How Travel Changed My Life

As you know, not falling in love is an unorthodox behavior. So fall in love, and I did. And I got broken. Broken from trying to pick up the shattered pieces of my heart. Broken dreams, broken vows, broken souls. Ironically, I've never even met this guy in person. He was just a random person on the internet who messaged me on Messenger one day, which turned into video calls. I was hoping he would be my real first boyfriend, but I was wrong.

So I traveled. Not like the A-listers but more like the 'yolo-ists'. I started craving adventure. I started seeking my reason. Why am I here? What's my purpose? I wanted to find the answers deep within me.

As time goes by, traveling seems to be the answer to these questions. It's like every time I visit a not-so-safe place, my adrenaline rushes to my very core. My synapses vibrate as endorphins and all the happy hormones radiate to my soul.

I started testing my limits. Traveled farther and farther every time. More dangerous every time. I must admit, I got addicted to it. But I guess I've always been this way. I just needed that catalyst-- which happened to be a broken heart, unfortunately-- to run after this zest for travels.

The numbness faded out and my heart started beating again. My scars healed with every taste of the oceans and lakes and waterfalls I've been to. Every travel was intensely satisfying. And it was exactly what I needed.

It's as much as I needed and wanted this Traveloka Blogger Contest for me to experience more life-changing moments. 

I've jumped off boats, and trusted my life on a jacket attached to my body, hoping against hope it will save me if something fortuitous happens. It was kind of funny how I was left by everyone because I didn't know how to swim. 

But it will be your instinct to find a way. It made my life go on in spite of everything. No matter what life throws at me, a little taste of traveling will steer me back and help me move along.

I went inside caves; some big ones, some you have to crawl yourself in and out of. And there were some you have to climb all the way up just to cliff dive upon reaching the top. Oh yes, I missed falling in love. But I won't miss all these travel experiences for the world.

Traveling won't hurt you. Yes, I've had wounded knees but I'd rather have it than a broken heart. Nothing can ever replace what I feel about traveling. There's just nothing like it. You see, hours of boat travel will always be fun just to reach a solitary island.

Islands will always make me feel like, "At last, I finally belong." I will always be uncaring whether the boat I am in would crash or go upside down. All I will always care about is how the winds would touch my cheek and blow my hair. 

I never entertain the idea that I can't swim. That I won't be able to save myself in the depth of the oceans in case something happens, God forbid. Given that most of the time, boats feel like 'jumping' on the vast oceans, I concentrate on how everything felt good. On how everything was amazing. It made me envision flying fishes and once again talk to myself and say, "This is freedom. This what I seek"

I stopped traveling in circles. Stopped caring for anything else but the real meaning of travel. Traveling equates to rest. Traveling calms my being and helps me in hard times. Traveling helped me move on. Every destination was perfect.

Climbed mountains just to reach a lake. Check.

"Each new day is  another day for travels."

 Slept in front of the ocean while laying in the sand, waiting for a shooting star. Check.

The long wait was worth it. :)

Hennaed me. Check. Climbed hundred of stairs just to reach a curtain of falls. Check.

And was very lucky to be welcomed by a rainbow. 

And just recently, as I was riding a motorcycle for an hour's ride to a place where I was able to have a view of the highest mountain in the Philippines, I started feeling alive. Stopped feeling like a leaf on a river, just going with the flow.

You must have realized by now that I could go on and on and on about how traveling changed my life. But to sum it all up, it made me realize one thing. I'm a free spirit. Not to be tamed or caged in the mediocrities of life. I was born to be wild. Now cue the background music.

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