Travelling To Appease The Wanderlust

Wanderlust - Travel - Food For Thought

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

J. R. R. Tolkien from The Lord of the Rings

We as people crave adventure, be it going to the next town or the next continent. I know what you’re thinking, not everyone is an adventurer, but people are much more adventurous than you think. Do you ever get that feeling, that feeling of listlessness, that feeling that your feet are itching, that feeling that you just need to… go. That, my friend, is the feeling of wanderlust. That unbearable feeling, that screaming of your soul in your head, that longing to see the world, that longing to feel the world.

As most people will tell you, they don’t have the time to travel, or that they can’t afford it. Although this is true, for the most part, this is essentially an excuse we tell ourselves. There are just too many agencies out there that make it too easy for us to travel. Flights are easily available online through Expedia or newer ones like Traveloka. Hotels are pretty much made available at your fingertips through Agoda, and if you’re looking for something more affordable, Airbnb. We really have no reason to keep making excuses for ourselves, because at the end of the day, there is only one thing we can truly run out of… time. No more wasting time, no more shoulda woulda coulda. If you do not get to see Rome while you’re young, you have no one to blame when you miss it when its gone. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but doesn’t mean it will stand waiting for you forever.

There are many reasons to travel, but we should always know why we travel. We spend quite a bit of money doing all that travelling and most of us come back feeling empty, not only monetarily, but also spiritually spent. This is because we don’t understand why we travel in the first place. We go on holidays thinking that we can get away from our current troubles and worries from everyday life. This however, is merely a quick fix. Travelling should be for us to experience and understand the world around us, the different cultures we come into contact with. With this, we will see that there is so many ways to live our lives, and that we really don’t have it all too bad. That comparison will remind us to be grateful that we have the luxury of having the ability to travel.

Travelling is meant to help us feel good and learn more about the world. By taking that time away from routine to better understand ourselves, we will be able to enjoy our holidays on a more profound level. There are so many interesting cultures out there that we know so little about. Because of how lucky we are, there are numerous destinations worldwide with different types of travel in mind. If you feel that you’re having too much of a relaxed life, an enigmatic city like Kyoto, Japan would shake things up. If you want something more relaxed and filled with good food, then Penang, Malaysia would be your pearl.

Yes, some might write it off as eat, pray, love, but it’s never that simple. If we understood why we do the things we do in the first place, and with more clarity, all that stress that goes into planning and setting time aside eventually becomes worthwhile. We must understand the feel good factor that comes with it, experience it, and take the time to really seek within, to ask ourselves, are we going on a holiday or are we running from something. Either way, with this in mind, make sure to really think and enjoy your next holiday. It doesn’t even have to be some place too exciting. All that your pleasure centre needs as a reward is what you take away from it, even if its literally nothing.

Nicholas Ng

Nicholas Ng is a restaurant critic and drinks writer and is the editor of independent publication Food For Thought. He has been a freelance journalist for the 15 years and has previously worked as a lawyer and in digital marketing. He currently is the Principal Consultant of A Thought Full Consultancy, a food and beverage marketing consultancy.