How travel taught me the importance of agility
“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” — Lao Tzu
Ever since I met my best friend in the first year of undergrad, we talked about going on a big trip as soon as we graduate. Throughout the years, we never really discussed this “big trip” at length or really planned anything, we just knew that it was going to happen and that Jordan, my home country, would be one of the places we were to visit.
On Christmas of 2017, we bought ourselves money jars. Those money jars served as an initial commitment and officially spurred this trip from being just a mere concept to a concrete plan. We decided on an amount we thought was reasonable and started saving.
Fast forward a couple of years; it was the summer of 2019 and we were both graduated, I with a degree in Engineering and her in Geography. This “big trip” that at times felt like just a dream, was now about to happen. We cracked open our money jars, counted our savings, and decided on a date. Right then and there, we booked our tickets, called up our families and told them that we will be traveling for a while, but had no answers to any questions yet.
On August 15th, 2019, we set out on our adventure, with nothing more than a backpack each, our savings, and an estimated time frame of 3 months. We started our trip off in New York and explored it for a couple of days before heading to Jordan.
We missed our connection flight to Jordan and had to buy a new ticket, which took a significant chunk of our savings. It was not a good start to our 3-month journey and we were starting to feel like we were in over our heads. That mood quickly shifted after we boarded the plane and we decided that we were not going to let anything ruin it for us and that we would find a way to make it work.
Jordan was a wonderful experience; from floating in the Dead Sea at sunset to camping on rocks in Wadi Rum, hiking, and riding donkeys through Petra, exploring the capital city of Amman and the castle of Ajloun, a month flew by and we decided it was time to move on.
Turkey was supposed to be our next stop but while researching, we kept reading about this country called Georgia, and the more we read, the more we got convinced. After some more research, our itinerary was planned; we were to go to Georgia for 3 weeks, cross the border into East Turkey and figure it out from there. Most flights had a layover in Malta, and since we had no restricted schedule, we decided to pay it a visit for a couple of days.
Malta is one big rock, located in the Mediterranian sea. It is home to extremely interesting flora and the oldest free-standing structures on the planet. The people speak their own language (Maltese) and are famous for their rabbit stew (which we regret not trying). It was beautiful; we swam in crystal clear waters under window cliffs in Comino, biked all around Gozo, enjoyed rocky beaches in Malta, and visited spectacular cathedrals.
A few days later, we landed in Kutaisi, Georgia. I can honestly say, I never experienced a rush like that before, being somewhere completely new and having no expectations or preconceived ideas; everything was a surprise. Nothing about this place felt familiar. People spoke Georgian and very few spoke English, it honestly felt like we went back in time. We were both starting to think that maybe these rash plans might not have been the best idea.
We were proven wrong pretty quickly, Georgia instantly became one of the most beautiful countries I have ever seen. In Kutaisi, you’ll find old buildings with holes in the walls for shops and cathedrals built on mountains. Tbilisi, it’s capital is like a jigsaw puzzle that’s a mix of war-torn, old buildings and skyscrapers. The cuisine is incredibly unique and so delicious, we started our days with their famous khachapuri (cheese pastries) and ended them with Khinkali (Dumplings). The cities felt so vibrant and full of life.
We went on a four-day trek (Mestia to Ushguli through Tsvermi) in the Svaneti region and stayed in guest houses in the medieval villages along the way. The people were incredibly hospitable and the landscapes were truly out of this world. With a mix of forested hills, rivers, valleys, meadows, stone towers, mountains, and glaciers, it was unforgettable. Our Georgia trip ended in Batumi where we relaxed on the beautiful rocky beaches before making our way across the border on foot to Trabzon in East Turkey.
Starting from East Turkey and slowly making our way down the west coast and up to Istanbul, we truly made the most of our month in Turkey. In East Turkey, we explored Trabzon, visited the Sumela Monastery, the tree plantations in Rize, and swam in the black sea. On our way down to the west coast, we stopped in Cappadocia where we watched the hot air balloons rise over the unique landscapes at sunrise, hiked the valleys, and visited the salt lake. When we reached the west coast, we partied in Antalya, relaxed on the beach in Cirali, swam in bio-luminescent water in Olympus, spent time in a small village in Gokbuk, found this hidden beach in Finike, rode scooters through Kas, ate at the famous fish market and visited the canyon in Fethiye and watched incredible sunsets in Oludeniz. Our Turkey trip ended in Istanbul where we explored the neighborhoods, ate lots of food, and visited the blue mosque, the Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar.
When asked what our plans were throughout our travels or where we were going to next, we never had answers. Once we felt like we were satisfied and content with the place we were at and the things we’ve seen, we would research and plan our next journey. Even though there is definitely comfort and peace of mind in having detailed plans, knowing where you will be next and what you will be doing, not having a set schedule meant no pressure. It also allowed us to discover many new places. We tried to experience everywhere we stayed like we were locals, spending enough time in each to truly soak it in. Being flexible, relaxed, and easy-going was key to attracting positive vibes and having a great experience.
Planning trips always seems like a daunting and stressful task. It gets overwhelming trying to come up with an itinerary that fits everything, gives you your money’s worth, and leaves you satisfied. The more detailed a plan is the more expectations come with it, and it is pretty known that plans almost never execute accordingly, leaving you with nothing but disappointment.
Looking back, we were able to avoid such disappointments by adopting an extremely agile and iterative approach to planning. We started off by creating a roadmap, which we referred to and kept altering along the way. Having a clear vision of what we wanted out of our trip and a timeline, gave us direction, and also helped us prioritize what to spend our time and money on. Also, our continuous research and communication allowed us to bounce ideas off of one another, learn from our mistakes, and create better plans.
With all the mishaps and unexpected spendings, our trip could have been ruined or cut short multiple times but being flexible and resourceful and having the ability to reallocate and revamp plans is really what saved it.
Travel is easier than ever, you just need the right approach and mindset.
