Alex’s Adventures: Air Travel, It’s Worth It!
Hi Everyone! Alex here again, to talk to you about more adventures!
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been on an aeroplane or even been to an airport?
Alex standing in front of a yellow propeller aeroplane on one of his adventures
Airports can be overwhelming. They’re big, they’re busy and it’s easy to feel like you could get lost in them. Sometimes it takes me until the morning that we leave to decide if I’m even going. I love to research where I’m going and what to do there, but I still don’t know if I can bring myself to get on that plane and say goodbye to what I know and what I’m comfortable with, even if it’s just for a few days. And don’t even get me started on packing! What if I bring too much? Or not enough? Or if I bring the wrong type of clothes. And what if I suddenly really need this projector that projects stars onto my wall?
And then you have to go through security. You barely get a chance to process what’s happening, you’re just following where you feel everyone else is going. And what if they search your bags? What if they ask me a question I don’t know the answer to? What if they think my bag is bad? It’s always busy and rushed. The queues are long and loud with people everywhere. What if I’m searched and a complete stranger has to touch me because it’s their job?
And breathe. You’ve just battled a novel situation and you’ve won, your prize is a feeling of absolute accomplishment. I know how scary airports and aeroplanes are, I know how stressful all the people and vague rules can be.
Alex taking some time and meditating on a wall overlooking spectacular scenery while on one of his adventures
I also know how amazing it is to get through it and to go on holiday.
I don’t know about you, but I LOVE taking off and landing. That rushing feeling you get through your body, the “whooshing” sound that travels through the plane cabin. I feel like I’m in a rocket going fast, faster, fastest! Looking down and everything looks tiny like you’re staring at a toy town. That’s when you feel like you are properly ‘on your way’. The excitement and anticipation that fizzles in the air when the plane stops and the passengers hustle about, getting their bags and firing their phones back on and you step off that plane and the weather feels different. That’s when you know that your holiday is about to start.
I could chat all day about planes and airports, but you’re really here to hear about how amazing travelling actually is. Every time I travel somewhere new my confidence grows because I’m leaving my comfort zone and conquering the limitations that I thought I had. My world becomes bigger and my independence builds, along with my sense of self-worth and life skills. Learning about other cultures has given me a greater insight into the world and helped me learn some empathy and understanding for people that aren’t me.
Alex riding a jet ski while on an adventure
I know that for a lot of us daily life can be overwhelming. Travelling is a break from everyday life, some time to focus on yourself and your mental health, to rest and reset. Life is so fast, Monday suddenly becomes Sunday and Summer quickly becomes Christmas. A holiday lets us sloooooow right dooooown and switch off. I hope that after reading this you realise that holidays don’t have to be stressful, they can be the answer to stress. I have seen some of the world and I’ve done amazing things that I couldn’t have done if I had stayed in my comfort zone. I feel happier and fearless because of travelling and I promise you, it gets a bit easier each time you get on that plane.
Thanks for reading, hope to see you on an adventure soon!
Alex, TeamWild