Travelling teaches you the best entrepreneurial skills.

(Disclaimer: I am not talking about luxury vacations or group package tours. That’s a safe sphere)

This is about backpacking – ‘On the road travel’.

1.You let go of comfort.

Sleeping on airport chairs during a layover, waiting in the platform for hours, walking to places, sleeping in buses or tractors. The backpacking journey makes you experience the local atmosphere like nothing else. You get a sweet pain in amongst that discomfort.

2. Things go wrong- You need to think on the spot.

You don’t know what troubles await you, but you are prepared for it. Once I missed my train by a few minutes from Belgium to Amsterdam. I had to make a few tweaks to get the ticket refunded and rebook another from a different city, reach there by bus to get back to city before the tram lines shut down. It was hectic but that’s what adds to the thrill.

3. You let go of your entitlement

No bed, sleep on floor

No spoons, eat with hands

No chauffeur ride, go by bus

Keep your eyes on the journey, the destination and the most comfortable means to get there doesn’t matter anymore.

Entitlement is the antithesis of progress and getting out of comfort zone.

4. You learn to let go and Change becomes your new best friend

You are always exploring unexplored territories. You are letting go of your current place, your friends at everything in it and moving on to the next. You are ready to make a fresh start when things don’t go your way.

5. There are so many people around, but you are on a lonely journey

You meet so many people, make wonderful memories, but you know nothing is permanent and keep going on to make more memories. Some are good, some are bad but all of it makes your journey wholesome!

6. You become an oxymoron of yourself!

You don’t know where you will be next year, you have to manage the finances on the go, and still enjoy the trip. You are a nomad with no home and you have entire world as the home, you are rich and poor at the same time, you are a hippie in a room full of people and alone at the same time, People will never understand what you are going through, for them its all about the story you showcase on social media. You are strong and vulnerable at the same time.

You fear the next day but manage to enjoy the aroma of the hot brewing coffee in front of you!

7. You learn to live in the moment!

You learn to embrace the journey, the destination is just the tip of the iceberg!