Where in the World is The Bra Street Rambler?

“Dennis and Tim just found a scorpion and a half.” “A scorpion and a half?” “Yep, one scorpion eating another.” This occurred while on a trip to Costa Rica and, following having been found hidden in the shirt Tim had left on the ground, the scorpion dashed off with its half-eaten prize. It is important when traveling in rain forests and jungles to always check your boots and beds before getting into them, and not to leave anything lying on the ground.

“We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.” - Hilaire Belloc 

I mentioned in my previous blog that my mother had infected me with the travel bug when I was young and I daresay, I’ve seen no need to search for a cure. Traveling has become a large portion of my bucket list because it not only opens my imagination to all sorts of new things to add to the list, but also provides me with the opportunity to scratch things off that have been on there for years. Travel has allowed me to live my life with adventure, inspiration, perspective, and empowerment. It has allowed me to understand myself much better than I would have otherwise. Yes, making travel plans to leave the country can be expensive but there are so many benefits to traveling that make working multiple jobs to afford it entirely worth it. 

One of the primary reasons for travel is to get away from the busy bustle of life. Travel allows you a chance to unplug and recharge, away from incoming calls asking you to come in to work on your day off. Away from the guilt of wanting to say no despite the fact that you could use the money or the fact that you know people are counting on you. Obligations are temporarily out of range and redirected to voicemail when you find yourself out of the country. Ahh, do you hear that? Peace and quiet. Or in some cases howler monkeys.  

Another wonderful aspect to travel is that you will always have a story to tell and adventures to look back on. Personally, I want someday to be that old granny with the poofed up white hair filled with adventurous stories. Like Gretchen’s hair from Mean Girls, only cooler. Even when I am old and feeble, unable to get around without a walker, I will have my photos to look back on and show the grand kids how awesome their grandmother was.  

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” - Saint Augustine 

Many, if not most of the people you encounter who have traveled, will say that they have learned a lot about themselves during their trips. This is because when traveling, we are afforded with the opportunity to see the world from new perspectives as well as to see ourselves from the perspectives of the world.  

For example, I have learned that, despite not having an interest in history, finding local history particularly boring, I love learning the history of the places I am visiting. The reason for this is simple, if I learn things on the go, they are part of an adventure whereas, if someone is expecting me to know the information, to sit down and study, it reminds me all too much of my high school history class.  

When I was in Scotland visiting a friend who was completing her college placement at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, she showed me the Robbie Burns Poet's Path and relayed to me the stories depicted on the weather vanes that were posted along the walkway. Later that day, I spotted a family gazing curiously at the signs and took the opportunity to share with them what I had learned, walking with them as I told them each story illustrated above. They then asked how long I had been working at the museum to which I had to inform them laughingly that I had only just arrived in Scotland the day before.  

I have also learned that no matter how patient I am, I could still be a lot more relaxed and patient in comparison to people I have met from different cultures. While I was in Mexico, the first thing a guide asked my family and I was if we knew what a Mexican Minute was. After seeing that we had no response for him, he explained that one Mexican minute was equivalent to five Canadian minutes. He then told us that it was important that while in Mexico we learned to take our time. 

We always hear that our generations have become increasingly rushed, that when we are going somewhere we have to get there now. When we want to find something out, we need to know now. When we want something done, we want it done now. Though we may find ourselves agreeing with this, there is just something about spending time in a more relaxed environment that allows this information to truly sink in. We are too fast and really do need to slow down in order to experience the full effect of stopping to smell the roses. 

The wonderful thing is that the more you travel, the more you learn. Not only do you get to learn more about the different food, people, and cultures of the places you are visiting, you also get to learn what kind of traveling you prefer.  Do you prefer the freedom of traveling alone, or the excitement of traveling with friends? Do you prefer tourist destinations, or the remote and untouched? Perhaps you prefer the low cost of hostels, the comfort of hotels, or maybe the luxury of all inclusive resorts. 

In Jamaica I learned that I am not a fan of resorts. It is not that I went to a bad resort or that I did not have fun with awesome friends. I've simply discovered that I prefer trips where I spend very little time in a hotel environment and a whole lot of time out doing excursions and crossing things off my bucket list. Reading my book, drinking, and lying down at the beach are all things I can do at home, and at quite a discount at that. I also learned that I prefer to travel alone, like I did for my trip to Scotland, as it affords me with being able to work according to my own schedule without having to compromise the activities I wish to be doing just because those I am with do not share my interests. 

That being said, on a cruise from Miami to Mexico, I learned that if I want to get a balance of relaxation and adventure, Carnival cruise is the way to go. Not only are they fun and affordable, they also employ people from all around the world so you only ever have a few feet to walk before running into a guest or employee willing to teach you all about their country while on your way to various ports. The cruise also offers a variety of all you can eat food 24/7, something my stomach and appetite always appreciate. 

Speaking of food, oh my, the food. To eat the fruit fresh from its country of origin is simply amazing, the stuff you buy at the grocery story simply does not compare. Pineapple for instance, does not continue to ripen when it is picked. If it isn’t picked at just the right time to send to the grocery stores, you can get bitter pineapple that has had wax poured on it as happens to so many fruits to preserve and protect them for the long commute. But pineapple picked and chopped up right in front of you with a machete…. Magnificent!  

Another benefit to traveling is that we are introduced to a whole new sense of confidence and empowerment. While on my aforementioned trip to Scotland, I learned that not everything I do has to be planned step by step (I am a notorious planner who loves details). For what was probably the first time in my life, I had relied on myself and my ability to learn things on the go. I learned to be resourceful and to ask for directions, and I learned to just wing it and see what happened. Thank you again to Rae's partner Mike for the map he drew me while I was staying at their wonderful bed and breakfast Alloway Rozelle Lodge (now called the Bay House Bed and Breakfast in Prestwick).  

When you travel, the perspectives you may gain can also prove quite effective in giving you a better appreciation of what you have and often take for granted, such as flushable indoor plumbing. I felt quite silly on the airplane coming back from Costa Rica when I found myself looking for the garbage can that had been located right beside the toilet for the past week. Then I remembered that I could now flush the toilet paper again. Now, you would think, how hard could it be to forget that in one week? Trust me, if you would have seen our guide’s face when we notified him that something brown was leaking down the aisle of our tour bus…. It would have been properly drilled into your head too. Apparently the ‘don’t flush the toilet paper’ rule also applied to the bus. Now you know. 

This brings us to another benefit of travel, creative inspiration. Whether you are an artist looking for new scenery to paint, a photographer looking for that perfect awe inspiring photograph to blow up and put up on your wall, or a writer looking to imbue your next story with a new setting and some cultural spice, travel provides you with a muse in a way that no book or internet search can do justice. There’s just something about being able to breathe in the clear air, hear the birds and background animals, and see the landscape for yourself that just rids the mind of creative blocks. 

When all is said and done, the best gift travel has to offer is definitely the people you get to meet. Be they guides, business contacts, or new friends, the people you meet in your travels permanently affect your outlook on life and the memories that will stay with you for a lifetime. 

Cheers!
The Bra Street Rambler 

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*** Important message from The Bra Street Rambler ****

Wondering why this week’s blog post was so much longer than usual? Well, other than the fact that I found myself unable to wrap up my ramblings, I am excited to say that a longer blog was needed. In fact, the reason I bring up travel in this week’s blog is due to the fact that I will not be posting for the next two weeks as I will be visiting Peru and crossing Machu Picchu and the Amazon off my bucket list. Wish me luck for what is sure to be an amazing adventure! 

Shout out to Esther and Melissa for their pre-post reviews! This week has been a scramble to get everything done before I leave and I fear it would have been quite evident in my writing without their help.