I often get asked why I love to travel so much. Since my first solo trip to Amsterdam in 2015, I have been trying to travel as much as possible. So far, I’ve visited 17 countries (including England, Scotland and Wales) but I’ve made it my mission to visit four new ones this year. So far, I have three booked (although the Coronavirus may stop us going to Italy next weekend!) and have a huge list of countries on my travel wishlist. I know that some people are not into travelling at all and it surprises me. How can people be happy never leaving the UK? Well, I know these people probably think the same about me! We all have different reasons for liking or disliking travel and here are mine.

Reasons why I love to travel

Experiencing new cultures

Although I’ve only really travelled to Europe (and the US once), I’ve realised that there are a lot of cultural differences between countries. For example, Paris is very fast paced whereas other regions in France seem to be a lot more laid back. Everyone in Poland seemed to be really friendly and relaxed and I loved bar scene in Budapest.

Trying new food

It’s always exciting to try the local food when I visit a new country. For example, in Hungary I really enjoy their langos, a delicious fried snack with topping. In Amsterdam, I had the best stroopwafels and pancakes. While I was in Paris I made sure I had plenty of croque monsieurs. I was also a big fan of the spa wafers I had in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic and the tapas I had in Spain.

Learning about the history of a place

I always make sure I read up about the history of an area before I visit. Then, while I’m there I will go to as many museums and historical landmarks as possible. In Paris we visited all of the usual sights but also made it down to the Paris Catacombs which was a great experience. On my first trip to Amsterdam, I went to Anne Frank’s House and learnt more about her life and the war. When we went to Berlin, we spent a lot of time learning about World War II and visiting famous landmarks. While I was in Poland, I went to Auschwitz and Birkenau.

Experiencing different landscapes

One of the reasons why I love travel so much is experiencing different landscapes. I loved being in Oslo next to the fjord and seeing that stretch out for miles. The canals of Amsterdam are also a personal favourite of mine along with the beautiful Eastern European architecture in Prague. Everywhere you go looks completely different from the last place, each country is unique and has so much to offer.

My love for travel means I am constantly planning new trips and I have a huge list of where I want to go next!