In life, if there’s anything that we’ve learned from the past few years, it is to keep your dreams alive and follow your heart. We get behind on a 9-5 job and work hard, but at the end of the day, if we’re not happy with our life, the best thing we can do for ourselves is go where our heart takes us. This one is for my fellow hodophiles; dreamers who are hoping to wander from one place to another and are looking for a way to make their passion their work. I, too, had always wanted to turn my passion into work, and I managed to do so successfully in 2010. With a bag full of my essentials and a ticket to Vancouver, I was on my first official flight. Setting off from Zurich, I only met with a halt in two days, but the more I traveled, the more I felt relieved.

And how did traveling treat me? It changed my life for the better. My days of working tirelessly were over, and I was able to learn about beautiful cultures, immersive traditions and make new friends. Honestly, if I weren’t traveling now, I would have probably gone mad.

My journey began in Canada; I especially toured West Canada so much that I am glad to say that there is not a portion of the region that I haven’t experienced. From scaling the Rockies to seeing Scottie the Dinosaur, I have truly had a fun time.

But I wasn’t just going to tour Canada; my passion has moved me (quite literally) to beautiful corners of the world. While I do live in Vancouver, I am so grateful to have experienced such a thrilling change of environment. It was not always a smooth ride; I did some pretty silly things like actually forgetting my boarding pass and passport at the Toronto airport (I know, it often keeps me up at night). But when you get to live the things I have–like having a pleasant surprise of the sun in Banff taking its sweet time to set at 9 PM, unlike it did at 6 PM in India–or enjoy a great dinner, it all comes back together.

I mean, there were some bumps here and there; often, I felt a little homesick, and sometimes I preferred to be back in the comfort of the Canadian haven. For example, my trip to India really showed me how blessed Vancouver is and how different the world is; But then again, who doesn’t like the comfort of sleeping in their own bed, right?

So far, I have explored Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and a little bit of Europe. I have seen the Swiss Alps, captured the London Eye, and soaked the Mediterranean sun. My endeavors have also given my taste buds a ride; from roaming the aromatic streets of Singapore to trying out some Malaysian Nasi Lemak, I have treated myself to mouth-watering cuisines, and you won’t hear me complain about it.

And of course, when it all felt a bit too rugged and adventurous, I headed to the Maldives, where pristine turquoise water and sandy beaches turned out to be the perfect vacation from travel.

If you’re still looking for some inspiration, I say just pick up your camera and blog to your heart’s content. Honestly, I’m really bummed that we didn’t have Instagram ten years back. Otherwise, I would have shared my journey ages ago.

Traveling is not just touring places and hitch-hiking or even posting random clicks on Instagram; traveling is about learning, investing, and becoming the best version of yourself. Even if you’re coupled with kids, traveling becomes a way to open up to the world. You can hike to the nearest mountains and be bestowed with the most breath-taking views, or you could head over to a remote village and listen to wondrous tales about the past.

In short, if you’re in love with traveling and have been terrified to take a step, take a look at me and know that when you do get out there, it only gets better. Traveling is a continuing emotion that lets you carry on, and it’s a diary that you write within your soul. I’ve had my fair share of writing, and I’m still filling the pages with the places I’ve traveled… it’s about time you write too!