Lately, I’ve been thinking about taking a trip back to Cornwall (as it has been fifty weeks since I was last there). I had a look at the GoEuro blog and saw they are doing another travel competition. The competition is around travel lessons, and I thought I’d share some of my thoughts as a not-very-seasoned traveller.

There’s only one lesson I’ve learnt from travelling and I think it’s a pretty good lesson in general.

It’s your time

I really cannot stress this enough. Travelling is about you.

If you want to spend it sitting around doing sweet FA then go for it. Some people will argue it’s a waste of time and money not to squeeze every drop of experience out of your travels. Stuff that! I can happily watch a river for hours and it makes me feel great. Part of the reason it feels great is because a lot of the time I’m indoors, or I’m tired, or I have done so much data entry that week that I’m seeing boxes everywhere.

In the past, I have rushed through museums eager to look at everything because I didn’t want to miss the local culture. As someone who loves museums I can tell you that I need to spend an average of three minutes looking at pieces of art to appreciate them. So I have potentially spent hours looking at things without seeing them. Why did I do that? From fear of missing out. I cannot begin to describe the disappointment of not being able to remember the Frietmuseum.

If you want to visit every landmark in walking distance, good for you. If you want to eat all the local cuisine, bon appetit. If you want to go back to the hotel/hostel and cry for whatever reason, I’m sending you a big virtual hug and I hope you feel better soon. Take care of yourself first and foremost.

Plan if planning makes you feel happier. Get lost if you like to encounter the random. Do both – or neither. You know what works best for you, so do that. The pocket guides are helpful, but they are only guides – not instructions. Don’t let someone else plot your journey on the map*.

* unless, of course, you want them to.