Hobbies that can take you around the World
Many people say that travel is their hobby. That’s all good but, after a while, walking around city after city with little aim or purpose can become a little tedious. If you’re been travelling for sustained amounts of time, or if hanging out in hostels enjoying the lazy haze of thick smoke and cocktails no longer fulfils you, then you might already be wondering how to bring more depth to the experience. Likewise, if you are currently living at home with plenty of hobbies on the go, but you want to travel and see more of the world, you might be wondering how to bring your hobbies with you.
It is possible, you don’t have to choose between your hobbies and life on the road. You can travel with purpose and meaning, using your favourite hobbies and pastimes as a guide to take you around the world. Here are some ideas to get your mind going.
Eat your way around
All humans eat. Yet all cultures eat slightly differently. Availability of ingredients, traditions and methods of cooking all change when you cross borders. Food is a good enough reason in itself to travel, and an active interest in it will take you to all kinds of places. You will want to try fresh pasta and gelato in Italy, grab a coffee in Colombia, sample Middle Eastern delights such as tagines and shakshuka, share a paella with friends in Spain, and grab noodles-to-go at a street bar in Japan.
Do you know how to prepare a tagine? The best way to find out is to visit Morocco and ask someone!
If you want to take your love of food to the next level, take cooking courses in different cultures. Learn about spices in India, take a fine dining course in London, head to Paris to hang out with the chefs who always know best. Fusing knowledge from different cultures will make you a better chef as well as a better person!
Hit the poker circuit
Lovers of poker have it pretty good with their hobby, as long as they stick to countries that allow the game to be played. Poker players can use online sites for instant access to games, head to their local casino down the road, or hit the international poker circuit to play in huge events that attract the best players from around the world.
There are classic travel destinations that you might associate with poker, such as Las Vegas, home of the WSOP Main Event, and Macau, known as the Las Vegas of the East. There are also loads of other destinations with regular casino schedules and big events. The European Poker Tour will take you all around Europe, with the next stop in Barcelonain August. Buy-ins for the main event are $5,300, but there are other ways to qualify, such as satellite tournaments.
The great outdoors
Everyone loves the great outdoors, but for some people there is no better way to travel than to head to the coolest and most extreme nature spots the world has to offer. Climbing is awesome in your home country, but it’s even better with a group of friends on a road trip in the Alpines of Patagonia. Hiking trails are all around the world, and are an excellent way to see more rural living in your country of choice. Sailing is an awesome way to see the oceans and coastlines. Whatever sport you like, there’s a good chance you can get involved in another country
Creativity and travel
Travel inspires creativity. Out of your comfort zone, you are forced to feel things, and you will want to communicate these experiences to loved ones and to the world. To do so, you will need a creative medium, of which there are many.
Writers can journal or blog their travels, film-makers can document, photographers can take beautiful images of nature and people, painters can gaze across unfamiliar lands and make their interpretations. Combining travel with creativitycan enhance both. You will have more material and a clear mind to work with. Creativity can also help you to become more observant, and curious about getting more involved with local people and cultures.
Whatever you like!
Whatever you like to do, you can make it work for you and still travel. Some hobbies lend themselves well to certain countries or areas of the world, while others are easily pursued wherever you are. Is rock collecting your gig? Travel to mines and quarries around the world. Metal detecting? Head along epic coastlines to find your treasure. The key is to truly love what you do, and to take part in it while you journey around the world.
