some, cricket may be their favorite sport, while others might prefer football or even rugby. Our choices are often driven by a mix of innate desires and societal influences. In a cricket-obsessed country, football enthusiasts often find themselves on the outskirts. Knowledge of cricket provides a social advantage, making it easier to connect with others. As a result, even football lovers may gravitate toward cricket due to peer pressure. The same pattern can be seen when it comes to travel preferences as well.
Some people like to travel while others don’t. Deep down inside certain people like outdoors and certain people don’t.
When it rains, we enjoy going for a walk to soak in the experience, while others hurry to seek shelter, craving hot coffee and snacks. Some even find the rain unpleasant and complain about it. Yet, one of our most cherished memories is a 5 km walk we took in the middle of a blizzard, with temperatures plunging to -20 degrees Celsius. To someone else, that might seem absurd. But that’s just how people are—we’re all inherently different, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
While the picture can look nice the reality is not. While taking this picture , our car was stuck in the snow and we were on the way to get help. The snow had gotten into the shoes and the feet was freezing. The picture does not show that, can it ? But we were happy and enjoyed the moment, though there was a bit of tension regarding the vehicle. For another person this would have been a nightmare situation.
In today’s society, we’re often pushed to do as many things as possible rather than focusing on activities that truly bring quality to our lives. Even though each of us has different passions and talents, we’re all expected to follow the same path. For some, that passion may be travel, while for others, it could be writing, singing, painting, or something else entirely. Yet, we’re often led to engage in the same experiences. So how can someone truly know if traveling is what they genuinely want to do? It’s simple: before deciding to travel, pause and ask yourself—do I really want to see the Taj Mahal, or do I feel like I should because everyone else has?
If you’re someone who tends to give in to peer pressure, it’s likely you’ll travel, and the tourism industry will make sure the pressure is there to influence you. But why travel when you could be painting, singing, or pursuing something else you love? Even reading about travel can be fulfilling, and if that brings you joy, who’s to say you haven’t accomplished something meaningful?
Why should you try to live someone else’s life? Reflect on these questions and then decide whether traveling is right for you. Life is too short to experience everything, so it’s important to figure out what truly matters to you and focus on that. Choose to travel if it refreshes your mind, rejuvenates your body, and offers valuable life lessons—but if not, remember there are countless other fulfilling things to do in the world.
Landslides are part of everyday life in certain parts of Himalayas. Getting your hands dirty is part of travel. For many people this might not be to their liking.
What we need to realize is that travel can be time-consuming, financially burdensome, physically draining, and at times, mentally exhausting. In today’s world, we don’t always need to travel to see something—we have the internet and mass media. Two hundred years ago, if you wanted to see New York, you had to travel there. Now, with tools like Google Maps’ street view, you can explore the city and even its shops from anywhere.
Given this, it’s important to evaluate your priorities before deciding how much time and energy you want to devote to travel. For us, we spend about half the year on the move, while the other half is spent resting, planting trees, and blogging. Travel, for us, is a means to an end—a way to explore the natural world, which is our true passion. If someone’s passion is food, then by all means, travel to explore different cuisines. But don’t travel just for the sake of boasting about it.
Travel has become a commodity, highly commercialized and marketed as something to own rather than experience. Many people travel not for personal growth but to showcase it on social media. Photos are no longer taken for memories; they’ve become proof of travel, meant to be shared online for validation.
Travel seems to be mandatory because of the constant feed that we get from mass media and social media. Most of these people would have preferred a home cooked meal and relaxing Tv but still here they are, waiting for more than an hour…. all dressed up and taking selfies ! Is this an urge to travel or social pressure to show the world that I am doing good in my life ?
We all know those families who argue the entire time during their “mandatory vacation,” but then post photos with big smiles for everyone to see. Honestly, I wish I could share some of those behind-the-scenes shots!
Remember that being a tourist is different from being a traveler. A tourist travels to satisfy social needs whereas traveler travels to open his mind.
When we say that travel isn’t for everyone, we’re specifically talking about hardcore traveling. It may seem exciting, but it’s also challenging. If you think you can just grab a backpack and hit the road, think again. The truth is, we’ve all been raised with certain values and comforts, and by the time we’re old enough to travel, those things are ingrained in our minds and bodies. You might be able to step outside your comfort zone to an extent, but living a full-on backpacking lifestyle isn’t something you can sustain forever. And that’s just the physical side of it—mentally, it’s a whole different game.
Like in the movies, it’s not always glamorous. The friendly people you meet along the way aren’t always going to welcome you into their lives. The world revolves around money, and sooner or later, you’ll get a reality check. We’ve met people who have lost everything and are bitter about it.
All we’re saying is that travel can be for everyone, but only if you have a strong inner drive. Start small—take weekend trips, go on vacations, explore new places. If those experiences expand your mind and fuel your passion, then consider taking the next step from being a tourist to becoming a full-time traveler.