Travel: Food for the Soul

You may have noticed that I haven’t written a blog post for a while. The reason for this is that I’ve been off on a fabulous trip to Europe and Canada, taking in the sights and experiencing the cultures of many different places. I feel so blessed to have been able to spend time in different countries including Switzerland, Italy, France, Portugal, the UK and Canada.

One of the many things that I love about international travel is that we are literally transported to a different time and place.  We have the opportunity to step out of our day-to-day lives and travel across the globe to try on new and different ways of life.  Such an experience can be so liberating for the soul.

I’m not really a museum and art gallery kind of girl. Actually, as much as I would love to say that I’m cultured in that regard, the reality is, I’m not. I would take more delight in watching grass grow than spending a day in the Louvre.

For me, one of the main ways I like to experience different cultures is through indulging my senses in the local cuisine.  This gluten-free, caffeine-free vegetarian put her usual eating practices on hold for five weeks to experience the taste sensations of Europe. I enjoyed chocolate and sausages in Switzerland (Bratwurst that is, just in case you were thinking differently); pizzas, pastas and espressos in Italy; croissants, chocolate crepes and cheese in France; seafood claypots and piri piri prawns in Portugal and a Sunday roast complete with Yorkshire pudding in the UK. …and thanks to the healthy Aussie dollar I experienced the sparkling taste of France in every country with my favourite beverage de jour, Veuve Clicquot.  Oh what indulgence! I loved every minute of it!

Then there’s the shopping, my next favourite way to experience a new culture. Of course shopping in Paris is a totally different experience to shopping in London, Zurich, Lisbon or the little laneways of Bellagio Italy.  …well actually, not really, but I loved shopping my way around Europe thanks, once again, to the healthy Aussie dollar.

I also took great delight in people watching; walking the streets, sitting in cafes or strolling through parks soaking up the different cultures by observing the way the locals go about their daily lives. The Swiss are so orderly and rules-based, the Italians and Portuguese are so laid back, the French are so, well, French. In each country I visited I tried on their different approaches to life.

Not only did I love experiencing the different ways of life, but I also enjoyed being totally free from my usual routine.  By stepping outside of my comfort zone and trying on new ways of living I almost feel like my soul expanded. It was such a wonderful experience.

Now that I’m back I feel refreshed and have a new perspective on life. I certainly appreciated experiencing such diverse approaches to living, yet I also have a newfound appreciation for my life back home. I’m enjoying being back to my healthy diet and daily routine of exercise, rest, work and play.

What my international jetsetting experience has taught me is that variety is key. I don’t believe that our souls like to be confined by routine.  It is through different experiences, people and places that they thrive and grow.  Yet often, we go about our daily lives sticking to our same routines; staying in our comfort zones.  Sure our routines might work for us and might even make us happy. Are they helping us expand though?

After my trip I am much more mindful of how I can incorporate a little bit of Switzerland, France, Italy and Portugal into my life back home from time to time, without having to go overseas at all.  …of course I’m already planning my next trip too!

This blog post was written by Gabrielle Aitken, Inner Beauty Stylist and inspirer of Appreciation, Respect and Love (a.k.a. Aprelo).

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