Embrace it

Good afternoon, fellow Toastmasters and guests! 

Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn’t mean to take. This is a quote by Angela Blount and it resonates deeply with me because I’ve experienced it firsthand. 

A few years ago, I found myself in a city I’d never been to before, armed with nothing but a map and a detailed itinerary. I was going to tick off every must-see site, follow every turn, and make the most of my time. That city was Melbourne, Australia. 

On day 2 of my Melbourne trip, I intended to visit a specific café that was known for its amazing pastries, Lune Croissanterie. I had the address, I had the route, but somehow, I took a wrong turn. I wandered down narrow streets and through little alleyways, surrounded by graffiti that was a mix of strange and intriguing. It looked like a place you shouldn’t walk through alone at night. Instead of panicking, I decided to just enjoy the walk (perhaps because it was daytime, hahaha) which led me to a completely unfamiliar neighborhood. I discovered a local park I never would’ve found on a map, sat by a fountain, and watched the sun set over the skyline. 

That is when it struck me: those intimidating graffiti, which had initially made me uneasy fears inna me heart, told a story about the neighbourhood I ended up in and how the park and fountain came to be, if you followed it carefully. That wrong turn, that unexpected detour from my perfect plan, became one of the best experiences of the trip. It taught me an invaluable lesson about the beauty of getting lost.

But why does this happen? How does one get that epiphany? It’s because when we let go of our tight schedules, we make space for serendipity. Travel then becomes less about completing a checklist and more about living in the moment. The key wasn’t to open my eyes but to open my heart and only then was I able to find the beauty that existed in this unlikely place. It was a realization that stayed with me during my next adventure.

I went on another trip, this time to Cape Town, where spontaneity truly transformed my experience. I remember missing out on the Stellenbosch University tour because we arrived late due to traffic. It was important to me so I was disappointed for a bit, but then I thought: “Well, let’s make the most of this.”  

I ended up spending the entire afternoon in a random museum I hadn’t even planned on visiting. It was quirky, it was off-the-beaten-path, and the best part? There were only a handful of people inside. I had the whole place to myself and saw pieces of art that I never would’ve found on a standard itinerary. 

Just as in Melbourne, embracing the unexpected in Cape Town led me to hidden gems I never would have found otherwise. But the magic of detours doesn’t stop with places; it extends to people.  

During one of my trips to Niagara Falls, Canada. I was sitting alone at a café, waiting for my friend to arrive, when a local struck up a conversation. He had no agenda; he simply wanted to know where I was from and what I was up to. Some people might find that intrusive, but I didn’t. That one conversation turned into an afternoon of exploring the city together. He showed me hidden spots only locals knew about — not on any tour map. 

The beauty of these unplanned interactions reminded me that travel isn’t just about the destinations, but about the connections we make along the way. You can’t plan for these kinds of encounters, but when they happen, they enrich the experience in ways you could never imagine.  And this brings us back to the broader lesson about life. 

In the end, life, much like travel, is full of detours. But as we’ve explored today, these detours are not just inconveniences; they are opportunities for discovery, spontaneity, and connection. It’s okay to get lost.  

So, the next time you find yourself facing a detour, whether in travel or in life, remember to welcome it with open arms. Let it lead you to new experiences and enrich your journey in ways you never imagined.

Thank you.