Life. What a terrific thing! Waking up each morning with a smile on our faces, ecstatic to see what the new day will bring is something we consider ourselves blessed to be able to feel. having the freedom to go where we want, being able to sample new cuisines, discover incredible cultures and experience sensational landscapes, all while growing together as a couple is what brings us happiness in life.
Happily enjoying the little thing called LIFE!
But even if we were unexpectedly stripped of these experiences, I think we would still be happy. We’ve been noticing lately that it’s the little things during our travels that bring a smile to our faces.
It’s the little things in life
We can be sitting on the side of the street in India with a small cup of boiling hot, milky tea and do nothing but people enjoy and be completely content.
One of the best things to do in India is just sit back, take pleasure in some tea and people watch
We love slowly wandering around a small village and making small talk with the local people, who are normally a lot more than delighted to chat with us and a lot more often than not, it ends with a photo being taken.
Enjoying the day with some friendly local men in Siwa Oasis, Egypt
Watching the sun set over the mountains or ocean is a very basic, but very satisfying way to end a day.
One of the simplest things you can do is take pleasure in a sunset at the end of a day
Being a big, scary Westerner and chasing children around the town always ends in giggles from the kids and laughter from the parents.
Some of our fondest memories are of something as basic as sitting with a group of local people and having a meal or tea, or dancing and having my hair braided by village women in Africa.
Having an authentic village experience in Mozambique, one of the best days ever
Showing people items of ours from Canada that they’ve never seen before is always an interesting cultural interaction. On this trip, the men have all found Nick’s Leatherman knife very appealing. They love opening it up and discovering all of the gadgets inside. The women and young girls love checking out my necklace and checking out all of my colourful bracelets. The kids are always interested by the cam and seeing videos on the computer.
Kids always love seeing videos and pictures on our computers
It doesn’t have to be something as elegant as checking out the great wall Of China, sailing down the Nile River or Trekking in Nepal, genuinely some of our best memories are very simple, pure and authentic ones, nearly always involving the local people and culture of whichever country we’re in.
Meeting local people is one of the best things about travelling
Because we feel so strongly about making connections with people, learning about their culture and ways of life, we’ve been shocked lately when hearing fellow backpackers complaining about “such and such a place is so Boring!”
Recently, we were in Arslanbob in Kyrgyzstan, a 100% Muslim village of 13,000 people. The place was teeming with cows and donkeys, the call to prayer blazed over the loud-speaker 5 times a day, the village was surrounded by towering mountains and the largest walnut forest in the world is a great 30 minute walk away. The nearby rivers are stocked with fish and the food at the small cafes is delicious. There are 2 waterfalls and panoramic viewpoints across the village, as well as limitless trekking opportunities (by donkey, horse or foot). Besides all of these appealing things, the people there are fantastic!
Having a great day with a friendly local family in Arslenbob, Kyrgyzstan
We spent 4 nights there and wanted more. We were shocked to hear other travellers complaining that Arslanbob was “boring”. It was absolutely mind-boggling. What a lot more could you want out of a place? It’s a very authentic village and the people here are ready to show foreigners about their ways of life, religion and culture. We spent some days just sitting at the waterfall reading a book, wandering around town, having tea and talking with some local families, and doing lots of other things.
Having a quiet day reading and enjoying the views
Of course, we’ve had some down days while travelling too, but we don’t blame it on the country or the city, it’s normally something we’ve done ourselves (like travelling too fast!) a lot more than a couple of times during this trip we’ve had others complain to us about being fed up with a country or being too bored, to which we both just kind of stop talking to them and walk away. Life is too short and extraordinary to be surrounded by negative thinking people.
Make time to stop and smell the roses once in awhile
Sometimes the smallest things in life can bring the largest amount of joy. We suggest everyone stops to smell the roses once in a while, look around you and take it all in. find appeal and happiness in the little things.
Where do you find the most happiness in life? share with us below!
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