Sometimes we come across people who inspire us to do and experience new things, explore and see something that we wouldn’t have dreamed of ourselves had it not been for them. Though we all may have something different in mind, I would say that mine is definitely travel. Travellers inspire me, not only to travel but to explore the world and cultures of others; their journey and sense of spontaneity are nothing short of inspiring.
In particular, my brother Adam is my travel inspiration. I come from a city-based family who have successful occupations and go about their daily lives with routine. As kids, my brothers, parents and I would all be cabin-camping, beach holidays or cruises; the typical Australian family holidays that usually happened around the Christmas holidays. With Adam, the same month that he turned 19 he was off travelling the world… All on his own.
Adam has worked in summer camps for kids in Massachusetts, lived in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Jamaica, Thailand, Israel, France, Amsterdam and the next destination will be Brazil in South America. Though he has been to these places, he has not been a tourist on holiday; he has been as a traveller exploring and absorbing the culture of the locals and their homeland. He has lived with the locals, fell in love (a few times!), driven with insane cab drivers who were not actual cab drivers, stayed in hostels, met a crazy lady called ‘Mama’, worked in downtown bars, had too many tequila shots with the Mexicans, worked on a farm dedicated to carrots, swam in the dead sea, completely run out of money and made friends he will have for life in cities around the world. He chose to travel this way and I truly think that at some stage, all of us should.
To travel with no destination and explore the natural wonders of the world is something that too many of us shy away from. Maybe it’s because we live by an all too common routine; we have the same friends, see the same family members, do the same job and fail to move out of our comfort zones. If we never bother to discover anything new, we will forever be the same. How will we be open-minded to the cultures of others, their way of life and get to know places in cities that are different to our own? We were never put here to be boring and plain but to discover, explore and become immersed in the world and all it has to offer. Many would agree that travel will open your eyes to so much more.
When Adam came home four years later from his overseas travels he took up a 9-5 day job and was over it within weeks. When he once said to me that “it is too much of a routine here, people are so caught up in themselves and have no desire to see much more than what they already have” I never completely understood what he meant. I know what he meant now that I am older and see this for myself. From his personal experiences, he put travel into my mind and now, I want to do it more than ever.
Earlier this year he scored a job as a tour guide at ‘The Rock Tour’ in the Northern Territory. Within a week of securing the ideal traveller job, he was packed up and on his way to Alice Springs – home to many of those from the Indigenous community and the famous ‘Ayers Rock’.
‘The Rock Tour’ is the perfect place for budget conscience travellers and International Backpackers visiting the Northern Territory, offering affordable tours with a great experience and lively tour guides made to match. One of the most popular tours spreads over 3 full days and 2 nights and include stops at main attractions, ‘Ayers Rock’ and ‘The Olgas’ being the most well-known. Type in www.therocktour.com.au for tour options, details, prices and bookings.
Since he has been residing in Alice Springs, I’ve spoken to him a few times when he is free from a tour group. He’s told me all about working at ‘The Rock Tour’, the friends he’s made, the weird and wonderful people he has been living with, the tour groups he has partied with, nights spent sitting around the camp fire and falling asleep under the stars. He speaks of the freedom of living free and the feeling of not knowing what day it is when he gets back from a tour, the simple life.
Adam makes me want to travel; it’s the area of myself that I feel the urge to explore. Who is your inspiration, are they a traveller, where do you want to go? Explore and enjoy life, the way it should be.
