Just want to say a little thing about travel.
Travel is amazing. Its new, exciting, eye opening, educating, mind expanding and beautiful. But dont let yourself be fooled by the countless instagram photos that flood our feeds of glamorous people in glamorous places living seemingly perfect lives. It’s just not true. Travel is messy and difficult and stressful and tiring and confusing and sometimes not very fun at all.
Today in Santorini I walked up 200 giant steps up the side of a mountain in the scorching heat through remnants of donkey shit to get to the beautiful views that you see on every travel account. I saw instagram models almost get run over by a herd of donkeys while simultaneously stepping in some fresh crap in their 4 inch wedges on a steep hill and just about fall off a cliff trying to take the perfect photo. I saw girls done up in hair, makeup and outfits from head to toe practically trip over themselves on the cobblestone streets running to get the perfect photo infront of the sunset before it sank into the sea.
The other day I missed my flight from Athens to Santorini and had to stay in the airport all night alone, boring myself to tears, before I could catch another flight the next morning. It wasnt the first time that traveling hasnt gone my way and it certainly wont be the last. The picture perfect instagram life of traveling the world we all see with envy on our screens every day is far removed from the realities that lie behind that shot. What you see represents just one moment captured in time along a vast expanse of moments spent anticipating one shareworthy shot. People only share what they want you to see. Only 2% of the otherwise hectic unorganized and unpredictable mess that is travel. Dont beleive everything you see.
We put these online celebrities on a pedistol and gaze up at them in amazement and wonder about how extraordinary their lives are. They are on the 20$ flight budget airlines too. They have to sometimes sit in a dusty airport for all hours of the night with nothing to eat but stale saltine crackers too. They sweat like a pig walking up the side of a mountain and step in donkey shit on the way up too. They are just an imperfection human with flaws and imperfections too.
Yes travel is amazing and beneficial and so important. But its not because of all the times that go your way. It’s not about the moments captured in your perfect instagram shot. Its because of all the times that dont. When you miss a flight, lose your luggage, or are lost when nobody around speaks english. It’s these times that you will remember the most and look back on most fondly wheather you realize it or not in the moment. It’s in the sticky, uncomfortable, worst of times that expand your perspectives and make you grow into a better human.
I have this travel philosophy that is perfectly summed up in a John Mayer song called “3×5” and I listen to it on repeat whenever I travel. Not only is it a catchy song but the lurics are like poetry for the soul (as are all his songs). Listen below
Ps. I took the header photo at 3am in the Athens airport after wondering around for hours deliriously.