I've been traveling for quite some time now on my own. It was when I did a car trip through Portugal with a few close friends that I figured out beauty is everywhere and it needs to be explored.
I traveled before with my parents but it always felt more of a duty than something really pleasurable. It may not make a lot of sense.. I can explain: if an authority figure tells you to do something, you'll not want to and even if it's good for you you'll not see it. At least as a child it was like this. Difficult one, I know!
From the moment I started making my own decisions and saw the world on my own, I could not stop. There's so much out there, starting in your own country. Because let's face it, if you don't know your country, you might as well not even tell me you love traveling.
What is traveling? Is it taking a bunch of pictures in a new country. If it is your own it doesn't count?
Traveling is much more than that, I dare to say it's not even that. It's more than anything having new experiences, living!
So when people ask me how can I travel so much, how can I have the money for it, it's due to the fact I'm not doing the same type of travel most of people do.
I don't have much money so I get creative and it wouldn't be fun otherwise. Since I discovered couchsurfing I don't want other thing- is a great way to meet new people and listen to incredible and different stories than you are used to. It's a way to find out about the best places in city or what to do as well. I'm not talking about turistic places but the real ones.
With couchsurfing I hiked a mountain with 2845m, I went to a nudist beach and I saw the most amazing multimedia show projected on a cathedral. But sitting in a couch having a conversation can take you to wonderful places as well.
Pay attention, this is not a free Airbnb. Couchsurfing is about sharing, so if you are not available to do it, might as well book an hostel. Take some time to do a typical dish from your home country or teach about some costumes for example.
Hitchhiking is another amazing thing to do if you are traveling on a budget, but once again- if you're not paying for the gas, you're paying with share, humor, love. You get the most amazing stories on the road, you see all kinds of people.
Most amazing story with hitchhiking I had? A Turkish truck driver leaving his truck to help me finding another ride ON THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD- if this isn't a pure heart eiger to help I don't know what is.
I got other drivers that stopped in beautiful places just for me to take a picture... This is the beauty of the world. You are putting yourself in danger, no doubt, you are trusting blind, yes, but so is the driver. So, if you think about it... This is a beautiful trust test we are giving to humanity!
Besides this two options there's also a bunch of opportunities abroad you can take like volunteering- with Eramus+, Workway, WOOFF, World Packers and much more. You just have to look and be open to new experiences.
I don't value so much the turist travel type, I value really getting to know a country so I take experiences that allow me to get to know more the culture and the local people. Living in a country is the best way to do so.
Of course another question that pops to people is... Aren't you afraid to travel alone, I mean, as a girl? The answer is, I was in the beggining but once you overcomed your initial fear you are able to see it was just a big fuss. Sure I had bad experiences, they're also part of the pack. They constitute great stories with time and you can even laugh from it.
It's important to be careful, don't get me wrong, I am, but I prefer to continue knowing bad things can happen, otherwise I wouldn't live the good ones.
