Home » I’m 13 and I’ve visited 45 countries; here’s what it’s taught me

I’m 13 and I’ve visited 45 countries; here’s what it’s taught me

written by Cameron Davis January 19, 2018
teenager travel Egypt

Imagine waking up to a breathtaking view every day. That’s what it is like for me when I travel.  

I have been travelling for as long as I can remember. When I was five, my family took me to Peru. And when I was six, we went on a trip around the world. We visited 29 countries that year alone. Every day I learned something new.

Here are a few things that travel has taught me so far:

Talk more

Before we left on our first trip I was very timid. If we went to the playground I would hide behind my mom’s leg instead of playing with the other kids and I wouldn’t say what I wanted to. During the trip, I realized that if I didn’t talk to others, I wouldn’t make any friends. With time I was telling my family what I wanted to see and do, instead of cruising with what my brother wanted or what my parents wanted. Now I’m 13 years old and I have my very own YouTube Channel (Cameron Travels)!

So, yeah, I kind of got rid of my timidness.

teenager travel

Exploring Petra in Jordan

READ MORE: 6 TOTALLY UNTRUE MYTHS ABOUT FAMILY TRAVEL

Try new things

On my travels I have tried a lot of new things, from mountain biking in Whistler, B.C. to zip-lining in Costa Rica to camel riding near the Great Pyramid of Giza!

When you travel to certain places and start to learn about the different cultures, you are kind of forced to eat their way as well. Don’t get me wrong, I ate a lot of pizza in a lot of different countries but I also learned to cook Pad Thai in Thailand, ate curries in India, and tried dumplings in China. It taught me that food is great in different countries. Now, I’ve eaten all kinds of different things from duck confit in France to unique flavours of Oreo cookies in Asia.

CHECK OUT INTREPID TRAVEL’S RANGE OF FAMILY-FRIENDLY ADVENTURES

Learn in a different way

When I travelled for a year, I missed grade two at my school. Instead, I learned in a different way. (The better way! Don’t tell my school.)

teenager travel

Learning new things in the mountains of Canada

For example: I learned about King Tut’s tomb, The Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal, but instead of reading about them in some book and wondering what they were like, I was actually there to learn about it! I got to touch the pyramids and “kiss” a sphinx in Egypt while learning about their roots in Persian, Egyptian, and Greek mythology! Isn’t that awesome!?

Also during our trips, we used Khan Academy – a wonderful educational site – to learn more about the places we were visiting. We learned about the tunnels in Vietnam first by reading about it on Khan Academy and then by going in the tunnels ourselves. Only a few of us made it the whole way and I was one of them!

teenager travel Vietnam

Củ Chi tunnels in Vietnam

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Be more independent

My trips also taught me how to become more independent. How you may ask? Here’s how: When we’re planning to travel I always have to pack my own suitcase. Before, of course mom or dad would check it but now my brother and I are always in charge of what we bring. If we forget something, it’s on us.

Also, when we were traveling I saw a lot of families that really had to depend on each other to survive. That really motivated our family to allow my brother and I to take on more duties at home. Now we do dishes, our own laundry, make our own lunch, cook and more. I don’t love these chores but we have learned that this family is like four gears; if one stops working it is harder for the other three. But if all four of us work together, it runs smoothly.

teenager travel

On the River Nile

Take risks

The biggest thing that travel has taught me is that sometimes you will have to take risks. When I was in Vietnam, I was playing with a little boy when out of the blue, he bit me. I still have the mark! It made me wonder if I should go back to being shy, but then I realized that not being shy allowed me to meet a lot of great people.

I learned that there are both good and bad risks. Take the good ones.

Ready to learn some lessons of your own and take a trip? Intrepid Travel offers a whole range of trips that are perfect for both parents and kids.

(All images c/o Cameron Davis.)

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29 comments

Disha Rampal July 27, 2021 - 2:49 am

Cameron this is so inspiration for all teenager. Hope you travel more. Amazing article.

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James July 11, 2021 - 3:18 pm

It’s very inspiring to see you living such an incredible life. Many individuals, including myself, have been motivated by you to travel the world. Congratulations, Cameron, and thank you for sharing your comments.

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Mimi Assefa April 18, 2021 - 8:00 pm

Very inspirational,kudos to your parents and looking to read more about your future travels Cameron. Parents are the key to catching the travel bug. Mine enjoyed traveling so I started aged 2 by visiting different regions of my native Ethiopia. As a nation we are not great explorers so living in the UK from age 7 did much to broaden my outlook. I continued traveling in my late teens and 20s-usually on annual vacations from work. I’m so not done yet and have my bucket list ready to continue when my 2 month old daughter is ready to travel- I plan to start next year with the UK and hope she is as awed about our glorious, diverse World as you are.Best wishes from Ethiopia.

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Lily Rose November 30, 2020 - 1:31 pm

Really this is so awesome to see you rocking such an amazing life. My two boys are using the world in much the same way as you, and it’s awesome to see how the experience that they are having now will help shape their lives as they get older

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Lorna Mendoza November 24, 2020 - 11:29 pm

Hello Cameron,
I was fascinated by your blog. I’m a Teacher and I’m looking for something inspiring to share with my students, may I Use your journal in my lesson?
I hope I can get a positive reply, thanks

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WADOODSAFI November 13, 2020 - 12:03 am

Really I love your post and believe wholeheartedly in traveling. My parents moved us to Greece and Saudi Arabia at the age of 9 so that’s where my appreciation for travel and other cultures began. You’re s very well rounded young man. Continue in your path and journey into adulthood. I am looking forward to following your travels and you continue knocking off country by country. Great share!
Thank you!

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Iron a Backpack August 16, 2020 - 1:01 am

Great tips many many thanks for sharing.

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Phee September 3, 2020 - 3:02 pm

This is very good website

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Hayden May 29, 2020 - 2:23 am

This article is so inspiring, that would be so cool. I hope you travel some more. Wish you the best future

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Kevin Wagar November 29, 2018 - 1:30 am

Dude. It’s so awesome to see you rocking such an amazing life. My two boys are using the world in much the same way as you, and it’s awesome to see how the experience that they are having now will help shape their lives as they get older.

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Kya November 13, 2018 - 6:04 am

Hi! I absolutely love this article! I am also 13 and have been to 40 countries. This article is so true! Whenever I travel, I feel all of the above. This article is written wonderfully, thank you for putting something out there that is so meaningful.

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Abby October 20, 2018 - 10:29 am

We are a Worldschool family also! We’ve spent 2017 in Latin America and 2018 in Asia.. our family of 6 kiddos(15,14,12,7) thanks for sharing you experiences

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Monique August 4, 2018 - 11:38 pm

I absolutely love your post and believe whole heartedly in traveling. My parents moved us to Greece and Saudi Arabia at the age of 9 so that’s where my appreciation for travel and other cultures began. You’re s very well rounded young man. Continue in your path and journey into adulthood. I am looking forward to following your travels and you continue knocking off country by country. Great share!
Thank you!

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Mark G August 24, 2018 - 12:25 pm

Way to go! Keep on your path and continue to inspire others with your travels!

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Maria August 2, 2018 - 9:07 am

Hi Cameron. Great start of a great, rewarding life. Never stop traveling. It is the greatest thing we can do for ourselves, enriches us in so many ways, and we gain more understanding of the world around us.

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Lucia is awesome June 23, 2018 - 2:10 am

Hi Cameron,I heard you learned about king Tuts tomb and went there.I learned about it too but I haven’t went but I will one day.And I really like your article and my momma read it for me.And right now I’m in Vietnam in a hometown where peeps wear no shoes and swim with there clothes cause they don’t have a swimsuit.They also don’t know what it is.I didn’t want to make my friends in the hometown feel sad and jealous .So I swam i my clothes too,played their ways,and ate their food .It was a tough life for them and I was in it but I will leave tomorrow.They were happy even though they had a tough life and I was happy too.

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Carol April 28, 2018 - 12:29 am

Great article and photos. What do your parents to that allow them the time and money for travel?

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Sam April 26, 2018 - 5:13 pm

Well done Cameron & thanks for sharing & inspiring others. What a fantastic family you have for giving you this opportunity, keep writing it’s very interesting!

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Riddhi January 28, 2018 - 1:35 pm

Took me 50 yrs. back to my childhood Cameron. My dad loved travelling and every summer and winter vacations we used to go to different states in India. It was such an enriching experience….you know that very well having experienced it yourself.
Sharing your article with my kids so that they can do the same ( I missed giving them this amazing life experience). May you travel more and have a great fulfilling life.

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Stefanie January 27, 2018 - 8:05 am

I’m so proud for you. Not that you traveled (that’s Kudos to your mom for being awesome and having high goals), but for putting it down for others in this blog. I have worldschooled my daughter through 42 countries and wish she would share her experiences with others like you (she’s 10). It’s so great to see how you’re growing from the experience… So, we’ll done! 🙂 Perhaps our families will meet some day!

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Anonymous January 26, 2018 - 4:08 am

Cameron, you have inspired me in more than one way! It’s amazing to see that knowledge can be acquired at any age through any means. Kudos to your parents!

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SVB January 26, 2018 - 3:49 am

Cameron, you are an inspiration. I wish more kids (and adults) could see the world like you have. You have seen way more than me and I’m much older than you! I hope you never stop exploring. God bless!

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Lena L Price January 25, 2018 - 12:56 am

Awesome!! Fellow wanderer!! 35 countries for me and I couldn’t have put the feeling more eloquently.

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Gina January 24, 2018 - 1:47 pm

Amazing….your mom Heather has done an amazing job with you boys!! So proud of you guys!!

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Walna Sorrentino January 22, 2018 - 11:31 pm

This is a wonderful article. I am so proud of you Cameron. I was wondering when to take my 16 month old twins on vacation with me. After reading your article, I Will start when they are five. I hope they will appreciate it like you did.

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Pablo January 22, 2018 - 2:35 am

Truly amazing to see your growth and independence evolve into this interesting and inspiring young man. I remember the kid that was on the shy side coming out of his shell during gathering with our families and now, Wow! Great job so far experiencing what life has to offer and conveying the message to others. Proud of you Cam and the entire Davis family. Don’t forget about your Caledon peeps!

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Cultured Black Pearl January 21, 2018 - 3:13 am

Cameron, what a fantastic article highlighting your travels around the world. Super proud of you and wish you all the best in the future. Keep writing, traveling, and being great. You’re a wonderful storyteller. Kudos!

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Wally January 20, 2018 - 12:37 am

Cameron, this is not only inspiring but it is a clear evidence of the benefits of travel at any age. Thank you for shining a very bright light on this truth. I am looking forward to hearing a lot more from you .

Great job!

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Cameron January 25, 2018 - 1:19 am

Thanks for the positive comments everyone, I am so glad that I inspired you to travel with family members at any age.

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