A guest post.

There are many different types of travellers. You might be the sort that enjoys the hustle and bustle of a regular city break. Perhaps you prefer weeks spent lounging on idyllic beaches in obscure locations, or exploring cliff faces and rock formations by the sea? Maybe you’re a rolling stone who spends months living away at a time? 

No matter what type of traveller you are, you probably never leave your destination behind without some new golden nugget of knowledge or a fresh perspective on the world. 

You might not even notice along the way as you start to pick up valuable but unexpected skills from your travels. 

From the practical to the unconventional, these are just five skills you could pick up while travelling – some of them without even realising.

Navigation 

Whether you’re travelling alone or with others, you’re bound to get lost at least once while visiting a new place for the first time. 

And while this may not seem too worrying in the smartphone era, remember that those little devices aren’t infallible. 

A dead battery can seem the end of the world to the topographically challenged, but those who are accustomed to finding their way around new surroundings might just fare a little better. 

Confidence

Whether you’re encouraged to make friends with the locals, or perhaps venturing out of your comfort zone to try new things, your travels will often provide new ways to become a more outgoing person. 

You might not even notice it happening, but each time you take a leap like this, it chips away at your shyness and teaches you to become more confident in approaching the world.

Qualifications

This is one of the less conventional items on the list. 

But if you’re torn between a desire to travel and an ambition to pursue a traditional qualification, you might not have to choose between the two. 

Many of the courses at ARU Distance Learning are so flexible you wouldn’t even have to stay in the country. This option is perfect for anyone thinking of spending a year or two abroad. 

Another impressive skill to have on the CV, languages are a practical skill for travel, particularly if you like to visit the same places more than once. 

And if you’re planning on living abroad, you’ll need to learn the language if you’re going to get anywhere.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that many language are popular in more than just their country of origin – Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, and an official language in more than 20 countries.

Time management 

We all wish we had better time management skills, but if you’re the sort of person that hops off the plane with an itinerary already full of must-see hotspots and landmarks, you might be better at it than most. 

Just spare a thought for the rest of us cutting it fine racing through airport security to catch up! 

These are just a few incredible skills you might bring back from your travels. What have you learned from travelling? Share with us in the comments.