Learning through travelling
Journey that changed my perspective towards life.
My name is Sagar Baral born and raised in small town of Nepal. Growing up in Nepal during
90’s was very tough with less opportunity and while you belong to middle class family it’s
even tougher to have dreams that include travelling in it. I moved to Australia when I was 19
for higher study and that was my first oversea travel to Australia on June 2014 but it was not
a trip in fact it was just immigration from Nepal to Australia. I always wanted to travel
throughout my life but circumstances never favoured me or I can say I was too insecure and
scared to even start traveling because I always had that excuse like we all do, don’t have
time, don’t have friend and most common don’t have enough money and list goes on. After
Australia second country that I travelled to was Singapore that’s too with my family so, all
those excuses don’t mean anything because I had time, I had family to go with and few
savings as well and that’s how my journey started as a traveller. I often got asked why am I
so positive about my life and the answer to this question is due to the experiences I had
throughout my travelling journey which I am so grateful for. Every traveling I did I learned so
many things which I will be discussing after every trip details.
♦ My First official trip was to Singapore (18 Aug 2018) with my family. This trip taught
me how important traveling is in every individual life. Singapore a very small and
clean country. I loved everything about Singapore food, culture, while scenario was
perfect. Being able to dine in and enjoy food anytime even in the midnight was
something fascinating for me cause in Australia it's just drive through after midnight.
I had so much fun in Singapore even though I didn't experience much thrill as I was
traveling with my family. But my second trip will sure catch eye of the readers.
So, this Singapore trip gave a motive to live my life the way I want to. After returning to
Australia I felt better something I never felt. Flash back of things I did in Singapore, good
times I had, foods, being able to do whatever I wanted this kind of things completely
changed my way of thinking. It was like a small spark of fire that burnt throughout my body.
So, I decided to make traveling as my passion and my next destination was New Zealand.
HOW I ACTUALLY DECIDED TO DO SOLO TRAVELING
It wasn’t like I didn’t had fun traveling with my family or anything like that in fact it was time
for me to actually decide how I want to make traveling as my passion as well as my source
of learning and education. Traveling isn’t just about visiting particular places or country
going out and eating and partying for me it was something I wanted to do not just for fun
but also for my personal development. When you travel with friend, family or any particular
group I have personally experienced that no matter where you go with friend and family and
groups the topic of discussion will be same. For example, if you go New Zealand with bunch
of friends or family you will be talking about your same old life, same old discussion there
won't be anything new to learn and also if you go out you will be talking with each other,
while if you do solo traveling you don’t have any other option than to make new friends and
talk and that’s how you learn something new and that’s how you learn to socialise which is
very important aspect of life in long term and also while traveling with friends or any group
different people have different opinion and perception toward traveling may be one friend
want to go club while another just want to sit down in a beach and relax and while another
might want to go on a night ride and so on. Beside that if you want to make traveling as your
passion there shouldn’t be any excuses like I can't go because I don’t have friend to go with.
I got asked so many times that is solo traveling even fun and my answer is always same YES,
it’s so much fun you actually will start to know more about yourself, all the hidden potential
you had start to come out.
♦ This was my second official overseas trip and my first solo trip to New Zealand (18
Sep 2018). This trip was one of the life changing trip for me as it was my first ever
solo traveling and I learned to overcome fear during this trip. I was very nervous
cause it was my first ever solo trip along with nervousness I was thrilled and excited
as well because I had booked bungy jumping, sky diving, horse riding, zip ride and
quad biking for my adventure there. I went there I did all those activities while
traveling by myself for the first time and must say I had life time experiences doing
those activities, made friends while doing those adventure. Saddest part was my
family were upset because I travelled alone and did all those scary activities. Well I
guess typically Asian family. I would definitely recommend everyone to visit New
Zealand especially Queenstown.
After successful solo trip to New Zealand I started realising how my stress level, anxiety
and depression things started to disappear. I felt like I kind of won the battel with my
fears and nervousness. I found real purpose to live my life where I can travel, explore
and learn as well. Life become beautiful when you have something good to look forward
to and in my case, it was travelling.
♦ My third overseas trip and my second massive solo trip was to UK and Europe. Since,
I was kid I was very much fascinated by United Kingdom you can say it was my dream
country and Europe trip along with it, was like a cherry on the top. I booked my trip
to UK and Europe without even applying for visa first cause by then I was already too
deep into travelling. I booked everything where I did UK for 4 days by myself and did
5 countries in Europe with groups of strangers which I booked through travelling
company. I was though struggling with money by this trip but no one can stop
traveller. I used my credit card for this trip and yes again my family were against but I
didn't listen to them cause by now traveling had been my passion. So, I went to UK
on 22 march 2019. I landed on UK and I had done my research very well so I got train
from Gatwick to my hotel in king cross. I started roaming around UK from the first
day and I was mesmerized by its beauty so much of history and amazing people and
food I had ever experienced. I visited all the must visit places in UK went to country
side as well I must say I was impressed with the beauty of United Kingdom.
On the end of march 2019 I had my trip booked with one of the leading travel
company with bunch of people so I started my Europe trip with 20 new strangers
whom later on turned out to be an amazing friend. We departed from London to
Paris as Paris was our first country. Who don't love Eiffel tower? Who don't love a
country famous for lovers? Paris was so beautiful even though roads were narrow
and heavy traffic but the view of Eiffel tower at night won my heart. Swiss alps was
our second destination and the beauty of swiss alps got me captivated. Beautiful
mountains and rivers, top of the Europe where we got topless, Swiss watch and
green swiss army knife which can only be found there was amazing. Italy was our
third destination. Florence, Pisa, Rome and Venice along with Vatican City we spend
our time there eating pizza, pasta, gelato and so on. Italy was just perfect place to
spend your holiday on. Germany was our fourth destination. Concentration camp,
crafted beer, Berlin wall, Germany had so much of history that got us shocked and I
was happy that I got to see Germany once in my life. Netherland was our last
destination offering its beautiful night life, canals, cycle ride on its narrow beautiful
roads, sex show (not for kids) it was just like a dream which was over and I got back
to Australia on 11 April 2019.
After getting back from this trip I was just amazed that life can be this beautiful, I just felt so
complete I had so much of mental peace thinking about all my travelling all those memories
just gave me so much of energy that you can clearly see that positiveness in my daily life.
This trip had totally changed my life. I was way too scared even to start conversation before
I had so much of insecurities, they all just vanished like it was never there. I learned to be
extrovert I learned to socialise with people from different culture. I had my Europe trip with
people from different background, different culture I learned so much from them. I build up
so much confidence after this trip which cannot be converted into words. Made friends for
life as well.
♦ My third solo trip was to Bali (29 Aug 2019) one of the most popular holiday
destination for tourist after doing so much of traveling I had my expectations very
high for Bali and I must say Bali too won my heart. So, by the time of this trip my
family was convinced that I choose solo traveling as my passion so they were not
much upset this time. I had all my trip and schedule planned for Bali so I flew to Bali
and I got airport pick up and I got dropped into my hotel. My first day went like a
normal typical tourist roaming around trying typical Bali food which was freaking
awesome. From my second day I got picked and dropped off to my hotel I had 3 days
tour planned. I visited all the Instagram photo popular places in Bali and did few adventures like scuba diving, jet ski ride, parasailing, early morning hike around 5km
straight hill for beautiful sunrise, went to popular Nusa Penida island where I made
my driver to completely drive from west to east cause I wanted that one particular
photo I saw on Instagram, almost got drowned in one of the waterfall and was saved
by two complete stranger. Overall Bali remind me of my own home country Nepal so
much of similarities. Best thing about Bali was its hospitality and yes OfCourse food.
This trip to Bali was totally insane in a sense that I almost got drowned in a water had
life threatening experience. I learned a lot about Balinese culture, so much of kindness
and such a good hospitality. I found so much of changes in me Sagar, I knew before 2018
was different than the one I am now my perception toward life got changed, turn myself
from introvert to extrovert, overcome my fear and insecurities, build up so much of
confidence, learn to socialise and dissolve according to the situation, learned so many
cultures, made lifetime memories and friends, overcome my stress, anxiety and
depression, developed so much of respect and kindness toward people and all this were
only possible due to my decision of solo travelling.
♦ Experience of humanity and kindness during my trip.
I want people to know how much of kindness and humanity exist out there. As we move on
with our life, we tend to spend so much of time in one particular country working hard and
settling our life there we don’t even imagine world is big out there so much of beauty to
offer, so much of humanity to offer we often lack to experience it so, I am sharing this to let
people know how much of love exist out there.
My second day in Queenstown New Zealand. It was around midnight I was starving so, I
went out from my hotel as hotel kitchen was closed and I found Macdonald luckily that
night I went there it was really small and even in midnight all seats were packed I bought my
food I was so hungry that I decided just to sit on the corner there and start eating, an old
guy passing by the road came near me and he put $5 note and handed a bottle of water
smiled at me and went and I was literally shocked for a while I mean really dude $5 and a
bottle of water, but then I started thinking so many stuffs and realised about his kindness
maybe he thought I am homeless fair enough I did look like one sitting on the road eating
anyway he helped me that shows his character like how kind he was. when someone help
you, you don't judge them by the amount of help or amount of money they give instead you
judge them by their character of helping other at least they are willing to help may be $5
was all that old guy had. He helped me that shows he was kind enough to help people, for
me $5 might not mean much but there are so many people who struggle even for that $5.
Another one It was my third day in UK I lost my wallet there and I had my bank cards,
license and photo id there and luckily a guy found it and while opening my wallet he saw my
hotel card there and travelled all the way to hotel just to hand me my wallet amazing right a guy who don't know me choose to travel all the way to my hotel just to return my lost wallet
amazing person he was.
Every stranger I met throughout my travelling helped me in many ways some did by giving
out the proper direction, some did by suggesting me things to do around while I was there,
some helped me save my life from drowning, some did by offering me some good foods and
hospitality. There is so much of kindness in this world and I am so lucky enough to
experience them during my travelling.
How to actually plan a solo trip or any trip in an easy and affordable
way
I am sure a lot of people out there want to know answer to this question because I too went
through same phase, not an expert but I can definitely help people out there somehow
through my experience. Doesn’t matter what form of travelling you choose solo or group
first thing is to pick your destination and do some research about it. Find out which country
you want to go and then break it down which part of that country you want to visit. Best
option is to google the most popular places in that country and see yourself which one you
like then pick the city according to that. Once you pick the city find the closest
accommodation to all the places you want to go in that city. Like if you want to go New York
google must see places in Newyork and pick the ones you like and find the hotel that falls
between all of the places you have picked or at least a hotel closer to them. Once you do
that search the means of transport used in that place because you don’t want to catch taxy
or uber its expensive doesn’t matter where you go. Find the easy way of transport to every
places you want to see and note that down its easier to note down every detail and plans of
your trip so, later you won't get confused. Google what form of currency is used, google
what types of card or ticket they use on transportation, have a conversation with your bank
about the currency and international transaction charge if you are using your bank card. I
would suggest spend less money on hotels and accommodation so, that you will have more
money to spend on food and traveling because hotel is the place where you will be spending
your least time on. Make sure you pack less clothing I did my biggest mistake by packing so
many clothes in reality you will only use half of it. Remember you can find washing and
laundry service in so many countries with less than $5. Carry less cash a lot of bank provide
travel money card you can load different currency there and they don’t charge any fees.
I hope this article about my travel journey and everything I had experience throughout helps
you guys somehow and I really hope it inspire you all to really start travelling cause trust me
happiness that travelling and exploring gives you is beyond everything. Any help regarding
your travelling or planning a trip or anything feel free to reach me in my social media. #TravelGoal #travelgoal #Besttrip #BestTrip #BeyondTheBorder #TravelFromHome
