For us, no regrets isn’t just a travel philosophy, it’s a way of life. So this got us thinking - what does living with no regrets really mean to our Contiki crew - the people who live and breathe this way of thinking every single day?
With that in mind, we put two seemingly simple questions to the gang - what it is they most want to do before they die, and what is their biggest life regret? As the responses came flowin' in, we realised they all, probably unsurprisingly, had one thing in common...
TO TRAVEL
There seems to be an underlying theme beneath most answers. Not a single one was materialistic. Each and every wish in our lives is intrinsically close to our souls. It’s an opportunity we shouldn’t waste. And guess what? WE ALL LOVE TO TRAVEL.
Knowing this, we then asked the same people: ‘What’s your biggest regret?’ And guess what? Another theme soon became apparent. Read below…
Notice what they all have in common? They were about the opportunities not taken.
But one particular response gave us all of the feels…
"I regret spending most of my money on material things instead of travelling to make myself richer"
Keyword: richer. Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. It allows us to connect to ourselves on a much deeper level, because the material things fade and depreciate over time, but that moment you truly step outside your comfort zone and see the world, that’s the moment that changes you as a person. That’s the feeling that never goes away. Experiences beat material possessions. #Fact.
Understanding the nature of people’s regrets has been a huge learning for us. They are so inherently close to our personalities and the way we live our lives. It’s no surprise that we want to be healthier versions of ourselves, spend more time with our closest family and friends, and experience as much of this world as possible. So many of us choose to travel wanting to learn and experience new places, new cultures and meet like-minded people. Yet we all probably wait too long to actually go out there and do the things we dream of.
RELATED VIDEO: Contiki Crew share their adventures on the road
Somehow, it’s when we near the end of our lives, we suddenly realise what’s before us. We realise that time is no longer our friend. And then we start to think about what we should have done, what we regret, the love and relationships we faced and the life not lived.
We challenge you to step outside your comfort zone and do things you never thought possible. Because that’s what life is really about. Living a life with #NOREGRETS.
Want inspiration on how to travel with no regrets? We’ve challenged some familiar faces with doing just that. Head on over to Contiki to discover more, or take our quiz to discover what your travel personality says about you…