TO TRAVEL IS TO LIVE

As I sit here in Denmark riding out a thunderstorm, I am reflecting on my travels over the last two weeks throughout Denmark & Sweden and a quote pops into my head. Quite fitting really, that it turns out to be the words of the great Danish Author Hans Christian Andersen; “To Travel is to Live”.

What is it about travelling that I am most drawn to? What is it that makes me love exploring new countries, cultures and continents?

I was at university when I first set out to explore the world, taking a summer out to travel across Canada, I officially caught the travel bug and I have literally never looked back. I have travelled throughout five continents and the other two are very firmly on my list of places to visit. Every country brings something very different. I am drawn to the landscapes, hiring a car and exploring off the beaten track routes that offer a taste of the real country, yes even when it’s a country that drives on the other side of the road and I don’t know what the road signs mean! I love the cultures, staying in homes and meeting the locals, chatting about their country and what makes it so special, yes even when we don’t speak the same language, it leads to some great conversations! The world language that is understood anywhere is smiles and laughter so it seems to get me through.

I’m the kind of traveller that never really plans a route, that lives in the moment.  To others not knowing where they are going to stay that night or where they are headed for the next day makes for an uneasy time.  For me it is a sense of freedom and escapism to say yes to any adventures placed in front of me and take time to explore each country to the fullest. Watching the sunrise over the mountains, driving along single track country roads with tunes playing, wandering along empty beaches at sunset, capturing pictures in my mind (and camera) that can be revisited over and over.

Travelling opens your eyes to a very different world, one that makes you appreciate everything you have, that shows you anything is possible and to dream big. For me travel is a big part of my life now, whether in Scotland exploring our stunning landscapes or Internationally exploring new countries, before each trip is finished I am already planning the next. Especially now that there are so many world breeds to capture on my travels!

So I encourage you all to grab opportunities to get out and explore the world around you. One of my favourite travel quotes from Mark Twain pretty much sums it all up.