When I first began backpacking almost three years ago, I very often explained my love of traveling and seeing the world by the following phrase:
“I love experiencing the unknown.”
I often find it’s the unknown – or certainly the unplanned – events in my travels that stand out the most. It’s these experiences and challenges that bring meaning to going forward with little plan as to where I’ll end up. While many perhaps can’t relate to being comfortable without a five, three, or even one year plan, I live for the excitements that come from a flexible life filled with travel and experiencing the unknown.
As I look back on my previous year of travel, these are the unexpected highlights that stand out most; unexpected yet rewarding and exciting moments that come from living a life filled with travel.
Lunch with Local Thais on a Bangkok Soi
While spending about two weeks in Bangkok during my time backpacking in Thailand, I based myself out of a excellent guesthouse in an extremely un-touristy area of the city. Each afternoon I would wander down a nearby soi to find lunch from a street vendor.
One afternoon I came across a table filled with local Thais, dotted with a couple bottles of Johnny Walker Red, and overflowing with mouthwatering Thai food. As I stepped back to try and capture the moment with a photograph, I was motioned over to the table.
Before I knew it, I had a glass of Johnny Walker and Soda in my hand, a plate full of food, and 12 new friends who spoke little or no English.
Falling in Love With & Loosing a Campervan Named Max
I spent the majority of 2010 working and backpacking in New Zealand. It’s truly a fascinating country; a microcosm of world where you can experience beaches, glaciers, mountains, and deserts all within an afternoon’s drive.
A highlight of my experience in New Zealand was buying a 1984 Toyota Hiace van (who was named Max) with my then girlfriend. This work-van – turned – campervan, with 422,000 kilometers (almost half a million miles), became home for three weeks while we explored New Zealand’s top backpacking destinations.
Max and I shared the same birthday year … and fortunately I outlived the him.
One crisp, Fall afternoon on New Zealand’s South Island, Max, Nicole, my parents and I were climbing a hill just outside of beautiful Queenstown when Max began to smoke. It proved to be Max’s last ride, yet I’ll remember much of New Zealand as viewed from behind the steering wheel of this epic van.
Meeting a Koh Lanta Thailand Mafia Boss
Adventurous Kate and I spent about two weeks on beautiful Koh Lanta island in the Andaman Sea just off the coast of Thailand’s southern Krabi Province. Koh Lanta is a relaxed island paradise with white-sand beaches, clear blue water, and hospitable locals.
One warm evening we found ourselves listening to a local band and sharing a bucket of Sang Som, Red Bull, and Coke with a Singaporean bar owner; as we watched him chain smoke cigarettes, we listened intently as he explained a side of Koh Lanta the average visitor certainly doesn’t see or experience.
Koh Lanta, according to the bar owner, is very much an island controlled by a local mafia family; a place where you ensure you don’t step on the wrong person’s toes. The result? Well, we were told stories of murder where the island police simply looked the other way …
Minutes later a shirtless, slightly muscular, albeit friendly looking man walked into the bar. “That’s him,” our Singaporean friend said, “he is the mafia boss.”
“Sawatdee Khrab,” I said as Kate and I waied long and low as we showed our respect to this powerful Koh Lantan figure.
Riding New Zealand’s Otago Rail Trail Classic
One afternoon at the pub in Queenstown, myself and the rest of the crew from NZbyBike.com were enjoying Friday pints when my boss told us he was going to have to pull out of the Otago Rail Trail Classic.
This annual mountain bike ride takes in the very best of New Zealand’s Otago Region along the Otago Rail Trail. While I hadn’t been on a bike since wine tasting in Marlborough almost six months back, I volunteered to take his place.
The Otago Rail Trail Classic is a 100 mile long mountain bike ride.
What followed that weekend was nine of the most grueling hours of my life. This already monumental challenge was exacerbated by a killer headwind in the final 30 miles. Nonetheless, I finished and can’t begin to describe the feeling of accomplishment.
Experiencing the Hospitality of a Balinese Family
During my time exploring Bali I was invited by a local to attend a traditional Balinese cockfight. While I had no interest in witnessing roosters fighting to a bloody death, I couldn’t bring myself to turn down an invitation to an event that plays a very important role in Balinese culture.
After the cockfight, the young man who invited me along insisted that I return to his home to meet his wife and young child. Their home was no more than a single roomed shack in the jungle outside of Lovina. As we sat on the floor drinking tea, his wife tended to their infant daughter while my host gave me a gift of a seashell necklace.
Shortly thereafter they served me lunch in their outdoor kitchen; a spicy beef stew that had been prepared over an open fire earlier that morning.
I was overwhelmed with the generosity of those that have so little.
It’s moments like these that I travel for. Unexpected moments where you realize most people are kind, the world is small and not nearly terrifying as most make it out to be.
A world I look forward to exploring more in 2011.
Can you relate? I’d love to hear of unexpected yet memorable events from your travels in the comments section below.
Backpacking Matt 
I feel like most of my travels are fairly unknown–I jump into things and then figure it out later. But I did have one awesome weekend in Marseille (http://www.cestchristine.com/2010/08/escape-to-the-maritime-city-of-marseille/) when I decided to go the day before I left. Marseille’s known more for its violence than its tourist attractions, but I ended up having the most delicious African food (http://www.cestchristine.com/2010/08/why-i-chose-african-over-french-cuisine/) and seeing a really cool city. No regrets!
@Christine I’d say you’re living the ‘take it as it comes’ life with your impromptu move to Aussie. Glad to know you can relate – and glad to know your enjoyed Marseille on your last minute visit. The flat bread looks and sounds gorgeous!
I love to travel without much of a plan either, and I love the unexpected moments. In November I decided on a spontaneous trip to London, I was at work and within 12 hours I was on a plane. Before heading to the airport I tweeted asking if anyone was in London and I got a response from Dylan @travelingeditor and he said he was in London and then invited me to a party at his apartment the next night. It just so happened that three other twitter travel people that I knew (@theaussienomad @marenhogan @nomadicchick ) would also be at the same party along with some other great people who I hung out with for the rest of my trip!
@Cailin Sounds like an epic trip — I knew you decided to head to London last minute, but I didn’t know it was 12 hours last minute! Bloody great you got to meet up with a great group of bloggers. When are we filming our travel video in 2011?!
Planned travel only creates expectations and you know what they say: expectation is the mother of all crappy holidays.
Not knowing what is next leaves room for the thrill of true adventure and the feeling of discovering something for oneself.
Sorry about Max.
@Torre Glad you can relate … I love that last quote you left in your comment. It’s a refreshing feeling to take each day at a time and as you said — you experience something new and unexpected each day.
And thanks for the condolences about Max! 🙂
Max was every backpackers dream, he was beautiful inside and out, he took us on an adventure I will never forget. RIP MAX!
@Nicole He was a bloody great van eh?! It was love at first sight – petrol scent and all!
What a great year! My travels in themselves have been unexpected but nothing like these cool experiences. When I went to study in Australia, not only did I not realize that I was going alone, I never expected to meet all the amazing people I did! After that, I never imagined I would come to Florence and stay for 1.5 years!
I hope 2011 brings some more unexpected travel for both of us!
@Annie I can imagine Florence would be a pretty easy place to overstay your intentions! Good luck in 2011.
I love this post, Matt! Travel IS all about the unknown, and those experiences are the ones I’ve loved the most.
Like Cambodia’s southern coast — I went in knowing almost nothing, and it turned out to be one of my favorite spots of all.
Or motorbiking deep into rural southern Laos, where I was the only solo woman on the road, and if I broke down, I was f*cked.
Or flying off to the Andaman Coast to hang out with some dude I met in Bangkok.
@AdventurousKate I haven’t heard your story about breaking down in Laos .. I imagine that was an interesting experience! That dude you met in the Andaman Coast sounds way cool!
With you on each and every post. I’ve fallen in love with so much that I’ve learned about myself and others. And the generosity of people who have so little is always something I’m so humbled by.
@Ayngelina Super glad you can relate — I was amazed at the generosity I experienced after only 8 weeks in SE Asia. Looking forward to going back to experience it again.
What amazing experiences, Matt! I love that you have that type of personality that travels around and will sit down with anybody along the way, regardless of language. Well done!
@Abby It’s those experiences I remember the most! I love meeting locals in my travels. Thanks for the comment!
Can’t wait to experience the excitement and frustration that the unexpected(s) tend to bring on our RTW trip this year! Great post!
@Jill That’s one side I didn’t focus on … though it definitely plays a role – the “frustrations” that come from having little plan. They add to the journey and make us stronger in the end.
So true! Sometimes it helps to lift your nose out of the guidebook and just look around to see what’s going on – and what unexpected things you can be a part of!
@Rebecca Bali was actually the first place I have traveled to in ages where I went in with very little research and no guidebook – I simply let fate take over to see where I ended up. It was fantastic.
“I love experiencing the unknown.” I can identify 100% with this sentiment, it’s why I love to travel.
I also love travelling without much of a plan. For our upcoming trip we have listed some countries and that’s about it. I think Laura may be up to some sneaky planning whilst I’m not looking, but other than that we’re good to go lol 🙂
@Andrew Enjoy it — even with a bit of Laura’s planning, you’ll have an absolute blast!
I wholeheartedly agree with you here. Travel is ABSOLUTELY about the unknowns and those unexpected things that pop up (even the miserable ones) always make the greatest memories! It’s definitely the reason why I choose to travel on an open schedule (versus making a planned out itinerary). I want to be able to accomodate that unknown!
One great unexpected experience I had was in Laos back in 2006. It was the rainy season and one hell of a travel (thanks to flooding, boats and collapsed bridges) landed myself and a few other travelers in Udomxai, which, back then, saw VERY few foreigners and, as such, almost no English was spoken. We banded together and set out to explore the town only to have some Beerlao drinking teenagers invite us for dinner. We couldn’t communicate with each other but had an absolute blast. They even insisted on paying for our meals! It was truly one of the best nights of that trip!
More on that story here: http://www.aaronswwadventures.com/2010/11/road-travel-laos/
@Aaron Your experience sounds unforgettable – glad you had it.
The unplanned and its successes — can’t be beat! Good read, Matt 🙂
@Brooke Thanks — have your email, will reply ASAP!
Great post. I think I can agree with you and everyone else who has commented here about the value of experiencing the unexpected and how it is usually these moments that you remember from your trip as opposed to the numerous photographs you collect of famous monuments and temples. It’s usually the company you’re in that can make or break a trip and more often than not your travelling companions and new non-English-speaking friends that create memories that last a lifetime!
I loooove the unexpected.. in a way you can say that most ppl travel to experience that
Great Post, it’s amazing how travel always brings unexpected and enriching experiences. I recently went hiking solo at Huangshan one of China’s most famous mountains, barely an hour in the hike I was held up by porters passing by, it just so happened in those few minutes I was waiting to get by I started chatting with a solo hiker form Austria. Those few minutes left me with a buddy for the rest of the two day hike as well as one of those great travel friends that i’ll definitely keep in contact with and visit when I’m over that way. Travel really is all about making unexpected friends! 🙂
@Sasah The unexpected friends are often the most unforgettable!
I’m new to travel but I’m beginning to see what you mean. One of the best things I’ve experienced is an impromptu beach lunch with an Aussie couple who gladly shared their food and drinks. It’s amazing what happens when you’re open to whatever may happen.
@Mike I’m glad you’re starting to experience these types of events, assuming you keep an open mind, it’s very difficult not to. Enjoy your trip!
It seems like your style of travel really lends itself to having spontaneous, authentic experiences wherever you go.
True, the beauty of traveling lies a lot in the unexpected, which unavoidably arrives even if you make plans. Very inspiring writing 🙂
@Angel Thanks for the compliment!
You really had some interesting unexpected events 🙂 I had a Toyota Hiace as well when I traveled around NZ, great multi-purpose cars, but mine had some issues as well. Every morning I had to push it before the engine would start 🙂
@Tijmen The old Hiace’s are very reliable but sooner or later their life comes to an end! Hopefully you enjoyed NZ as much as I did!
You captured the essence of what traveling is all about – facing the unknown, getting to know the people, be a part of their world…fascinating. this post has some elements I envy you for – New Zealand, riding a motorcycle, eating Thai food 😀
By the way, is that a tattoo above your ankle? (I’m a tattoo lover so I notice these things :)) )
@Joseph Glad you can relate! And yes, I’d agree experiencing the unknown is a big part of traveling – most people will find this I feel, even if they’re not expecting it. It certainly is a tattoo on my ankle. Good eye!
I’ve taking my taking my travels lighter nowadays.. I used to plan my travel itineraries to the details, but not anymore, and I’ve been enjoying the trips a lot more since. Now I can even say that getting lost is actually fun! There were several times that my travel mates and I got lost (due to the lack of skill in reading maps, actually), but then we found some interesting stuff that we didn’t even think of. Like, meeting a kind Indonesian Chinese couple who became our ‘free guides’ in the city for a day in Guangzhou, people watching while relaxing in a nice city garden in Shenzhen, and enjoying the city streets of Solo (Central Java) at night.. Overall, unplanned travels I think have made me lightened up, and it feels great..
@Vira It certainly takes some getting used too, but once a person is able to step back and appreciate the bumps in the road, the unexpected becomes exciting.
I actually love to plan! It can be as exciting as the trip for me! I guess that is why I like numbers, saving money, and really researching where I want to go. For me, the where and the when are essential. However, the ‘what’ once I get there isn’t as important.
I completely agree with your take on traveling though – your best memories can be unexpected. I would go a step beyond that and say your best memories are those that involve people. Every one of your stories above illustrates this. I think some people make the mistakes of living too much for the photo opps, the sights, museums, and landmarks. The best memories of your trip are the experiences you have with other people.
@Jeremy And it’s the people you least expect to meet that make the experience what it is. Thanks for the comment – keep planning, do what you love!
The experiences that you’ve had are incredible! These stories inspire me to be a little more daring with my travels. Unfortunately, I haven’t done a lot of spontaneous travel, but maybe 2011 is my year… Thanks for sharing such an awesome post!
@Lauren Thanks for the kind words — glad you enjoyed it. Safe travels to you and good luck in DC!
NZ is a great place to traveling for the unexpected. Near the lake Pukaki, we found a salmon farm, just from a little sign on the road side. Haven’t heard about it before, was not even aware there’s one around. It turn out that right there, we have the greatest salmon sashimi we’ve ever eaten! Greatest by far.
@Dina I know the exact Salmon Farm you’re talking about! Great sashimi!
I definitely agree with you – that feeling of the unknown is quite amazing! Especially the part where you *just* arrived at a new place and you look around at the endless possibilities before you…one of life’s best moments for sure!
It’s those unexpected experiences that challenge me on my travels. Love your last unexpected situation with the family. It is really remarkable just how kind people can be. When I studied in Florence in college, I decided to live with a host family. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, but now they are my Italian parents. It’s funny, I can remember so richly knocking on their door for the first time and all of those emotions of the unknown.
@Suzy I can only imagine the emotions you must have been feeling prior to meeting your host family. It’s great how they’ve become so close to you after the experience. You’ll always have a place to stay when you go back I’m sure!
Thanks for this post. I backpacked in 2000 and im ready to go travelling again. I had been planning a lot of my trip and something just wasn’t working out, something in me was calling out for letting the plan go, all the plans. The only idea I have now is get a flight to L.A and decide when im there whats next. Kinda scary for someone who has spent a long time planning but also really freeing, takes a lot of pressure off. Thanks for the reminder.
@Glyingfree Good luck on your trip and taking it as it comes!
I love the experiences when the locals take you in. I was eating by myself in one of those street side restaurants when two Vietnamese invited me to their table. Another Vietnamese gentleman walked by and was so overwhelmed to see Americans eating with Vietnamese that he stopped and bought us several rounds of beers. Great post!
@Ted Thanks for the comment- moments like that make me smile for sure. What I find especially fascinating is I can think back from my travels and I’ve experienced that kindness in one way or another literally everywhere I’ve been.
Hey Matt! I am going to New Zealand for a mission trip in January and i was curious on maybe some things i should bring that not many people would think about bringing.
That’s a very vague question! Here’s a good place to start: http://www.planitnz.com/planning-for-new-zealand/what-to-bring/