I just realized what I look for when I travel.
It took me 6 months.
I hadn´t even thought of it; I started travelling 6 months ago because I felt like doing it.
I wanted to know how I would feel and what I would think after travelling for months straight.
But I didn´t know what I was looking for.
Probably solutions to things that were not clear in my mind and which couldn´t get solved if I would have stayed in the same place, repeating the same routine once and again.
How I found it
I found what I look for in travelling by talking to people.
Just talking.
It is my favourite therapy.
When you see what others do, you realize if you agree with them or not and that way you see clearer the way you do things.
Landscapes
This belgium guy told me during breakfast that he had spent one year and a half travelling around the world, mainly hiking and going to forrests and mountains.
He was so enthusiast about it!
I have done that as well (I mean hiking).
But I don´t enjoy it so much.
After some hours or days I say to myself: «Ok, but what else?».
Because it can be beautiful, healthy and of course a good exercise but when I spend hours on my own, walking in nature, my mind wanders as well and goes fast from one place to the other, usually in a negative loop.
«What am I doing here?»
«Am I doing the right thing?»
«Why am I alone?»
«I shouldn´t feel lonely. I should be happy alone.»
And so on.
Therefore hiking or nature is not what I look for.
Challenges
I found also people that enjoy challenging themselves.
They want to travel from place A to B in a certain amount of time in a certain way, for example cycling, walking, motorcycling, driving or using public transport.
I have not even tried that, because it doesn´t sound compelling to me.
I think to myself: «What´s the point? If I want to go to B, I take a plane or 5 buses or whatever I need and then I arrive there. And once I´m there, I enjoy it.»
For me it´s hard to enjoy the trip in that sense.
Because if I have a goal, I wanna reach it as soon as possible.
So, what is it that I look for when travelling?
Personal growth and social interactions.
I LOVE trying to understand myself and why I behave the way I do.
And for some reason, being surrounded by people and interacting with them makes me grow and understand better myself.
I feel connected.
It doesn´t matter how the interaction goes, it always brings growth to me.
And I love it. Even if I am not really concious of it.