In the era of consumption and materialism, it’s easy to fall into the trap of short-term pleasures. Most of the time, the happiness we’re offered is temporary and can sometimes turn into regret or guilt, leading to unhappiness. Absurd, right? If you’re like most people, you want to get the most bang for your buck with every purchase. Unlike material things, experiences can be cherished for as long as we live, especially travel experiences. Whether you’re traveling across your home country or you’re attracted to a globetrotting lifestyle, we’re listing five travel experiences that can top any material item you can get your hands on.
5 Travel Experiences that are way better than material things
Go to a music festival
There’s something magical about music festivals that would make many of us skip on a new gadget in exchange for a fun festival experience in a heartbeat.
Whether you’re into some lesser-known, indie festivals or large-scale musical spectacles, there is a wide range of music festivals that fit different budgets and musical tastes. The good vibe and the positive energy you can get from these amazing gatherings are the reasons why many are drawn to these events, and it’s what keeps them coming back for more.
So, if you needed another reason to go to a music festival, this is it.
Escape to nature
If visiting tourist hot spots and going on sightseeing tours isn’t exactly your thing, going slightly off the beaten track is guaranteed to make your travel experiences ten times better.
In the era of Instagram when everyone’s sharing their private lives online, it’s nice to go somewhere where you can enjoy the beauty of untouched nature without being surrounded by an army of smartphones and selfie sticks. Be it admiring a beautiful waterfall, stargazing and sleeping under an open sky, walking on gorgeous pink or white sand, or basking in the magic of Northern lights, there’s a whole world out there waiting to be experienced, and whether you’ll share your experience with your followers or treasure it alone is up to you.
Go on a caravan road trip with friends
Little can top the laid-back vibe of road tripping with a couple of close friends in a caravan. Chatting, hanging out, listening to music, and simply enjoying each other’s company while visiting different places – sounds like quite a memorable experience, don’t you think?
The best part is that there’s flexibility, so you can choose to stay or move on to another place, adjusting the route to your liking. Have in mind that you will need to have caravan insurance before you go on a trip, so you can travel worry-free in your home-away-from-home. If you’re looking for something exciting, different, and indelible, get ready, load your caravan, and hit the road – you won’t be disappointed.
Learn about different cultural traditions
No backpacking experience is complete without learning something about the culture of the place you’re visiting. Instead of spending the day in cafes and bars, try to get to know the locals and learn more about their culture and tradition. Try new food and ask for recommendations. Attend their festivals and celebrate with locals. Enroll in a class to learn their traditional dance, and look for opportunities to help out and volunteer if possible. No souvenirs and expensive items can replace the wonderful memories you’ll make by getting familiar with the people and tradition of a foreign culture.
Conquer your fears
We’ve all got things we’re afraid of, but traveling is there to free us of our fears and change our perspective (sometimes both literally and figuratively). Traveling is all about stepping out of our comfort zone and trying out something new and exciting, regardless of how scary it may seem. Skydiving and bungee jumping can be quite thrilling even if you’re afraid of heights and would rather skip on these adrenaline-fueled activities. Climbing or flying in a hot air balloon are also great ways of conquering your fear of heights. And if there are some extreme sports or a certain type of food you swore you’d never try, now is the time to break these promises.
Like the movie character Tyler Durden once said ‘You are not your job, you're not how much money you have in the bank. You are not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet’. We’re the sum of our memories and experiences, the only things that are truly our own.
The places we visit, the cultures we meet, the foods we try, and the friends we make – these things become part of us, merging with our memories and forming our identity. And unlike material things, they can never be taken away from us, and that’s why they’ll always be WAY better.
Written by Mia Taylor. Mia Taylor is a 33 year old blogger who writes about beauty, fashion and travel. She had always been passionate about fashion and over time she had developed a style of her own. Mia loves to mix and match and get inspire girls with her advice about outfit and accessories. She loves telling a story about her travels, providing beauty tips with readers.
