It’s Surprising What You’ll Remember Most When You Travel

Tom Kuegler
Aug 28, 2017 · 3 min read

What makes a good movie?

The characters? The setting? The plot?

All of these things have a hand in that, sure, but there’s one essential thing every solid movie has:

Good conflict.

That’s why super heroes spend so much time getting beat up by the bad guy.

If they weren’t getting their ass kicked, we wouldn’t much care what was happening.

Because then it would be too easy.

So it is with travel.


When looking back on my travels the past two years, I always remember two things the most:

  1. When I spontaneously do something.
  2. When my trip doesn’t go as planned.

Everything else is memorable, sure, but the times when I’m smooth-sailing are kind of whatever.

That’s why I remember the $1,000 brake bill I ran into in Arizona, or how the hostel I stayed at in New Orleans had no air conditioning in June.

I also remember that one time in Yosemite I unzipped my tent to see this guy standing a couple feet away:

That was insane.

Later that night I could’ve swore he was sniffing around my tent, which scared the heck out of me, too.


It Sucks Then, But They Make For The Best Stories

Trust me, conflict sucks much more on the road!

That’s because on top of having problems, you’re also in an unfamiliar place.

Have car problems? You don’t know the best mechanic in town, now.

See what I mean? It can be quite the cluster-cuss in the moment, but just trust that things will fall into place. They might not fall exactly how you intend them to, like a misplaced Tetris piece, but trust you’ll soon clear the obstacle and continue on your merry way.

The upside to conflict is that you’ll now have a story for the ages. You can bring it up at family gatherings, with your friends, or on YOUR BLOG ;).

This in and of itself is kind of worth it.

Problems give our travels character. They give them life. They also make us better people because we learn and get through tough situations with more grit than we thought we had.

It’s only later we realize how valuable these events actually were.

That’s why you should embrace problems on the road. Recognize that they’re happening, that you’ll laugh at this later, and that you’ll get through it eventually.

Everything will fall into place.

Want some more of my travel tips? I made an ebook for people like you with advice on finding remote work, planning incredible road trips, and general tips for a life of travel.

You can download it here.

The Post-Grad Survival Guide

We're confused twenty-somethings. We dish on our post-grad blues, successes, failures, and everyday life right here. Featuring topics related to work, relationships, travel, finances, and so much more.

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Tom Kuegler

Written by

Vlogger. Travel blogger. 26 years old. Currently in Southeast Asia. Get my free 5-day Medium course via email → http://bit.ly/2olDN4V

The Post-Grad Survival Guide

We're confused twenty-somethings. We dish on our post-grad blues, successes, failures, and everyday life right here. Featuring topics related to work, relationships, travel, finances, and so much more.

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