Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer эссе

‘Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer’.

Unknown

This is a quote I often see doing the rounds on Instagram, ordinarily above the head of someone with their back to the camera, looking off wistfully at an over-saturated landscape.

You know the type!

The quote itself doesn’t seem to be attributed to anyone in particular but it certainly is popular.

But is it true?

Well, as with so many of these things, yes and no.

I am a big believer that travel does make you richer. It has enhanced my life in ways I don’t think anything else could have. It opened my eyes to the wider world as a child and continues to help me stretch and grow as an adult.

But is it the only thing you can buy that makes you richer?

Absolutely not.

In this post, I am going to break down the phrase a bit, give you some examples of how I think travel does make you richer, but also explore some other things in life that money can buy that I also feel make you richer.

So all in all, a pretty rounded article then!

If you disagree or have anything to add, then that’s exactly what the comments are for! I reply to everyone one!

The word rich is most commonly used in referring to money.

So how can something you purchase, also make you richer?

In this instance, rich is used to mean ‘abundance’. A forest rich in flowers, a city rich in history, a lake rich in fish all of these would have plentiful quantities of their resource. The use of ‘rich in’ suggests richness in something other than money.

So the phrase is saying that travel is not giving you more cash or wealth, but an abundance in something else.

But you’d probably figured that for yourself anyway. It’s not like dropping $1,500 on a flight is going to multiply in value like investing would.

So what does it make you richer in?

Maybe experiences? Or happiness? Maybe a richness in new friendships? Or rich in lessons such as geography or history?

This may be different for everyone, but I think there are a few themes that have run through my travel life that I will share with you now.

7 Reasons Why Travel Makes You Richer

1. More Stories to Tell

If there’s one thing travel has given me more than almost anything else it’s stories to tell. When I’m 80 years old with my grandchild sitting on my knee, I am going to be able to bore them senseless with tales of adventures around the world.

The trouble with everyday life is it becomes routine to a stage where things pass you by after a while.

When I first got into a car for lessons I had to focus on every single movement. When I drove off after I passed my test every trip felt exciting as I made the most of my newly-earned freedom. My drive to work this morning? I couldn’t tell you a single thing about it! It was routine. I do it all the time. It passed me by.

Now, before you mindfulness crowd start flooding the comments, I know, I should be better than this, but let’s be honest here that we all do it.

This changes when you travel. In a new environment everything is different. Something as simple as ordering from a menu or working out how to get your washing done becomes memorable. Those things that are completely forgotten in the routine of everyday life become stories to tell in the future.

• That time we ended up in a tuk-tuk who we thought was being helpful but actually took us straight to his friend’s fashion store to try and get us to spend money.
• Stuck in a remote Thai village, where the place we’d booked online turned out to be closed for the season, and having to negotiate with a lady who only spoke a local language to let us stay in one of her wooden chalets.
• Misreading the sat-nav in Bosnia Herzegovina and ending up on roads fit only for a 4×4 in a beaten-up old Renault. No phone signal, no recovery and a weird amount of dead snakes on the dusty gravel road.

None of these would have happened in the city I can navigate, in a language, I’ve spoken for my entire life in a place I feel comfortable.

But they are stories that travel gave me, that enrich my life and I will remember for a lifetime.

2. Learning About Different Cultures

There is simply no better way to understand a country and its culture than to go there.

I’m not trying to say for one minute that a two-week trip suddenly makes me an expert in the aeons-long history of a place and its people, but it certainly increases the knowledge quickly.

It also makes me realise how there are more things that make cultures similar than different. Even if a country feels a world apart, at its core people have the same values and desires – a healthy, happy family, somewhere safe to live, a job that helps them put food on the table and a life with purpose.

I always feel richer when I’ve spent time in a culture that I’m not used to, as the similarities make me realise how small the world is, but the differences help shake me out of my usual routines and grow my interests and understanding.

3. Meeting New People

Relationships make life richer, that’s for sure, but in the rut of day-to-day life it’s not often we reach out and meet new people.

When travelling though, this is often different.

Travel pushes us out of our comfort zones and leaves us surrounded by people we don’t know.

4. A Real-Life Classroom

Many people take their young family on the road with them, because they believe that travel can teach the practical that goes along with the theory of the classroom.

Geography, history, languages, religious studies – so many of these subjects can be experienced first-hand when in a different country.

This isn’t just applicable to children though, one of the things I love most about travel is slowly learning about a place. I find I remember so much more from seeing something than reading about it in a book.

Did you know for example:

• More bombs were dropped on Laos during the Vietnam War than on the whole of Europe during World War Two?
• That Melbourne was originally called Batmania?
• Malta is the only country in the world to have been awarded the George Cross?
• There is a vial of Jesus’ blood stored in a church in Bruges?

Just a few random bits of knowledge that have collected in my brains whilst exploring, none of which I would be likely to have found out unless I’d been there.

5. Self Reflection

Travel certainly isn’t always exciting. There are long periods of getting from one place to another or waiting for a flight/bus/camel/beer that gives space for the brain to run wild..

It’s in these periods that I have time to reflect that I don’t seem to be able to find in the busy grind of normal life.

It was on a trip to Seychelles that Becca and I took the time to chat and decided to take our first sabbatical, three months off work exploring Southeast Asia.

It was on the sabbatical that I accepted a job in Australia, that’s led to us starting a new life on the other side of the planet.

Never underestimate how self reflection can help you take a few steps forward in your life I find travel gives me this time that has led to decisions that have truly made my life richer.

6. Accomplishment

Travel can make you feel richer, by accomplishing things you’ve not done before.

These accomplishments can be list-based such as the obvious ticking countries off a list (I cover this more in ‘How Many Countries Are There to Visit?‘) or setting other travel goals relating to your passions such as visiting UNESCO Heritage Sites, running marathons in different locations or visiting football stadiums.

There might be other things you wish to accomplish through travel though. I have a big list here of different reasons to take a sabbatical which covers lots of inspiration for travel accomplishments. This could be everything from using the trip to help learn a new language, to finding the perfect location to take a divemaster course.

Whatever it is, travelling can certainly lead to accomplishments that make your life richer in the long run.

7. Recording Where You’ve Been

For many people, myself included, travel can be the catalyst that ignites a new hobby.

I started off my recording my cycling trips on a small blog, which then turned into a travel blog in my own name, before eventually growing into this site you see before you today.

My love of photography has also blossomed thanks to travel, with my shutter-competence pushed forward by new destinations and wanting to have detailed images to go with my memories.

Whether it’s a small notebook, a map-based blogging site like Tripline (here’s my Tripline map from our Southeast Asia sabbatical) or starting a new Instagram account to share your journey with friends and family, recording your adventures can be the start of something new, or serve as an account that you can look back on for a lifetime.

Recommended Reading: My Favourite Photography Gear

Other Things You Can Buy That Make You Richer

Charity or Gifts for Others

“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap.  If you want happiness for a day, go fishing.  If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune.  If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” 

Chinese proverb

That act of selflessly giving to make others happy is definitely something that enriches your life.

It’s been proven in multiple studies that selfless acts of giving time, money or helping someone activate the same part of the brain sex does. It’s a pleasure response that not only enriches the life or lives of the people you’re helping, but also yours.

Recommended Reading: 38 Gifts for Someone Going Travelling

Knowledge

Whether it is in the form of books, courses or education, knowledge is something you can spend money on which will enrich your life.

Money doesn’t have to be invested into formal education to yield results, just investing in a course that will help you learn more about your hobbies and interests can make a huge difference. I’ve taken online courses on photography, blogging and marketing that have helped me learn more about the things I enjoy (though always work through all the free content available on YouTube first as some of this is just as good!).

Recommended Reading: My Favourite Books of All Time

Health

Some of the greatest investments I’ve made in life have been in my own health. Whether it be finally getting professional help with my anxiety, seeing a dentist after 10 years of not bothering (yes, I am a terrible human being) or paying a coach to take my running to the next level – investing in your own health truly does make your richer.

Many of us dream of living a long life, but what is that worth if we’re not flexible enough to sit down and play with our Grandkids, alert enough to engage in meaningful conversation or fit enough to get out of the house.

Having a rich life involves much more than just living for a long time and I have found every investment I’ve made in my own (and my family’s) health has paid back multiple times.

ETFs

This is a little more literal that the others, but good investing is something that does turn money into more money, making your bank balance grow.

I learned early on that spending money on things erodes wealth, but setting aside as much as I could to invest will grow wealth in the long-term, giving me more choices on what I do later in life.

This is certainly not an investment blog, so I am not going to offer any advice other than – look up the value of compound interest. If you can find the money to set aside it will pay you back in the long run.

Recommended Reading: The Power of Compound Interest and Why It Pays to Start Saving Now

Travel Is the Only Thing You Buy That Makes You Richer Quote Photos

If you want to use any of these photos on your website on social media then feel free, but please give credit back by:

• Linking to this post
• Tagging my Instagram account @SabbaticalGuide
• Tagging my Facebook page @TheSabbaticalGuide

What Our Clients Say About Us

«Great Customized Service»  «Exceed All Expectations»  «Highly Recommended»

The idea of traveling, for many people, seems like a pipe dream that they can only fantasize about. Some people think that traveling is reserved for a privileged few who belong to the highest income brackets. Surrounded by your own and others’ thoughts about the matter, you may start to feel like you are in an unending disciplinary hearing. You may start questioning whether it is “responsible” to invest in your own growth and happiness.

Are You Escaping Life, Or Is Life Escaping You?

If you prioritize travel in your life, many people will sit you down and point out the problems with your plan’s practicalities. They will try to tell you where you should “invest” your financial resources “for your own sake.” You may be constantly named, shamed and blamed for being irrational or for using travel to escape your reality. Contrary to those expressed sentiments, if you immerse yourself in a monotonous routine of work, sleep, eating, and weekends, life will escape you^[1] because you will never experience the extraordinary. Instead, invest in a journey of a lifetime. You will have experiences money can’t buy.

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.^[2]

Giving Up on Your Inner Desires?

Many people are held back by the stifling belief that they need to be “money wise,” so they end up “settling” and never fulfilling their inner desires. These people sit back thinking about their dream getaway, but then they hold back on reaching for it.

When you have to work yourself into a state of excitement rather than naturally experiencing joy and passion, you’re probably settling.^[3]

Travelling is a journey of the soul. The benefits are immeasurable. When you travel, you are awakened into self-discovery, you conquer fears, and you let go of burdensome stress. Numerous benefits come from taking journeys that are not just vacations or preplanned getaways but journeys of discovery.^[4]

“Should Haves” and “Could Haves”

After years have passed, we look back and we regret what we did not do more than what we did wrong. What we did wrong just added to our life lessons. Our deepest regrets come from keeping ourselves locked down into practicalities, calculating time and money spent, and halting our own plans to break free. The love, the gratification, and the joy that embrace you when you travel will make sure you stop focusing on how much money or time you’ve spent on the endeavor.

Travel – A Tool of Self-Development

We are all surrounded by a plethora of life difficulties, and we work hard to change this, that and the other. And, it takes effort and hard work to make big changes with persistence. No one has the mental energy to make all the changes that they should. We each create a long list of resolutions each New Year’s, but we end up overwhelmed by all we’d hoped to achieve.

Travel is a pathway that will help you realize your self-improvement goals.

All of us contemplate where we are heading. Then comes a new day, and another. All the things we desire to do pile up, and it seems we are always waiting for the right time. Taking the initiative to travel now can help you achieve many goals, such as:

• learning new languages
• managing social situations
• exploring cuisine
• encountering new literature
• keeping the mind and the body active

When you find yourself in a foreign country, you learn how to communicate even if you don’t know the local languages. You figure out how to navigate, you make new friends, and you learn how to coexist with others and how to solve a stream of problems. The experience will boost your confidence in your ability to handle unexpected situations in a new setting.

Face It: Life Becomes What You Allow It to Become

As Mark Manson writes,

“Most people assume that they suffer because of the negative aspects of themselves. But, the real reason they suffer is because they avoid those negative aspects of themselves, not the fact they have them.”^[5]

You lie back on silent nights staring at the walls and agonize, “where did life go? Where was it m

We’ve all heard it said that travel broadens the mind, and it’s an extremely accurate and descriptive cliché – mainly because it’s true. You can gain far more knowledge from one year travelling the planet than you can in ten years looking at a textbook, which is probably why more and more parents are “home” schooling their children while on a trip around the world. But perhaps the most useful knowledge you will gain when you’re on the road will be about yourself. In this day and age, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and feelings coupled with an over-reliance on western medical principles, has managed to suck the life out of many people – and many of those people don’t honestly see a way out of it. But the answer is as plain as the nose on your face – go travelling.

In today’s blog post, we, as long-term globetrotters and travel buddies, are going to give you our thoughts on how travelling will make you a better person, and why you need it – even if you think you don’t.

Why we should all travel

Mark Twain said “…travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness…” and he was not wrong! We live in a world that is blighted by racism, hatred and xenophobia – but these negativities are born from misunderstanding and fear – which can be fought with education and courage. Stepping out your front door to travel the big wide world might be utterly terrifying, but it will ultimately lead you on a path of acceptance, serenity and mindfulness. And not only is travelling fatal to the hatred of other cultures, it’s also fatal to your own insecurities, depression, low self-esteem and anxieties. In short, there is basically no disadvantages to travelling – so you’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain. We’ve provided a handy guide below to assist you.

Who would benefit from travelling? Everyone.

Who wouldn’t benefit from travelling? No one.

It’s literally that simple. So, what exactly will you gain?

Life Skills

Travelling, especially travelling solo, is a sure-fire way to improve your life skills. You’ll develop more than just an acute sense of direction when you’re on the road. Everything from timekeeping to understanding currencies, to knowing how to negotiate packed train stations carrying everything you own on your back. You’ll learn how to solve problems, how to think critically and quickly, how to adapt to any situation and how to communicate effectively. You’ll also learn the vital skill of empathy – which is much needed in today’s society. And by the end of this strip, you’ll know how to peel a potato properly – a significantly underrated skill to possess!

Instant Stress Buster

Sure, travelling can provide you with its own kind of stress, but with a bit of practice and advice (stick with us) you’ll be hopping around the globe like a pro in no time. And travelling is an amazing stress buster – especially if you learn to let go, clear your mind and enjoy the sights and surroundings you find yourself in. Stepping out of a frantic office and onto a beach somewhere does wonders for your blood pressure, and for your zest and energy for life.

Endorphin Release

Travel, much like exercise, is the best way to combat anxiety, depression and other negative thoughts that might plague you in your life. Getting out into the big wide world and seeing new things, making new memories and having new experiences will release those all-important endorphins into your brain – which help to beat the black dog and his friends. Keeping on the move keeps the negativities occupied, and you’ll be amazed at how such simple distraction can make you feel. Travel makes you happy.

Education, Education, Education

Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer, someone once said. There are also books – but the idea is there. You’ll learn so much more from experiencing a country first hand than you will reading a book about it. Learning about new peoples, countries and cultures by actually visiting them is the number one way to destroy xenophobia and bigotry. And you’re likely to be a smarter, funnier, more entertaining dinner guest in the process. Maybe.

Friend Magnet

Arguably one of the best things about travelling is all the friends you make along the way. You might think that you have friends now, and some of them might very well be with you for the long haul. But there’s no accounting for the characters you meet when you’re moving from place to place, and you’ll discover genuine, life-long friendships from people that you might only get to know for a few days! Such is the power of travelling and the shared experience – you all have something in common, and that’s something you will cherish for the rest of your lives.

It’s All About the Confidence!

There’s nothing quite like the sense of achievement when you return home from a long period of travel or accomplish something marvellous while you’re still on the road. And with that feeling comes a renewed sense of confidence. Whether you were busting with it in the first place or a timid little wallflower, travelling will breed a confidence that will encourage you to achieve anything in your life – and not let anyone bring you down along the way. Go get ‘em, tiger!

The Truth and Nothing but the Truth

Governments and the media spoon feed us all with a skewed sense of reality regarding other countries, attempting to instil fear, control populations and divide nations. The best way to beat them at this game? Travelling! A journey to a country that has a bad reputation at home will often surprise you with just how beautiful it is and how hospitable the people are. Especially the likes of North Korea or Iran. Wherever you go, you’ll be able to return with the truth – and with the ability to speak out against lies and propaganda when you hear it.

A Polished Resume

An often-overlooked advantage of travelling is how much more employable it makes you. We’re not just talking jobs in the industry – although seeing 65 countries plus is a big advantage there – but in all walks of life and in all occupations. Employers will be impressed by all those aforementioned life skills you’ve picked up along the way, and communication is an essential skill for most companies these days. A boss won’t see a gap year student as a bum, rather someone with a thirst for knowledge about the world – and the skills to go in search of it. That’ll certainly give you an advantage over someone who has never left their hometown!

It Doesn’t Stop!

This is literally all we have time for, but the list is not exhaustive. Travelling benefits you in so many more ways, and sometimes the fun part is discovering just how much you can learn and develop as a person when you’re out there experiencing it. You’ll return a bigger, brighter, stronger, more confident, knowledgeable and understanding version of the person who set foot out into the unknown all those days, weeks, months or years before. And that is absolutely priceless.

What have you learned while travelling? Let us know your best stories!