Travel is fatal to prejuedice, biogtry, and narrow-mindesness, and many of our need it sorely on these accounts.
Mark twain
People often ask us why we travel the way we do. How do you get so much out of it? How do you find meaning beyond the usual sightseeing? What makes it more than just a vacation?
The simple answer? We travel to learn, to grow, and to challenge ourselves.
Travel is often seen as an escapable way to step away from routine and experience something different. For us, travel isn’t just about taking a break from everyday life; it’s about stepping into the unknown with open eyes, an open heart, and a curious mind. It’s about discovering how vast and connected the world truly is, how much there is to learn from other cultures, and how those experiences shape who we are.
We’ve had moments on the road that have entirely changed the way we think. We’ve been humbled, inspired, and sometimes even uncomfortable—but always in a way that led to growth. And that’s why we do it and why travel matters.
Why Travel Matters
We wrote this because we want to share why travel matters and how it has had such a profound impact on us and, hopefully, inspire others to experience the same. If you’ve ever wondered how to make travel more meaningful—or why it has the power to change perspectives—this is our attempt to answer that.
Not every trip changes you, and that’s okay. But when you step into a new place with an open mind, willing to listen, observe, and let go of expectations, something shifts. The world feels bigger, more complex, and more connected than you ever imagined. You begin to understand that, no matter where we call home, we are all part of the same human race—each of us deserving of respect and kindness. Sometimes, the most surprising part of it all is how much you change in the process
1. Travel Challenges: What You Think You Know
One of the most potent things about travel is its ability to dispel misconceptions. It’s easy to form opinions about a place based on what we hear in the news or see on social media. But nothing compares to being there, walking the streets, talking to people, and experiencing a culture firsthand.
Ryan had this realization during a deployment in Afghanistan. Before arriving, he only had news reports and secondhand accounts to go on. But one day, while walking through a village, he stopped to watch a group of kids playing soccer in the dirt, laughing and shouting as they kicked up dust. That moment stayed with him, not because it was something extraordinary, but because it was so typical. It was a reminder that even in places marked by conflict, life continues. Families share meals, children play, and communities come together.
Travel teaches us that no place is just one thing. A single story can define no country, no culture, and no people. The more we see, the more we realize how much we still have to learn.
2. Learning to Adapt—And Let Go
No matter how much you plan, travel has a way of throwing surprises at you. Flights get delayed. Hotels lose your reservation. The highly rated restaurant you were excited to try is closed when you arrive. Once we arrived at a hotel late in the evening, it was shuttered entirely, and every hotel in the area was booked. At home, these things would be frustrating. But on the road, they become part of the adventure.
At first, these moments can freak you out. But over time, you learn to adapt. Take a deep breath and take on the task. You stop clinging to the idea of a “perfect” trip and start embracing what happens. You take the wrong train and end up in a town you never planned to visit—but maybe you will find the best meal of your trip there. Or when you get caught in a downpour in a city you don’t know, but perhaps you duck into a tiny café, where you end up having an unforgettable conversation with a local.
Some of the best travel stories don’t come from perfectly planned experiences. They come from the unexpected detours, the mistakes, and the moments where you have to let go of control. In Slovenia, we showed up late in the evening to discover our hotel shuttered. We did panic at first, but we pushed forward and found a place for one night in the city. Instead of switching hotels in the same town, we decided to head up to Graz, Austria, which was not on our itinerary, and we adored our time there. Travel teaches resilience—not just in getting from point A to point B, but in life itself.
3. Finding Creativity in the Unknown
There’s something about stepping into an unfamiliar place that wakes up your creativity. Maybe it’s the way a city’s colors and sounds mix or the way the sunset reflects off buildings that look nothing like the ones at home. Perhaps it’s the challenge of navigating a place where you don’t speak the language—forcing you to think in new ways, communicate differently, and step outside your usual patterns.
Travel shakes us out of the routines that make life feel predictable. It forces us to see things differently and to make connections we wouldn’t have made otherwise. Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative person, being in a new environment changes the way you think. It opens new ideas and new ways of seeing the world.
For those who create—writers, artists, photographers—travel is fuel. The most minor details, the everyday moments in a foreign place, can inspire something completely unexpected. But even beyond creativity, travel has a way of making us see possibilities where we didn’t before.
4. The Power of Connection
Some of the most meaningful travel experiences don’t happen at famous landmarks or on carefully planned itineraries. They occur in the small, unscripted moments—when you connect with someone in a way you never expected.
Joelle knows this feeling well. She took her first solo trip to a country where she didn’t speak the language, and at first, it was overwhelming. Simple things like ordering food, figuring out directions, and navigating public transportation—felt like enormous challenges. But with each day, she got better at it. She learned to communicate with gestures and smiles, to navigate without words, and to trust herself in unfamiliar situations.
By the end of that trip, she realized something important: she was capable—more than capable. She had done something that once felt impossible, and that confidence stayed with her—not just in travel but in life. Solo travel is one of the fastest ways to learn that you are stronger, smarter, and more adaptable than you think.
And sometimes, it’s the kindness of strangers that makes the most significant impact. A local who helps you find your way when you’re lost. A fellow traveler who shares a meal with you when you’re feeling out of place. Travel reminds us that, despite language barriers and cultural differences, people everywhere want the same things—to feel understood, to be happy, and to connect.
5. Self-Reflection: Who Are You Outside Your Comfort Zone?
One of the biggest surprises of travel isn’t just seeing new places; it’s seeing yourself in a new way. When you strip away your job, your social circle, and your usual routine, you get a clearer picture of who you are.
What excites you? What scares you? When no one is around to shape your choices, where does your curiosity naturally lead you?
Travel forces you to be present. When there’s no comfort zone to fall back on, you start paying attention differently. You notice the little things, how a city wakes up in the morning, the rhythm of daily life in a place so different from your own. And in those quiet moments, you start to understand yourself better.
Are you ready to travel? Learn How You Can Travel For Free
6. Travel Isn’t for Everyone—But Most Anyone Can Travel
Not everyone feels the urge to travel, and that’s completely fine. Some people find comfort in familiarity, in deepening their roots rather than expanding their horizons. But for those who do feel that pull—the curiosity to step beyond what they know, it’s essential to understand that meaningful travel isn’t about how far you go. It’s about how much you’re willing to see things differently.
Some of the most eye-opening experiences can happen close to home:
- Explore a nearby town you’ve never visited where the history and culture are different from your own.
- Taking a train just a few hours away and realizing how even a tiny shift in geography can bring a whole new perspective.
- Trying a type of food you’ve never had before or stepping into a cultural event where the traditions are entirely unfamiliar.
But for us, international travel truly transformed us. There’s something about stepping into a place where you don’t speak the language—where even the writing on street signs is unfamiliar—that forces you to see the world in a completely different way.
The Challenge of the Unknown
When you travel to a place where your usual safety nets—language, cultural familiarity, even body language—don’t apply, you realize just how much of your daily life is built on assumptions. Suddenly, ordering food at a restaurant becomes a puzzle. Navigating public transportation feels like a high-stakes game. Are you asking for directions? A mix of charades, gestures, and hopeful guesses.
At first, this can be overwhelming. It’s disorienting to land in a place where nothing looks or sounds like home. But then, something shifts. You start to adapt. You pick up on non-verbal cues, recognize patterns in the way people interact, and learn to laugh at yourself when you get things wrong.
The first time we traveled somewhere that didn’t use the Latin alphabet, it felt like being dropped into another world. Street signs, menus, even something as simple as a bus schedule, everything was indecipherable. But that challenge was also what made it so rewarding. Every small victory—figuring out how to buy a train ticket, successfully ordering a meal, navigating a market without speaking the language—felt like an accomplishment.
Why It’s Worth It
It’s one thing to learn about different cultures from books, documentaries, or social media. It’s another thing entirely to experience it firsthand—to feel what it’s like to be the outsider, the one who doesn’t immediately understand. And in that discomfort, there’s a lesson in humility. You begin to appreciate how hard it must be for people who move to a new country and have to navigate daily life without fluency. You realize how much patience and kindness matter.
There’s also a unique kind of freedom in these experiences. When you’re in a place where no one knows you, where you don’t have the words to explain who you are, you start to see yourself differently. You rely more on observation, intuition, and trust. You learn to navigate not just a new city but a new way of thinking.
Now you know why travel matters, check out our post –Mastering Travel Etiquette: A Guide to Being a Good Traveler
It’s Not About the Distance—It’s About Perspective
Some of the most life-changing moments don’t happen in the most exotic places. They occur when you open yourself up to the unfamiliar—whether that’s in a neighboring town, a different region of your own country, or a place on the other side of the world.
For us, international travel pushed us the farthest outside our comfort zone—and that’s why it was the most transformative. But the real power of travel isn’t about collecting passport stamps. It’s about how willing you are to step into a new way of seeing, learning, and understanding.
So whether your next adventure is across an ocean or just across town, the question isn’t how far you’ll go—it’s how open you’ll be when you get there.
Final Thoughts: Why Travel Matters
For us, travel has been more than just a way to see new places; it has been an education. That education is why travel matters to us. It has challenged us, changed us, and shaped the way we understand the world. More than anything, it has been the people we’ve met and the history we’ve learned along the way that we could not be more thankful for.
These connections have been some of the most meaningful parts of our journey, from the locals who have shared their stories, traditions, and kindness to the travelers we’ve crossed paths with who have offered new perspectives. And then there’s the history—standing in places where the past still lingers, where the weight of time is felt in every stone and every street. Experiencing history where it happened makes it real in a way no book ever could.
Not every trip is life-changing. But when approached with curiosity, openness, and a willingness to learn, travel has the power to shift perspectives in unexpected ways. It reminds us that the world is vast, that stories are waiting to be heard, lessons waiting to be learned, and connections waiting to be made.
The only question is: Are you ready to see what travel has to teach you?
© 2025 Wanderers Compass All Rights Reserved
Flights, Accommodations, and Everything You Need to Book in One Place
Have we inspired you to plan a vacation this year? Start your research early to explore your options and find what fits your budget. By booking your own travel, you’ll uncover great deals and have complete control over your itinerary. The links below can be used for all elements of your trip, not just accommodations.
It is essential to price out accommodations on various sites. Expedia is a US-based company, whereas Booking.com is Europe-based. Not all properties appear on both, so it is ideal to check both out. Our personal first choice is Booking.com. If the establishment has a website, check the price there as well. Click the link below to check out hotels and vacation homes in the area. It may be just the motivation you need to start planning that next grand adventure.
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March 12, 2025Want to learn about Wanderers Compass?
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To empower you as a consumer, we recommend you read our blog post on why travel insurance is essential and how to secure the best coverage from leading companies at an affordable price.
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Shopping
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