The World is Not a Scary Place
A simple sentence that seems to contradict everything that I was taught as a child-- everything I’ve seen in the media. But I assure you the world is not a scary place.
It’s been nearly a year since I've left on this most recent journey, and I remember people asking me before I left if I was scared. With confidence I always assured them the nerves were excitement not fear. But the truth is I was scared, fears mostly pertaining to the headlines I’d seen in the news: “Traveller Found Dead in Ko Phi Phi”, “Hitchhiker Found Stabbed”, or lets not forget about that movie “Taken”. All stories that really don’t help reassure my family of my safety in travelling alone. Of course it is true that these things do happen but they overstate the true beauty of these places.
Now this all started when I posted a “Travel Update” on Facebook showing a picture of me and my backpacking friends hitch hiking in Laos sitting on the back of a flatbed truck. Instantly I got 3 extremely concerned comments from a few Mama figures in my life. Each with concerns about my safety travelling like this in a country such as Laos.
Of course I think it would be naive to believe that travelling doesn’t come without risks. So far I’ve been lucky, the worst experience I had was taking too much Valium and being so wonked out on a night bus that I didn’t wake up when the bus arrived in Siem Reap. I remember I was shaken awake by the bus driver at which point I awoke to find my phone had disappeared.
Despite this I don’t think people are inherently bad. I could have been more careful and ultimately I hope that person who took my phone needed it more than I did. In fact I actually think my phone getting stolen was a sign from the universe that I needed to spend more time disconnected- because yes I do have an addiction to the Internet- hence me channeling that addiction into Steemit.
I am not here to say that there aren’t risks and that bad things don’t happen because that would be completely naive. But what I am trying to say is that when you travel and see the world, meet the locals, understand the culture you begin to understand that the world is not actually a scary place.
ALSO what the fuck is life if you are afraid to live it and afraid to take risks?!
"Despite this I don’t think people are inherently bad. I could have been more careful and ultimately I hope that person who took my phone needed it more than I did."
This says it all, you've got such a beautiful perspective on life.
It's like a hippy form of stoicism, and I really dig it.
P.S. I'm going to throw a shoe at you next time I see you to help balance out your lack of dangerous encounters while travelling insofar :)
Haha well thanks @charliecoppinger
Also if you'd like to start war I'll come prepared with my Nerf gun for combat....
Loved this post! Totally agree, when we went on a trip to Thailand and Mexico, everyone was warning us about getting things stolen, getting drugged, getting sick and it didn't happen. There is always good and bad no matter where you are in the world, it all comes down to perspective. Even if you have one bad experience, doesn't mean it will apply to all. We can definitely relate to your love for travel, thank you for sharing!
Thanks for the support @twoinpsire I love that you two did it anyways! I think that's one thing that defines a tourist from a traveler. A tourist will say "oh I hear it's bad to eat the local food because i'll get sick so I'll stick to the stuff I know is safe" while a traveler says "FUCK IT I know there is a risk but what is life without risks if there is the potential for something incredible"