What is the purpose of your trip?

Have you ever set off on a trip without a specific purpose? Simply packed your backpack, bought some tickets to a major hub and just wandered wherever the mood took you?

I haven’t. I’m a planner by nature. I’d far rather have at least a vague idea of where I might be going on my travels before setting out – if only so I can hope to get the cheaper travel and accommodation deals.

The closest I’ve come until recently, was my 6 week inter-railing trip around Europe when I finished high school over 10 years ago. My girlfriends and I had a vague route mapped out which by and large we stuck to but I have to admit to feeling slightly panicky on the days when we woke up not knowing where we’d be sleeping that night. Rubbish traveler me!

Until recently that is…

When my husband and I left the UK in February of this year on a journey with no planned end but with the express purpose of finding the two maybe three places in this world where we want to call “home”, the first place we went to was Panama. We had no set plans after that – just a ticket back to the UK seven months later for a family visit.

Our route went a little like this: Panama – Buenos Aires – Toronto – Grenada – UK – Italy – Grenada – Dubai – South Africa (the last two have yet to come, we’re still in Grenada).

What I’ve learned about myself on the way, is that our journey actually has no purpose now – we’re no longer on this trip to find our ideal places to settle (although if we do, that’d be great). We’re simply enjoying the journey, seeing where we fancy going next and traveling with no set purpose.

I’m curious though…when vagablogging readers set out on a trip, do you go with a specific purpose in mind or do you just travel wherever the mood takes you?