5 UNEXPECTED JOYS OF TRAVEL

We all know how exciting travel is or at least we are anticipating it. We’re ready to be captivated by the scenery, in awe of the must see sights and excited by the atmosphere. Here is a list of five unexpected things from my experience, that will bring you joy along your trips.

1.  HOME BRAND HAPPY

Forget the Eiffel tower or the must see sights & just head to the local supermarket. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a travelbug suddenly jump for joy in the middle of a crowded shop. Pointing and smiling completely unaffected by the local stares, because they’ve unexpectedly stumbled upon something from home. HEY! I HAVE THAT AT HOME! THAT THING COMES FROM WHERE I’M FROM! THAT IS ME! THIS LITTLE INSIGNIFICANT THING RIGHT HERE COMES FROM MY COUNTRY AND THEREFOR REPRESENTS EVERYTHING AWESOME ABOUT ME AND 
MY LIFE AND ITS HERE ON YOUR SHELF AND RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT... It’s the little things. Whether it’s the familiarity, the reminder of home or the fact you really wanted what you found- we’ve all had the little ah!-moment in our minds when stumbling on a home-made brand.

2.  DITCHING THE MAP

There comes a time in ones travels when you’re sick of prepping, planning and probing a map and you decide to just take the leap and wing it. Sometimes this joy is forced upon us by the rain destroying all that was our directional papers or because apple has yet to perfect battery life & your itinerary was on your phone. Whichever way you find yourself in this position, once the complete freakout of having no idea where you are or how to get where you’re going starts to fade; you’ll feel the sense of adventure and excitement bubbling up inside as you take a deep breath, hold your head high & follow your nose. –YOU’VE GOT THIS.

3.  BEING NIJEL-NOBODY

Whether you’re standing on the top of a cloud-covered mountain in the Alps, in a puddle of a deserted alleyway in China, amongst the autumn fall of the woods in Czech Republic or solo in an empty multi-story carpark in America there’s something really special and beautiful about finding yourself in a place where no one knows your name much less your story, without a soul in sight & alone in an open space abroad.

4.  THE EMOTIONAL FLASH-MOB

So you’re getting your dance on in the local club of a non-english-speaking country when suddenly wonderwall comes on, or any other one hit wonder from your high school playlist & you find yourself arm in arm with twenty other drunken dreamers singing in broken English or screaming the few words of the song they can make out and repeat. Welcome to the emotional flash mob; upon completion of the song carry on dancing like it never happened but sneak a little smile about the fact that a bunch of people abroad also grew up loving the songs you did- even if they haven’t a clue what they’re about.

5.  WHEN THEY THINK YOU'RE A LOCAL

We all love travelling. We’re proud to be on the road and are the first to start ranting about where we’ve been and where we’re going. AND YET when a local or more importantly a fellow tourist asks you for directions it serves as a quiet and simple success. You’ve done it. You’ve been here long enough to blend in like a local or successfully turned off the bright red sign that hovers above your head generally reading TOURIST. This person trusts enough that you will know how to help them & they picked YOU out of all the people around to ask for directions. OHHHHHH-yeah.

Sometimes it’s the little things in life. :)
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What random joys have you encountered? COMMENT BELOW & SHARE YOUR STORY!