10 Important Life Lessons Learned on the Road

For the past 20+ years I have been travelling regularly. The first trip around the world at 19 was ill-planned, underfunded, but still life-changing. I got the ‘travel bug’ after that. Although in between saving to buy a house, paying for further education, and progressing various parts of my career, travel was mainly done on the weekends. The impetus to keep moving, exploring, learning life lessons, and experiencing new places was always with me through.

In truth, I think my wandering spirit comes from my parents and ancestors – we all seem to have lived in multiple countries. Travel is part of the fabric of my family, so I think it was perhaps inevitable that I became so hooked. While I reflected on what I should write for my 150th blog post, it seemed only right to draw from these last 20+ years and share just 10 (of the many) important life lessons learned on the road (and in airports and countries around the world).

10 Important Life Lessons Learned on the Road:

1. Solo travel is a panacea

What’s so special about solo travel in comparison to travelling with others? Solo travel isn’t necessarily ‘better’ in any way, but it is more revealing. I think there is much to be said for peeling back the layers in your life that perhaps aren’t working for you. And without a doubt, solo travel reveals those layers.

Solo travel forces you to rely on yourself, to uncover the faith in yourself that you may have lost. It pushes you out of your comfort zones, and shows you what you are truly capable of. And sometimes, it reminds you to value those loved ones back home just a little bit more. No matter the emotional malady, solo travel is a panacea because it allows reflection and space and delivers the pressure to look inward. Try it if you haven’t already!

2. Fear isn’t something you should be fearful of

As much as I hate the phrase ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’, it is something that rings true to a degree. I would, however, change this to ‘feel the fear and learn to not fear it’… because I strongly believe you should trust your gut!

A continuum from number 1, learning to confront your fears is par for the course when you start peeling away those layers. I have found that the more I face into those fears, the more I overcome them. Travel has taught me that while we may face scary situations, trusting yourself and trusting in your ability to deal with that fear is key to it not paralysing you!

3. Patience is really the biggest life lesson in life

I was not born a patient person. I struggled to harness any semblance of patience for much of my life. But there’s something about the carrot on a stick of travel that has made me way more zen than I used to be. Perhaps it is the endless hours spent in airport queues, or in the planning stages of our big trips. The rewards of travel far outweigh the frustrations of having to wait for it.

4. Road trip snacks are, by some weird magic, nothing like normal snacks

Why is it that road trip snacks are different from what you usually eat as a snack? I never eat jerky… but why is it what I crave while driving across America? I hate service station coffee… but for some reason the creamer tastes better when it comes in large pump bottles. And can anyone explain why I get an unnatural craving for dill pickle flavoured sunflower seeds every time I hit the desert landscapes of Arizona?

Hit me with your favourite (yet illogical) road trip snacks in the comments below…

5. The kindness of strangers will restore your faith in humanity

Humans can be awful, there’s no doubt about that. But they can also be so kind and so surprisingly compassionate, that it is possible to have your faith in humanity restored. Some of my favourite moments travelling have been when strangers have come to my rescue, shown me a kindness, or just asked if I was ok.

To the lovely fella who rescued me when my oversized pack got stuck in the metro ticket gates in Paris when I was 19 (I blushed hot pink and couldn’t look him in the eye) – thank you. Thank you to the old lady on the train between Milan and Naples, who fed me a giant focaccia sandwich when the food trolley wouldn’t change my large bills. To the off-duty Italian tour guide who helped us find a different train when the Pozzuoli station randomly shut – thank you. To the guy on the St Malo ferry, who tried to help me up when I’d fallen on my arse… even though I was too proud and swatted at him to leave me alone – thank you for trying.

It is because of these kindnesses that I think you should always pay it forward, and help people when you can…

6. Shit happens, it’s how you respond to it that makes the difference

It has taken me 40 years to learn a bit of grace, but I think it has finally clicked. We all know that shit happens in life, but it is how we respond to it that makes all the difference. When you travel, you know that mishaps will happen – but you have a choice about how to deal with them. You could panic, and ugly cry in the airport concourse when your flight is delayed… or you could use that time to make calls to your onward connections. I also know from experience that if you get angry at someone, they are less likely to remedy the situation… or in fact, give you any compensation. I have learned to grit my teeth, use the words ‘I am so very disappointed in the company’, and ‘Is there anything you wonderful people can do to remedy this for us’? It works almost every time.

(This scenario absolutely does not refer to serious acts of crime or violence – just to travel-related mishaps!)

7. Never underestimate the power of a smile

Smiling is contagious, don’t you know? I don’t have a particularly smiley face – in fact, my resting bitch face is pretty scary (I’m just concentrating hard, y’all). But I know the power of a smile. All it takes is one smile that can trigger the next person to feel good and smile to someone else… and it’s a whole chain of smiling!

I always try to smile at service staff, retail workers and those low paid jobs that don’t get much credit – it means a lot! This is especially so if you are bringing them a complaint or return or issue… just remember to smile and be kind – it’ll make the whole transaction a lot nicer for everyone.

8. No matter how much you plan, occasionally you will be knocked off course

A good travel planner will plan for the unexpected and have contingencies in place. But you can’t plan for everything – natural disasters, a death in the family etc. What you can do is ensure that you’re in a position to deal with those events that knock you off course. Much of it is just being at peace with the notion that it will happen sometimes and to learn to go with the flow.

Practically, that means having savings in your bank or an emergency credit card (yes, that means you only touch it in an emergency). It means having good insurance and taking out travel insurance when away from home. Can you tell I’m a practical person? My solution to everything is to plan!

9. Travel is the acid test of any relationship

Travelling with someone soon reveals the underbelly of a person. How they react to a flight delay – does it madden you or calm you? If you’re an introvert like me, does your travel companion respect your need for recharge time? Whether you are travelling with friends or a partner, there must be commonalities, or respect for the differences – otherwise it will be a trying trip for all involved! If you find someone you travel well with, hold on to them!

10. Overcome whatever is stopping you live in the moment, because those moments won’t wait for you

Of all the life lessons I’ve learned on the road, this is probably the one that I hold dearest. Those moments when the natural beauty of a place has taken my breath away, and I’ve taken the time to just be in that moment. Not to just get a photo ‘for the gram’. It made my heart hurt when visiting Bryce Canyon, and the viewing platforms were full of people taking a few photos and then leaving. To sit and commune with the wonder of that place was the first thing I did… followed by photos.

I’m not going to advocate taking a ‘digital detox’ or not taking photos of a place – that would be hypocritical of me. But in amongst the flurries of life, of travel schedules and the frenetic world we live in… just stop and enjoy the moment. Grab the hand of your loved one and squeeze it. If you are unable to block out the external or internal noise in your head, try a bit of meditation. Carve out that space, and live in the moment – because those moments are what you will remember in 20 years’ time.

Did you enjoy this more reflective piece about life lessons? Then perhaps you’ll enjoy this article about the city of love!

All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM; and an iPhone.