Lessons learned on the road

the balance between solitude and solidarity (when you travel)

There’s one thing I’ve learned through my trips in Europe: travel is more enjoyable in solitude, while a journey needs solidarity. I’ve reached to this conclusion after going to some trips with my friends to different places in Europe and other parts of the world.

Traveling is an act of discovery. You’re setting yourself at an entirely new place for a purpose. There are countless different purposes and goals set by each traveller. The important thing is that they are hardly shared with others and, even more so, it is difficult to impose your own set of goals to other people. Just like in life, imposing your own standards will immediately strain the relationship with that person. That’s why people say that traveling is a true test of friendship, that you may end of breaking up with even your best friend in life. By now, I’ve been to numerous trips with my friends to different places in Europe. One thing that I can say is, set your goals clear in the beginning: if you’re going on a trip with your friends, your priority should be to have a great time with them. Forget about all the things you would’ve or could’ve done. Those are all secondary. If there are certain things that you’d really like to do, don’t surround yourself with conflicting goals.

Going on a journey is an entirely different story. It is the rugged path that you need to take to meet your goals and fulfill the purpose. It is difficult to share your goals with other people, but not so much to share your way on the path with the others. A journey is often filled with solitude and loneliness, and you cannot wish for better than having good companions on the road. With them, even the steep mountains or long dark roads will feel short and less frightening. Of course, you cannot pass on your burden, but you can certainly overcome the challenges more easily with good companions. From my own experience, I’ve met many great friends on the road and had valuable life lessons on the way with them. Surely you will not share the same goal with them, but all the conflicts that you may face, if any, will be nothing compared to what you will gain.

So next time you book a trip with your friend, think twice. Try to think if this is what you really want. Ignore all the weird looks that people give (often, they themselves have an anxiety problem). There’s nothing wrong with traveling alone. Try to enjoy the solitude rather than filling your insecurity with relationships. If you’re already on the road, surround yourself with good people and make as many new friends as possible. They will become a valuable asset in your life.