Well hello to you my reader chums! It's no secret travelling is my biggest passion in life. I adore hopping on a plane and venturing to new countries, discovering new cultures and sampling different foods. It's a part of who I am and I don't think the wanderlust or curiosity will ever leave me. 

To date, I've travelled to 22 countries and there are still many more I can't wait to visit and explore. The world is wide and I want to see as much of it as I can. If you're a traveller like me or want to start travelling, here are 10 things travelling has taught me.

To be open-minded

The world is wide. The world is diverse. The world is full of different cultures and people. I don't think I fully understood that until I went out and started seeing and experiencing new things, and ticking more countries off my list. The more I saw, the more open-minded I became. I learnt about history that had shaped different countries, about different religions and customs they practice and the importance of practices in certain cultures. It really made me realise we all need to be more open-minded and understanding of how diverse everyone is.

Be more confident in what I'm able to do

Confidence is something I've worked on growing my whole adult life because growing up I was shy and quiet and had no confidence in myself whatsoever. Travelling is something which has really boosted my confidence and helped me feel confident in what I'm able to do. It gave me that boost to try new things, not be afraid of the world and meet new people, or try new foods. It boosted my confidence in every way and gave me the get up and go to simply do it, and live my best life.

The world isn't a scary place

The media does a great job of trying to influence how we should feel about different countries and the dangers the world has. However, the world isn't a scary place. Of course, there are terrible things which happen wherever you go, even in your home town and this is why it shouldn't stop you from travelling. Scary things can happen but unfortunately, it's part of life. However, for the most part, when travelling, I feel safe and find comfort in embracing wherever I am.

You can find kindness wherever you go

People are kind. I found kindness in the most random of places all around the world and contrary to the belief of the dangers the world does have, kindness always prevails. People have this way of caring for other people - and this has really taught me not to be afraid to meet and talk to others. We all deserve kindness and we all should uphold this kind mantra.

Authentic food is the one

I am a massive foodie and travelling has helped me develop my food palate a lot more. I used to be the fussiest eater, however, travelling has given me the curiosity to try pretty much anything and see if I like it. It's also made me turn into a bit of a food snob and want to eat the most authentic food wherever I choose to visit, and basically try the best. My palate is now a lot more varied than it used to be!

How to pack lightly

I used to be the biggest over-packer EVER. Now, as I travel all the time, I have my ways of packing lightly, only bringing the thing I need and minimising the number of toiletries, electricals and any miscellaneous items. You don't need to overpack - as long as you have your passport and phone, you can pretty much buy anything anyway.

The power of experience

I've always been more of an 'experience' person over a material person, but travelling has really cemented that love more. Your experiences are the things which make you who you are and turn into great stories to tell to those around you - that's why they hold so much importance. Travelling and seeing new things is an experience like no other, and that in itself is powerful. It can change your life for the better.

The joy of booking a last-minute flight

Skyscanner is like my best friend. I love searching for cheap flights and seeing random deals on offer. There is no better feeling than booking a last-minute flight and hopping on it a few days or weeks after - it brings an excitable amount of joy. There's so much joy in spontaneity. 

The freedom travelling brings

I don't know how to explain the freedom of travelling. When I'm away, it's as if the everyday worries disappear and I can just enjoy where I am, what I'm doing and how I'm feeling. I can be present. I can be free. And I can live my best life.

The love I have for experiencing new things

As an anxious person, I didn't think I'd be so in love with trying and experiencing new things all the time, however, it's now a part of me and I adore it more than anything. Thank you to all my travels for teaching me this - and all of the above lessons.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What has travelling taught you?

Thank you for reading <3