I’ve been thinking a lot recently about why I love to travel and see new places. I’d love my working life to involve writing about travel, and it got me thinking about what it is that makes me so passionate about it. The list could go on forever, but I’ve narrowed it down to the five main things which keep me planning and booking new adventures.

Power of perspective

For me, nothing compares to nature in helping me put my problems in perspective. Whether it’s sitting at the edge of the ocean, or surrounded by hills and mountains, reminding myself that the world around me is so much bigger than I am, just makes me feel peaceful. Keeping that perspective is something I try to do at home too. I’m lucky to live close to the Peak District in the UK, and a long walk through the hills always helps me to unwind if I’ve had a stressful week.

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Everywhere is different  

I like to try and visit a variety of places, but really, every single place is different. Even short breaks in the UK can give you totally different experiences – like the Lake District and London for example. I love learning a bit about everywhere I visit, and working out what characteristics make up the unique vibe and personality of each place.

For me, my ultimate number one place is Singapore. The food is amazing, there’s lots of incredible things to see and do, and it was just so different to anywhere else I’ve been. My favourite part was the Marina Bay area, particularly the Gardens by the Bay – the light show at night is totally magical and definitely a bucket list experience.

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Beauty of nature

There’s beautiful things everywhere, but sometimes during a busy working week, I don’t take the time to stop and appreciate them. When I’m away from home and my normal schedule, I realise just how much is out there. By capturing just some of that beauty in photos, I can remind myself of how it made me feel once I’m back at home. I particularly love gorgeous sunrises and sunsets.

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 Appreciating life

I think it’s important to meet and interact with people from different countries, cultures and backgrounds. You can learn so much not just about the people you’re speaking to, but about yourself as well. When I was recently in Bali, I spent three days sightseeing with a local guide. Not only did I learn lots about his culture and daily life, but it also made me feel incredibly grateful for everything in my life. We spoke about our destination bucket lists, and while I was there ticking one of mine off, he doesn’t know if he’ll ever be able to afford to visit any of his. And while that made me feel sad, he was still perfectly happy with his life – which really made me think about how important it is to appreciate and enjoy our lives.

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Having fun

I love the lack of normal time constraints that being away brings. As much as some things are time sensitive, time just doesn’t seem to matter like it does at home. And it brings me such a sense of freedom – I feel like I can decide exactly how to spend the day, and change my mind if I want to! There’s lots of things I love doing while I’m away – spending time with family, eating great food, going on long walks, and just generally exploring new places. But I just think it’s so important to spend your time away (and at home where possible) doing the things that you love, not just the things you feel like you have to do.