Traveling…why we love it
The people, places, languages, architecture, foods, histories, sounds, scents and topographies surrounding each of us form the world we’re accustomed to. Each is a lens through which we experience and interpret our lives. Over time, these elements imperceptibly crystallize into what we call the familiar.
What’s familiar to us is both comforting and reassuring. That’s nothing new. It’s human nature and cannot be denied. If we’re not vigilant, however, we may be lulled into thinking our familiar reality is the only one there is; or at least the only one that can inform us. That would certainly contradict our human nature, given that we are all designed to learn and grow constantly.
As quietly and efficiently as our surroundings harden into the familiar, the opposite occurs when we some get road dust on our clothes. The familiar melts away. In its place appears a new and unfamiliar reality. As your airplane descends, that coastline you’ve previously only seen on maps is now just below you. While boarding a ferry or train whose route will end in another country, your ears take in a language you do not comprehend. You walk into an ancient nation that’s new to you and think this is real, I’m actually here.
“The road begins as soon as we step out the front door.” – Under A New Sun
Giza, the Eiffel Tower, Mt. Fuji, Machu Pichu…all terrific destinations–agreed. But destinations don’t have to be far or exotic to be fulfilling. One of our favorite travel stories was told by a friend. When time and/or her budget did not allow for a full-fledged vacation, she would pack the family’s suitcases and drive about 20 miles away and stay at a hotel. They’d spend a long weekend creating new memories in a new place.
She got it! Moving away from their everyday world was the important thing. That small distance made a huge impact on her family’s inner world. And that, to us, is the essence of travel: deliberately seeking new sights and experiences in our outer world, whether near or far from home, to enrich our inner world.
Now, don’t get us wrong. We think far flung and exotic trips are great. But for us, the traveler’s mindset is what’s most important. It predisposes us to learning and adventure. This spirit of adventurous learning permits us to appreciate travel in all its forms, from roughing it to a bit of luxury. It’s the process and variety we love.
This is true whether we’re moving about locally, regionally, nationally or internationally. On our site, we plan to cover the familiar, the unfamiliar, the near and the far in order to create an informative, educational and inspirational resource for you. We hope you agree and that you’ll join us on the voyage. May you always seek and find opportunities to find yourself under a new sun.