Go with your gut, particularly when it comes to travel. Although I know this in theory, it’s easy to lose sight of this. We think others may know better. They are more familiar with the terrain, have travelled more extensively, and perhaps you have not researched enough. But what’s important to keep in mind is only you knows what you are looking for.
This was the case for me yesterday. I was driving to Wales for a sound healing training. I chose this one particular Georgian beach town to visit, as it was only 45 minutes away from where I was headed. It was a four hour drive away. When I inquired with a colleague familiar with the area, she frowned. She noted how that town disappointed her, as it was rundown. She suggested another town that had more vibrancy and I would appreciate it more. I looked at a virtual map, it was only three hours away. I thought somehow I would be saving time. When I landed in the town, I found the center: a shopping mall. This was fine, it could be my base. It was across from a tiny river. I parked my car, found clean toilets, grabbed a latte and then I began to explore. Although the town had some high street stores, there was no charm to it. It was pure chain stores. To me the town felt rundown, deprived of historic culture, and was simply a low income eyesore. When I sat in a restaurant to look at the driving distance from here to my retreat center, it was nearly another three hour drive!!!
Not only was the town disappointing, but my total hours in the car was going to be extended by two hours!!! I was highly frustrated. It was a beautiful day, and I wanted to be in nature, in a charming town. I didn’t want to be surrounded by stores that I could see in my own backyard. I was upset at myself for asking for the opinion of another and wasting an afternoon in an ugly town, when I could have been surrounded by inspiration.
But I tried to remind myself that this lesson of trusting my gut versus asking the opinion of others was luckily not an expensive one. It didn’t cost much money, just additional hours of my time. How often do we pivot our lives to please others? How often do we take jobs, move to cities, remain in a long term relationship, purchase an expensive piece of property, or cut off ties with people because others say so? In life, we have to listen to our gut. What do we really want? What are we looking for? We can listen to others’ advice, if solicited, but it’s important to remember what your intention is.
I was not clear with this when inquiring with my colleague. I was simply asking her opinion. What I actually longed for was beautiful scenery or perhaps to be surrounded by nature. I did ruminate about my poor decision and spontaneity during my Welsh countryside drive, which cost me an afternoon. But as I drove my additional three hours to the center, I stumbled upon this beauty.
I paused. Got out of the car, and simply sat to take it in. This is what I was actually looking for. A moment like this, when the world stopped. My heart was reset and inspired again. Perhaps I would not have been given this opportunity to view this if I had not been re-routed.
I was reminded that travel doesn’t always go as planned. We can’t always have wins or beautiful moments. Like life, there will be disappointments, detours, frustrations, and self-doubt. Can we let that go and learn? Can we accepted the flawed with the unexpected beauty? Can we take in the totality of a moment? Detours can take us to the unexpected. All is part of the journey.
“I’m a big believer in winging it. I’m a big believer that you’re never going to find perfect city travel experience or the perfect meal without a constant willingness to experience a bad one. Letting the happy accident happen is what a lot of vacation itineraries miss, I think, and I’m always trying to push people to allow those things to happen rather than stick to some rigid itinerary.”-Anthony Bourdain
It Only Takes A Smile 