Once, I was traveling to a hill station near New Delhi, India, when I met a person on the bus. We started a random conversation that slowly turned into a thoughtful discussion about how we see life and perceive the existence of a parallel world. As we were about to reach our destination, I found out that it was the person’s birthday on the very next day and he had gone on a solo trip because he wanted to escape all known faces and to spend time with himself.

Now think about it – are you ready to ditch the regular birthday rituals that you’ve celebrated all these years, to gift some exclusive time to yourself?

To convince you to start a journey on your special day, here are a few reasons why you should travel on your next birthday.

Treat yourself to some me-time and spend your next birthday abroad!

Because you deserve to spend quality time with yourself

All your life, you’ve been made to feel special on your birthday by others; parents, grandparents, friends and colleagues – all have come together with cakes and presents to shower you with happiness on this day, year after year. But did you ever take a chance on making yourself happy on your birthday? Did you ever wish yourself a “Happy Birthday to Me”? I guess not many out there have done it, but maybe you should try it.

On your next birthday, gift yourself a holiday to a destination that’s your favorite, or has been on your checklist for a long time.

Treat yourself to some me-time and spend your next birthday abroad!

Escape the regular to find something beautiful

Of course, I know you love all those phone calls and messages that you receive on your birthday – but trust me, it’ll be even more amazing if you just put your phone away this time, or maybe switch it off. In fact the best option would be to escape somewhere secluded – where there’s no network!

Imagine people calling you to hear, “The number you are trying to reach is currently unreachable”. And you, at that time, relaxing by the beach sipping a chilled beer, or hiking up the valley to see the most gorgeous sunset of your life.

This birthday, travel to a distant place and gift something to those who need it

As you choose to give yourself time on your birthday by traveling, you can make it more special by doing some volunteer work. You can join a teaching project in a developing country, and celebrate your birthday with little ones sharing some love and laughter with them. If you are an animal lover, then volunteer for a wildlife conservation project that’ll give you the opportunity to be with the animals all day long on your special day. Either would create a birthday memory you’d cherish forever.

Treat yourself to some me-time and spend your next birthday abroad!

Make some good use of your hard-earned money!

You have worked the entire year to earn money, and it’s absolutely justified to spend it on yourself. The best way to do that would be to travel as far as possible, and probably, you can make some new friends and celebrate while you’re on the go! You never know; sharing your birthday lunch with strangers might just turn out to be perfect.

Also, you can indulge and spoil yourself a bit – to acknowledge the fact that you’re turning a year older.

Go for an adventure that scares you.

We can’t deny the fact that all of us are scared of something or the other! If you are skeptical of traveling alone, then kick start your solo journey on your next birthday and enjoy every bit of the randomness.

If you have a fear of heights, then travel to a destination where you can try out bungee jumping, cliff jumping or skydiving. If you have a fear of water, then go for river rafting, snorkeling, or scuba diving – and know for yourself that there’s nothing to be scared of! Remember that we have just one life, and you have to explore as much as you can when you have time, and not regret later thinking “I could have done x…”

Treat yourself to some me-time and spend your next birthday abroad!

While family and friends are important, know that you can’t be happy with others unless you are happy with yourself. So this birthday, make a choice for yourself. Travel to your favorite destination, be with yourself, learn something that you always wished to, share some love with strangers and mark it as one of the most beautiful chapters of your life.

Remember that this day in your life won’t be repeated, ever, so paint it before the colors dry out!

…..And I wish you a very happy birthday in advance.


This is a guest post by Riyanka Roy.

Why you should spend your next Birthday abroadRiyanka Roy is a traveler who is keen on exploring different parts of the world. She’s an Indian who did her Masters in International Relations and then taught in rural tribal schools for a considerable period. Currently, she’s focusing on volunteer tourism and freelance blogging. You can read about her journeys on her blog Words Weave Stories, and you can also follow her on Instagram @roytellstales.

Why you should spend your next Birthday abroad

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