What It’s Like Travelling With An Introvert

Being an extrovert myself, it was indeed quite interesting travelling with an introvert for a year across the globe. We definitely react quite (very) differently to most things and travelling really helped us understand each other on a much deeper level.

1. You find yourself talking to yourself sometimes

G0019396
Being an extrovert, one of my favourite past times is talking. Yes, I absolutely love talking to people about anything under the sun! For some strange reasons, my other half doesn’t seem to feel the same way.

On the contrary, he would avoid talking if given a choice. So you can imagine me travelling with an introvert, I end up talking so much that sometimes, I find myself talking to myself. Haha, but okay, not really so bad la. Introverts are excellent listeners too! It can’t be both of us fighting to talk all the time right?

2. He doesn’t seem to have much expression (not easily annoyed or excited)

GOPR9342

I get excited really easily and at times, I can hardly contain my excitement! I end up bouncing around in jubilation while on the other hand, you will see my very calm partner (who is also actually very excited) but with only a slight smirk on his face. Yes he is also very excited but that’s exactly how he expresses his excitement!

One bad thing about being too emotional is that I tend to get affected by little things very easily. The slightest thing can annoy me and sometimes change my mood entirely. But travelling with an introvert has definitely taught me to not sweat the small things.

3. You feel strangely calm when things go wrong

IMG_6231

One amazing thing about Daniel is that nothing can ever get him down, like seriously. Not when he sprained his ankle when he was in Turkmenistan, or when he had a nasty tooth infection and extraction in Mongolia or when he smashed his only phone’s screen in a taxi in Iran. I would have wallowed up in self pity and whined non stop in one corner (ok exaggeration but you get my point) if any of those happened to me!

So when “bad” things happened to us, I turn to Daniel and see how calm he is, and suddenly I feel stupid for feeling upset over such a small thing. So yes, travelling with an introvert definitely tend to calm an extrovert down in stressful situations.

4. You learn to be more tolerant towards unpleasant things

GOPR8847
Travelling opens up your mind and eyes to a brand new world out there, so many different cultures and living styles. When we were in travelling China, it was really quite a challenge getting used to this country. We took a lot of public transport in China and this was what happened in one of the local trains that we took. Yes, the guy opposite simply stretched his leg comfortably and place it right next to Daniel! Omg! Luckily I wasn’t sitting at Daniel’s place. But to no surprise, Daniel was not the least bit affected at all. Can’t imagine if I were in Daniel’s shoes instead…

5. You feel safe with him watching over you quietly from behind

FV7A4638

It’s well known fact that introverts are a lot more observant while extroverts tend to be more oblivious to their surrounding. I’m always in my own world and sometimes I can really be unaware of what’s happening around me!

According to Daniel, whenever we trek he will always be watching out for me for falling branches, protruding tree stumps, rocks, that are in my way and make sure I don’t injure myself. So yes, I feel safe knowing that Daniel is always watching over me from behind 🙂

6. Be prepared to spend some time alone

FV7A0414

Before we even embarked on our 1 year travel, Daniel already warned me that he needed his ‘alone’ time. I respected that and I was mentally prepared to spend time alone without him too. There were times when we were in the same room, we gave each other space and he did his work at one side of the room while I’ll do my own stuff at the other side.

So travelling together for a year really doesn’t mean that you have to spend time with each other physically 24/7. You can still give your partner some breathing space despite being in the same place.

7. Expect to explore off the beaten destinations with hardly any people

16385483955_c913657a7e_o

Introverts love such places, the fewer people, the better. Haha. Most of the destinations that we travelled to ended up looking like that, with hardly anyone in sight! Not that I’m complaining though, these hidden gems turned out to be really beautiful and breathtaking! Not sure if I’m being influenced by Daniel, but as I grow older I tend to dislike crowded places too.

8. You don’t have to feel bad about leaving him alone while you head off to shop

FV7A0883

This is something that I can’t really comprehend. I felt so bad leaving him alone when I went off to shop in Turkey. He wasn’t keen in shopping and I didn’t want to drag him around while I shop. So in the end we decided that we will split and do our own things for 3 hours and then meet again! Guess what, Daniel happily went to catch a movie on his own while I shop. I can’t help but to feel so bad although he kept reassuring me that there was nothing to feel bad about because he was perfectly happy spending time alone!

9. You will get awesome photos of yourself during the trip.

tripodshot
Most introverts tend to prefer being behind the camera, while extroverts tend to enjoy being in the limelight and the attention given to them. So for Daniel, lucky for me he’s a really good photographer, and check out the amazing secret shots below that he has taken of me during our travel! Though he prefers taking photos of me from afar or of my back view. He said these kinda photos have more “feeling”.

FV7A2554FV7A2950.jpg

10. You find your partner getting sleepier during a gathering while you’re getting more amped up

G0020124 copy 2
Lol, this is always the case whenever we stay at a hostel and end up making new friends. We’ll usually chit chat till late and as the conversation gets more exciting and intense, Daniel gets even more sleepy.

As an extrovert, I draw energy from people while Daniel’s energy gets drained in such social situations. So don’t expect to stay out for too long with new friends as your introverted partner will be desperately trying to fight the zzzz monster!

Above all, travelling with an introvert as an extrovert is really akin to heaven meeting earth. Well, as they always say, opposite attracts! <3

 

Check out what it is like from Daniel’s point of view here!