Your twenties are a tricky decade. You’re no longer a child, yet you don’t feel like an adult. This is when you realize that adulthood isn’t something you arrive at just by getting older. You still feel the same as always, but now people expect you to have it together. You’re suddenly meant to make huge decisions about your future. Talk about pressure. When you consider all that, it’s no wonder many twenty-somethings do the sensible thing and travel.
Travel can be a fantastic way to transition into being twenty-something. That’s because the experiences you have abroad force you to face yourself. That, in turn, can see you finding out who you are. Though she wasn't in her twenties, Elizabeth Gilbert’s ‘Eat Pray, Love’ is a fantastic example of how travel can help you here. Through the book, Gilbert goes from zero to hero. And, she does it by going on an epic trip.
Of course, sunning it up in Spain isn’t exactly the stuff of transformation. But, we’ve got a look at some traveling experiences which could lead you towards an Eat, Pray, Love of your very own.
Travel solo
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Gilbert went traveling solo, and you should too. Going away with friends is, of course, fantastic. Nothing beats good company in stunning locations. But, having friends around makes it easy enough to hide from yourself. By stripping back that safety barrier and going it alone, a confrontation with you is inevitable. And, that’s what you want. Even if you're scared of the responsibilities you face in life, solo travel can beat those worries down. That’s because you’ll have to face a lot of scary situations head-on. And, guess what? You’ll probably have a bloody fantastic time doing it. When we travel solo, we achieve things we never thought that we could. And, that’s precisely what you need.
Take on a new challenge
Gilbert took on all manner of challenges during her trip. From teaching English to taking a vow of silence. While you don’t need to go that far, challenges help. They can take you out of the comfort zone which is often so stifling in your early twenties. So, say yes to learning the language next time you go away. Cycle from one end of the country to the other by asking yourself how to make it happen, and also how far is it from Land's End to John O'Groats? Simply challenge yourself to going for walks everyday, or hiking a mountain. It all works towards that sense of achievement which you need to take you far.
Let people in
It’s also worth noting that many of the realisations Gilbert comes to during her time away come from people she meets. You can learn so much just from opening up when you’re abroad. Instead of guarding yourself, open up and look around you. Strike up conversations with people who look like they'd be happy to chat. They could well end up changing your life if you let them.
