I was never someone that could be happy staying in one place and moving around, traveling and exploring new things was always something at the top of my agenda. After finishing college, my buddy Stephen R Buzzi and I embarked on a 3 month trip around Europe and I loved it so much that I never stopped, I just carried on traveling.
I have worked on the road during my travels and last month I completed the purchase of my very first house, somewhere which can serve as a base for me to travel from. I have been taking stock of my travels recently and I wanted to share with you what travel has taught me.
The Planet is Awesome
We live on a truly spectacular planet which is filled with magic and wonder. The places that I have loved the most are those of incredible natural beauty or human achievement. The Gates of Hell in Tukmenistan, the salt flats in Bolivia, Niagara Falls, the Great Wall of China, I could go on forever. I understand why people want to work so hard in protecting this world of ours, it is breathtaking and I want our grandchildren and their grandchildren to be able to see it.
You Are Very Lucky
One thing that I am very aware of is the fact that I am extremely lucky to have been born into a good family, to never have had any real money problems and to be able to live in a country with so much opportunity. The more that I traveled and saw people who were living with real issues, the more lucky I felt to have been born where I was. I endeavor to use this good fortune to make the most out of my life.
Happiness and Money Aren’t Always Linked
I am not a believer that money can’t buy you happiness, I believe that it plays a key role in making you happy in fact. With this being said, there is absolutely a way that you can be happy and have no money and I have witnessed this for myself. I was in Nicaragua a while back and I was invited for dinner with a family who had absolutely nothing, and very little money. In spite of the family’s circumstances, I can honestly say that they were the happiest people that I have ever met in my life, true inspiration.
Even Travelers Can Be Bad
It’s weird, sometimes I meet travelers who want to embrace the world, explore it and respect it, but unfortunately the overwhelming majorities are those who seem to want nothing more than to exploit it and disrespect other corner of the world. I get that everyone wants to have a good time but I have met so many travelers with a horrible world view, it is unreal. I think this stems from people wanting to say that they have ‘traveled’ the world, but they are more interested in telling that story than living it.
Paul Petersen