“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.” ― Anita Desai
Why do we travel? What makes us want to make plans, rearrange our lives, take time off work and regular life, pack a few things and go to a new place for a relatively short period of time? There are probably as many reasons to travel as there are people doing it. But there seems to be a few consequences of having done it that motivate many of us to keep doing it.
One of the biggest motivators for travelling the world, or close to home, is making connections, not only with different people but with different cultures, landscapes and lifestyles. Just the process of going somewhere allows for immediate connections, with other passengers on planes or trains, with fellow road weary drivers in travel friendly stops. Even the most introverted traveler will observe and grow to understand more about the locals while they live temporarily among them.
Exploration
Here’s the thing. Many of us crave new experiences. Maybe you want to hike to the top of a mountain, or zipline through a jungle. You don’t have to be a daredevil to want to experience new places and learn about them. Humans are kind of hard wired to want to keep learning about the world around us. It is exciting to arrive in a new place, and start discovering what makes it different than where you came from, and what makes it the same.
Disconnection
Let’s be honest. Sometimes, we all need a break from our real lives. We need a rest from our regular decision making. We need to shift our perspective, to relax, to breathe. If we do it right, travel allows us to run away, just for a while, from the day-to-day worries and stresses, and rest our minds and bodies, so we can return refreshed and ready to dive back in to real life.
Whether you travel in search of connection, adventure or relaxation, the truth is you will get something out of every trip you take. Travelling far and wide, or just using your traveler’s mindset to explore your own back yard, if you let the traveling spirit take you, it will take you far.
