The pretentious side of me wants to simply respond, "If
you have to ask, then you would probably never understand." But the
compassionate side of me sees that as too easy and could be applied with any
concept. Travel addiction is no exception. Maybe we can shed some light on this
simple concept that is a conundrum to the home-bodies and comfortable alike. For
the record, there is absolutely nothing wrong with not traveling in my opinion,
if that is where you get your inspiration and growth, that is your choice and I
completely respect it, but this post is about why people do travel :)
So for those of us who can't get enough and love to travel,
why do we do it? Ask yourself. What is it?
I have come to find, this question is not so easily answered
when considered deeply, but is actually incredibly easy on the surface. On the
surface, we simply love to travel for a change of pace and change of scenery. We want to see somewhere new and beautiful. We want to relax. We love to get away from our usual lives. We need a break from the repetition
that is our life. We weren't allowed to choose the body we were born into, but
we are allowed to choose what we do with it. More specifically, where we go.
On a less superficial level, travel provides a plethora of
challenges and benefits that are hard to describe with words. Many of us just
want to feel completely alive, and we wish to duplicate that feeling of ecstasy
that comes when dopamine is released during great moods. We wish to get that
hit of adrenaline that a new unknown adventure provides us. We want the thrill
and excitement that comes with abandoning our mundane work life in order to
explore something new and potentially life-changing. The paradigm shift happens
when one realizes the incredibly apparent benefits of traveling somewhere
unknown. For American's, I don't mean heading a few hours to the lake, but
really putting yourself in a situation that makes you incredibly uncomfortable
and feel empathetic to your surroundings. The feeling of "Wow, my life is
fucking amazing compared to the way these people live." The feeling that
where you are is exactly where you should be at that certain time. The feeling
that the infinite moment that is now will never end and bliss will be
unlimited. The feeling of "Man, I really miss my bed, drinkable tap water,
and toilet paper. Toilet paper is nice." The gratefulness that comes along
with getting out of your routine to challenge your perspective on life in a way
that will provide you with lifelong memories that will constantly remind you
how amazing your life is.
So why do you travel? It's different for everyone.
All the foods! All the feels. The new smells. The new
sights. The new challenges. The culture shock. The chance to learn some of a
new language. The stories we gather along the journey. The discomfort that
brings along appreciation of comfort. The people we meet. THE PEOPLE WE MEET!
The deep hostel conversations lasting for hours with people you may,
unfortunately, never see again. The times our eyebrows raise in fascination to
a new experience. The times you realize you're being ripped off; The times you
realize you'll never get ripped off like that again. The history upon the
ground you are walking. The memories of this moment. The opportunity to branch
out and connect with a vast world many of us will only ever experience a
fraction of. The escape of the societal concept of "reality". The
attempt to experience a more nomadic lifestyle. The search for meaning. The
need to understand. The will to learn. Growth. The ability to look back and say
"I wanted to do that, and I'm glad I did."
This is why we travel. Happy traveling my fellow addicts,
keep it up!
