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| The beginning. |
Backpacking through Europe has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The people I've met, the places I've been, and the things I've learned from this month long adventure will always be a part of me and will never be forgotten.
Throughout the month, I gazed upon beautiful city squares, grand architectural buildings, majestic landscapes, and the most gorgeous wonders of the world, but none of those compare to the intangibles of the people I have met along the way. From the friendly locals to fellow travelers, different cultures coming together create such surreal experiences. Encounters such as teaching a foreigner a card game, inviting a solo traveler to share a meal with you, or drinking and dancing yourself silly on a pub crawl give meaning to the stories and experiences that are shared.
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| Danhostel in Copenhagen. |
Living out of a backpack for a month has really given me some perspective on life. It has taught me that you really don't need material things to be happy. True happiness comes from the experiences you share with others. Being on the road, riding the rails, and sleeping in different hostels every night has shown me the true kindness people possess. Reconnecting with old friends living abroad, and the hospitality provided by strangers make trips like these worthwhile. No matter where you are from, what religion you follow, or what ethnicity you are, travelers from all around the world come together to explore new places, learn about different cultures, try new food, and enjoy each other's company.
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| Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. |
10 countries. 15 cities. 28 days. Backpacking is no vacation. It is quite exhausting. We used every mode of transportation possible to get to our destinations including planes, subways, trains, trams, coaches, cars, buses, boats, and walking,
lots and
lots of walking. This European journey has been drastically different from my past excursion in Europe studying abroad in Dijon, France. This time around, I did not have a base. Everything I had was strapped on my back, and we traveled from city to city to our temporary homes. This way of traveling is very demanding, but quite rewarding. You learn to carry what you need, and it makes you thankful for what you have back home.
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| Heroes' Square in Budapest. |
After deciding to leave my job a few months ago, I knew I wanted to travel again to do some soul searching. Longing to find purpose, throughout the trip, I met people in the same situation I was in. There were also people I met that found their purpose abroad. Whether it is teaching English in Spain or volunteering at a Kibbutz in Israel, it gives me hope that everyone will find their way. There is something about traveling that relieves my stress and clears my mind.
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| Stonehenge. |
I have always had a strong case of the post-vacation blues. Every time I come home from traveling, I feel nostalgic and long for the companionship of the new friends I have made abroad. It is bittersweet being back home. At first, I did not want to come home because I had nothing to come home to, but I missed my dog, I missed my bed, and missed driving my car. I learned that to add purpose in your life, you must always be planning your next move. Even though I just got back home, in my head, I am already planning my next trip.
For more of my photos, follow me on Instagram at
@kennytrinh. You can also follow me on Twitter at
@kennytrinh.
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| 10 countries. 15 cities. 28 days. |
“There is something about traveling that relieves my stress and clears my mind.” I love that line, and I really appreciated this blog entry overall. I feel we share a parallel in that there’s this feeling you get when you’re traveling: maybe its excitement, a dash of nervousness, but mostly an appreciation for venturing out and experiencing the moments that come with the territory of traveling. Like you mentioned before, the photo ops for the architectural feats or the beautiful backdrops for breathtaking scenery are part of the experience, but the real magic happens during the moments you share with the people you come across. Every trip teaches me something different about myself, and adds on to this foundation that defines who I am. I think it’s great you’re keeping up the tempo on building upon your own foundation, by planning your next trips and/or moves.
ReplyDeleteSomething I've realized is that I need to learn from my past, have a vision for the future, but keep my momentum in enjoying the now. That was hard for me to learn because I had this mentality of always looking forward to the next step, and saying that’s when I would be happy. But everything we do up till the next step is in preparation for it; it’s a requirement. Similar to how escaping into a different way of living is a requirement to appreciate what we have or don’t have, because the human mind works by comparison. Patience is more than just about waiting, but also about how you act when you’re waiting: making sure to derive some happiness from the moments at hand, because the next step isn't always promised. I guess what all of this means is that sometimes it can feel like there’s no clear direction to our lives. And this overwhelming sense of being lost props itself up against us, and we long for this golden manual that will rid us of that feeling, by telling us exactly what we need to do to; the instructions for being happy, and doing the things we want to be doing with our lives. But part of the fun is going through the process of figuring out what to do with our lives, and that’s what gives the foundation for appreciating it when you do find it. So good luck to you on defining your life. I think there are going to be some great moments for you, and I think a clear cut path isn’t needed for that to happen. You only need to start taking steps in a direction, and more opportunities will open up.
Anyhow, let me know when you want to help me kill Anthony Bourdain, so we can take over his show and travel and eat. That way we don’t have to worry about how to bring purpose to our lives.