My travel philosophy can be described in three words: Indulge, Respect & Appreciate.
Like I mentioned in my ‘About‘ section, experience is a priority of mine. If it means new experiences, I won’t hesitate to try, even if I don’t know the outcome of it. It may be an awful experience, it could be an amazing experience but we will never find out unless we try. I also agree that no experience is ever wasted. All experiences, whether good, bad, or ugly, teaches me something and shapes me into who I am today.
Indulge
Verb [in-duhlj]
1. Allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of
2. Become involved in
Whether it’s food, music, performance, dance, love, relationships, or a simple walk around the city, I’ll indulge. I’ll take in as much as I can. I want the full experience.
Respect
We all have our differences. Every culture is different. This is why we travel. We travel to learn about these types of differences and experience different mindsets. That being said, to think that different is wrong is the most harmful thing to you and your community. Traveling is all about being open minded and accepting things for the way they are. If you have the same expectations as you do when you are on the road and constantly complain about a place because it’s not what you are used to, then stay home. There are going to be cuisines you disagree with, there are going to be customs you don’t understand but please.. don’t be rude. Accept that things are different. Treat people the way you wish to be treated. If you don’t respect the fact that they are different, you can’t expect that they would have respect for your ways.
Appreciate
Appreciate each day and every moment. It’s easy to get caught up in our day to day and forget to sit down and reflect on our surroundings. Appreciate the little things in life. If you don’t, it’s easy to miss out on life, which is a combination of those moments.
I like to believe that I am practicing to be a conscious traveler. Someone who is always aware of her surroundings, respects different cultures and is sensitive to each moment. I’ve explained the term ‘Conscious Traveler’ on my travel diary.
