There are different ways of traveling. A tourist goes away to be entertained or enjoy a relaxed vacation. A traveler goes to experience new things and learn from new cultures. An adventurer or wanderer goes to challenge him/herself and come back a different person. Here are some questions you can ask yourself if you seek adventure in Cambodia!
I have no clue of what she’s serving me, but isn’t traveling all about trying new and unknown things?
Change the traditional “where are you from?” when you talk with other travelers
Ask more profound questions such as how’s the trip changing this person, or what are the biggest challenges and learning experiences he/she’s having. How’s the country you are both traveling takes him/herself from the comfort zone? Share as well your story, connect more deeply.
Go against what’s normal
Eat only what the locals eat, try more street food or, even, why not letting go entirely of your food decisions and when you arrive to a restaurant asking a local to choose for you. Use Couchsurfing in cities and, while in villages, ask a local family to sleep in their house as well as share meals with them. These experiences will stay with you longer and impact your overall trip. Without compromising your safety, you can even try to sleep on a park bench. You will be surprised by what you can learn from homeless people or the random acts of kindness that emerge from everywhere.
Talk more with people you usually don’t meet
Sit in local coffee shops. Start a conversation with that old man sitting there passing time. Enjoy street musician and after enjoying a concert (and giving a coin) strike a conversation and try to learn his/her story. Buy some food or drinks to share with an unknown person.
Follow a person for a day
Make friends with someone local and ask to spend a day together with him/her. Visit the family, go to work and learn a new skill, etc. How does this person go about their daily life? What are the ways they see the world differently from you?
Be mindful
During every moment but specially in those ones where some stress emerges from inside, try to be present with yourself. Instead of reacting aggressively pay attention to the sensations in your body and the prejudices in your mind. Try to observe the situation from a third-person perspective.
Hitchhike
For short trips, especially in the countryside, try the vulnerability of staying on the side of the road to ask for a ride with an unknown person. Surrendering to the uncertainty of destination has the power of giving a whole different level of experience to your journey, and on the way you will definitely meet some incredible people and have different conversations of what you would have in the comfort and certainty of a tourist bus.
Document and express your journey
Keep a way to represent your trip beyond the typical tweets and selfies such as journaling, doodling or any other medium of expression. How was your journey, both the ups and the downs? How were you confronted with different ways of seeing and living? How did it made you grow? Keep a diary, draw more instead of only photographing, experiment new mediums of expression and find one that really represents you.
After all, traveling is all about crafting your own journey and not following other people’s rules, so feel free to dismiss any of the above and do your own thing. We wish you great and beautiful adventures, and keep CamboTicket in mind to help you reach your next destination!