Setbacks

Reading this article from LP got me thinking.

From the article:

Travel should involve just a little struggle, a few annoyances, a bit of frustration.

Queuing for overcrowded buses, sleeping in smelly dorms, spending hours guarding packs on cold railway platforms these are all part of the complex mix of excitement, boredom and hassle that makes seeing the world such a joy.

...Throwing yourself into confusing and confronting situations and seeing how you cope, is what makes life, and travel worth experiencing.

These sentences sum up my general travel outlook.

The way I see it is, no setback during your travels is so grand that you can't endure it. Take Machu Picchu. At no point during the hike did I think, "Man this feels awesome!" It didn't. The first day sucked, the second day was no better, and by the last day, I was a bearded, constipated mess.

But the point is, I survived. With tales to tell. With pictures and memories to share.

I'm not asking you, Fellow Traveler, to actively look for difficult situations in your trips. They'll be sure to find you. And I'm not saying that all travel is difficult, because even the hard-core travel junkies need respite.

What I am suggesting is that when you do find yourself stranded at the airport, or late for your overnight train, take a deep breath and relax. You'll pull through it. These things come with the territory. They teach you patience. They build character.

As much as traveling connects you with the world, it connects you with yourself too.