Posted: 06/16/2017 | June 16th, 2017
I recently received an email asking the following question:
Have you noticed a particular set of travel skills that come in handy abroad? What should I learn to best prepare myself for a living, working, and traveling overseas?
It’s a great question because travel, especially solo travel, requires you to have many skills. You need to be able to plan and budget, to navigate new cities and new languages, to juggle itineraries and currencies.
But out of all of the skills you need to be a successful traveler, I think the key to travel success — the one skill that matters more than anything else — is adaptability.
If you ask me, there is no skill or trait more important than the ability to roll with the punches. You can suck at reading a map, have dietary restrictions that keep you eating only lettuce, and have the ability of a dog to learn a language, but if you can adapt to new situations then you’ll be able to overcome whatever the road throws your way.
While most people dream of traveling more, they often fear they’ll be unable to adjust to the unknowns of the road. Things don’t always go smoothly when you’re traveling — especially if you’re a budget traveler. So while they might dream of spending their days roaming the world, exploring ancient ruins, and lounging on the beach, they don’t actually do it. While the modern day grind isn’t everyone’s dream, it does provide security. It’s reliable; you don’t need to worry about adapting because every day is pretty much like the last.
But the road?
The road is long and bumpy.
It twists and turns.
It stops suddenly.
Nothing is perfect when you’re backpacking. You get lost in a jungle, lose your camera, miss a flight, get sick, or get stuck somewhere where no one speaks English — it doesn’t matter: something will happen to you. Falling into the ocean with my camera wasn’t on my list of travel goals. Neither was breaking down in Australia.
The longer you are on the road, the more likely it is that something will go wrong. Let’s call that “Matt’s Law of Travel.”
Without the ability to deal with the unexpected, you’ll fail (especially if you don’t have travel insurance).
As the saying goes, “Adapt or die.” Except in this case it’s, “Adapt or go home early with your travel dreams crushed.”
And while not everyone is good at being flexible, adaptability is a skill you can learn. All you need is practice.
And the best way to practice is to travel.
Why?
Because the longer you are gone, the more you learn to deal with unexpected situations. And the more you have to deal with them, the better you’ll get at rolling with the punches.
When I first started backpacking the world, I was rigid. I wasn’t good at dealing with sudden changes and mishaps. I grew up in a strict environment and love things to be done on time and accordingly to schedule. We budgeted X days in Paris and, gosh darnit, we will stay that many days!
But the more I traveled and the more unexpected things that happened, the more comfortable I became with adapting. it didn’t happen overnight, but it was a slow and steady change.
I found there was nothing I could do about missed buses or delayed flights or canceled tours or transit strikes. I just had to deal with them. And I found that if I wanted to change my plans on a whim, I could. They were my plans, after all. It was my trip. I had the power to get upset and angry, or I had the power to just relax and be patient. The choice was mine.
Soon I was going with the flow, finding beauty in the happy accidents of travel.
It’s a process, though. You need to be patient with yourself as you grow and learn. It’s OK to start at your comfort level. Maybe jumping in headfirst isn’t the best idea. There are a lot of alternatives that will allow you to dip slowly into the pool of travel. Maybe a tour group is good for you, or maybe you should travel with your friends. But whatever it is, you need to get out on the road first!
Many things will happen to you while you travel — some good, some bad, some in-between. No matter what, though, if you aren’t open to the experience, you will always be longing for home. You’ll have a miserable time and won’t be able to enjoy the cultures you are in.
As you adapt, you learn the Ying to adaptability’s Yang: patience. It’s a vital travel skill that walks hand in hand with adaptability. After a life in Boston, I developed a lack of patience. It’s a fast-moving city, and we have no time for distractions. So when I first started traveling, I was frequently annoyed. I wanted people to get out of my way — I had things to do and see.
As a traveler, it’s important to develop patience. Buses run late, trains get delayed, hotels get overbooked, flights get canceled.
But you didn’t come this far to get frustrated and turn around. You came to see the world, relax, and escape the high-pressure life back home. When you find yourself getting impatient and irritated, just think, “I’m on holiday. Every day is Saturday. What’s the rush?” Take a deep breath and put things in perspective — you’re a nomad. You have nothing but time.
One of the things I’ve learned backpacking is that things always resolve themselves. Just relax, smile, and wait — your problem will work itself out. My hostel last weekend was overbooked, but I simply asked if they had any other beds in a different type of room. They did, and the problem was solved. I got stuck on the runway in London for one hour. I could have been really annoyed and irritated, but what’s the rush? I’ll get there eventually.
So relax.
Adapt.
Breathe.
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Quickroute
Good post – I would add ‘patience’ as a must have quality. Good things happen to those that are prepared to wait!
Tanya
Hey Matt, love the new look of the site!
Cuckoo
Matt,
It’s an eye opener for newbies. I am glad that you could take out this pt.
Christine Gilbert
Matt, I love that picture on the top, hysterical. You guys look like you’re having fun!
backpakker
Its a very interesting piece..I have started thinking what skills I have and those I dont..I still have to overcome certain fears and hangups
Lakshmi
NomadicMatt
@quickroute: Patience is a good quality to have, especially when you get stuck in a train station for hours!
@tanya: thanks!
@backpakker: what skills do you have?
@debo: well, you are in luck- there are more elephant pictures to come.
Travel Betty
Great post, Matt! Adaptability IS the key. Otherwise, you’re just fighting against a force stronger than yourself. And that’s no fun!
I also agree that the number one way to travel more is to make it a priority. People always ask me how I can travel so often. A lot of people even seem annoyed or angry when I say I’m off on another adventure. They feel like I’m cheating the system somehow. But really, I’d just decided that now I work to travel and so any opportunity that comes up to do so, I take it.
btw, thanks for including me in your list of travel links. I really appreciate it!
Debo Hobo
Being a collector of elephant figurines I really love this photo. 🙂
sforshner
those are some invaluable skills that transcend travel
Julie
The best travel skills transcend travel.
In addition to adaptability, I’d add the skill of developing curiosity and wonder. Rather than imposing our own perceptions and prejudices on the situations we encounter, how about approaching everything with wonder?
backpakker
Ah ! thats a post in itself..
Lakshmi
NomadicMatt
@sfroshner and julie: You are right! The best skills can be used anywhere in life and I think the ability the learn to adapt can help not only in the travel world but in the “real world.” You can take those skills with you in the workplace, into relationships- anywhere!!
@julie- I think there are plenty of skills you need when to travel and approaching everything with wonder if one of them!
trang
matt, this is very beautifully said. 🙂
Rita
A thought-provoking post! It is said “travelling broadens one’s horizon”. There’s some truth in it.
I met a few people on the road who were always complaining because they expected standards the trip/country couldn’t offer to them. If they compare foreign countries with home, they’ll never be happy on a trip.
The greatest challenge I had to adapt to, was travelling the Australian Outback with a broken arm. It happened on the first day of the trip. But I never thought of going home.
Jimshu
Great post and yeah, I like the ”adaptability” advice.One of the skills I have developed, is when in a new unknown place, or situation, is to blank out my mind of all external influences, and ‘feel” or sense what my inner self is saying.Trying to read my ‘gut instincts’ or what other senses are telling me.
It’s a bit like Zen Buddist meditation , but it’s on the run, moving,in the immediate,etc.
If the instinct is good, positive etc, it banishes fear,gives confidence to embrace the situation.
If bad or negative, I’m on the lookout for that unexpected bad event.Inevitably,I have spotted it, and can avoid it.
Sound weird?No.It’s just making the most of your gut instinct.A gift some of us don’t use, perhaps.
Ashman
Couldn’t have put it myself better.
I’ve been saying the same thing to anyone who asks how I do it.
I just went on my first trip solo AND staying in a hostel for the first time and when I came back people asked me, ‘How did you do it?’
Easy. I JUST DID. I didn’t think twice about it, “fear gets you nowhere” is one of my motto.
“A lot of the reason why people don’t travel is that they don’t make it a priority. ”
Exactly. I’m so amused when people tell me ‘Oh I’m so jealous you travel, you’re lucky’
Lucky? I saved up months for this trip! I made a lot of sacrifices to make my travels happen so, lucky? I think not. It’s just my priority. People buy expensive clothes or electronics and wonder how they can’t afford a trip to the Bahamas? 60% of my annual income go to traveling. Ever notice that since you started traveling you compare prices to where it can take you?
“$120 for this tshirt?! That’s a return bus to Montreal”
Thanks for this post. ‘Adaptability’ – you definitely got the word down.
Bruno
the road is not changing. you are…
Prashamsa
Thanks man! Your tips are great and have inspired me a lot. Hope I could make it. Infact I would 🙂
Serhat Engul
I have always been reading the articles on this website related to travel tips. Giving great deal of inspiration to the reader. Again great tips to reveal the screets of good travel. I will try to improve these skills you refer to.