I am a 27-year-old female and I have traveled to 22 countries on 5 continents.
And I'm not slowing down any time soon.
Simply put – my relationship with travel is undoubtedly and irrevocably the best relationship of my entire life.
Now, before you go on thinking that girlfriend here is crazy and cannot get a man, that is not the case. Not only do I already have a man, but he also happens to be a great one.
But that relationship has nothing to do with my travels. It's not as if I am unfulfilled in my relationship and trying to fill its void by gallivanting around the world.
It's quite different, actually. Travel provides me with experiences that are so unique they cannot be fulfilled otherwise.
Here are 5 reasons my relationship with travel is the best relationship I've ever had:
1. Every travel experience makes me a richer, smarter, & more open-minded person.
Relationships with humans just simply don’t deliver like this. Humans are fallible and we let one another down often.
Travel just doesn't. Period.
2. Travel never hurts me, cheats on me, or plays with my emotions.
Instead, it makes me feel good all the time. Great in fact.
Plus, it makes me consistently and irrevocably happy and gives my life purpose.
3. It’s a gift that keeps on giving.
With every country I visit and every culture I experience, I become a richer individual and a better human being.
Every damn time.
4. It's the best way to spend my hard-earned money.
There is nothing, NOTHING I look forward to more than planning my next trip. You can choose to spend your money on things or experiences.
I choose experiences.
5. It is natural & addictive.
Travel is ADDICTING! The more I get of it, the more I want it. So yes, in this context, it is a drug...but a drug that elevates me with no negative side effects and is completely natural.
My senses are overwhelmed with every beautiful mountain, lake, city, and blade of grass. It's an addictive drug that is actually good for you.
Okay Alex, so what does climbing volcanoes around the world mean to you?
My relationship with traveling is my most intimate, sacred, and elevated relationship I've ever had. I admire those who share my passion for travel, especially the entire Under30Experiences crew and all the amazing people I’ve met on my 3 trips with them to Bali, Iceland, and Peru.
Traveling is the balance in my life that keeps everything in place and motivates me to be a better person, not only for myself, but for everyone around me.
Everyone in this world has a purpose – you should embrace yours and cherish your most meaningful relationships -- whether its with people anything and everything that makes you want to wake up in the morning.
Please don’t sit in front of the computer and sigh and say to yourself, “Oh man, I wish I could do that but…”
Whatever your excuse is, I promise you you can find a way around it. If you need advice, tips, or inspiration on how you can start your adventure, check out The Social Girl Traveler. She is a wonderful fellow human being who has been traveling the world and sharing her experiences.
Get out of your comfort zone and step into something that makes you scared and at the same time excited – that feeling of an adrenaline junkie before she jumps into a waterfall – the feeling that can never be replicated or substituted by anything else.
THAT is living with a purpose. And for me, THAT is travel.
*Read more from Alex on her blog: asavoryplanet.com
