Why Travel?

Whenever I travel, I feel as though I can hear the musical symphony of Sleeping at Last’s song, Saturn.

“With shortness of breath, I’ll explain the infinite
How rare and beautiful it truly is that we exist.”

travel (n). to move or go from one place to another, as by car, train, plane or ship; take a trip, journey to proceed or advance in any way

Travelling takes us on a journey that broadens our understanding of people, culture, and history. There are many different reasons to travel. And, while I know it is not always possible for everyone to travel internationally or even domestically, you can still travel in your own backyard.  You don’t have to head to the airport or the train station to take a journey. Every day is an adventure, if you let it. As one who lives in Los Angeles, I am constantly discovering new places, cultures, and ethnic foods among the different neighborhoods that I stumble upon. Oftentimes, I just sit and absorb it all-the sights, the sounds, the smells, the languages happening all around me. It’s sort of magical.

And, while I do love travelling in America (as there are many different cultures and traditions just in the States!), there is nothing more eye-opening than travelling to a culture that is far different from your own. Rather than seeing things from the outside, you come to understand the root of other people’s values and traditions, and at the end of the day, you recognize just how very similar we all are. That, that connection with different people in unknown places, is a gift that lives with you forever. It is for this reason that I strongly encourage young single adults to travel as much as you can. If you need tips on how to travel on a budget, you can check out my other post here. 

Here are some of my favorite travel quotes:

“I feel about travel the way a happy new mother feels about her impossible, colicky, restless newborn baby-I just don’t care what it puts me through. Because I adore it. Because it’s mine. Because it looks exactly like me.” -Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat Pray Love

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” –St.Augustine

“And if travel is like love, it is, in the end, mostly because it’s a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed.” -Pico Iyer

 

Travelling is uncomfortable at times, but it is in the uncomfortable that you grow, that you learn more about yourself and humanity, and find how rare and beautiful it is that we truly exist.

So, where’s next on my itinerary?

After a few domestic trips, I’ll be headed to Barcelona, Spain and Marrakesh, Morocco in July! Until next time friends, cheers!