As a kid and to this day even, one of my favourite games to
play is the one where you spin a globe, plant your finger on any place at
random and then imagine all the fun adventures that await you. I would be shocked if you could honestly tell
me that you have never once tried this in your entire life. I know the first time I spun the globe and
planted my finger on a random destination I was pretty young. The
globe I used was of the out-of-date vintage variety sitting in my grandparent’s
living room that still listed Russia as the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics. I was severely disappointed
to be told that I was about 57 years too late to visit Siam (which was renamed
Thailand in 1939).
Have you ever taken the time to look at a map of the
world? And I mean really look at
it. Have you noticed just how big the
world is? It has so many different
countries of a variety of different sizes, geographic locations, climates,
cultures, topography, and other distinct features that makes each place unlike
anywhere else on the map including their close neighbours.
And yet, at the same time, the world is also incredibly
small. Despite the vastness of the
oceans, with modern technology, people can visit literally anywhere in the world
in under 24 hours. But somehow, only a
few people will ever see more than a small fraction of it. How many people live their life in their own
little corner of the world and think they have experienced a different culture
because they eat Chinese food every Thursday night?
I don’t travel anywhere near as often as I would like
to. My hit-list so to speak of places to
see grows exponentially faster than I can check places off the list. Some of my less “flighty” friends, pardon the
pun, often wonder why it is that I love travelling and even the idea of travel
so much. There is no one single answer
of course but I will try to explain it as best as I can.
Travelling is always a new experience that can never be
duplicated. I don’t care what country, city
or continent you visit, but your second trip is never going to be like your
first and your third is going to be even more eye opening. Some people argue that this is true of any
experience. However, in defence of my
argument, going to the theatre for the first time to see Mamma Mia was an
experience. The second time my mother
dragged me, not so much. And by the third time, I felt an overwhelming urge to
toss the soundtrack CD that she picked up as a souvenir out onto the freeway as
we were speeding home. Touring the world
however never gets old. I could visit
Cuba every year for the rest of my life and always find something new and
exciting to witness be it the art, the music, a new little hole-in-the-wall
restaurant or the even the local people.
Travelling is beautiful.
Whether it is the bustling city with the street vendors or the vast
hillsides out in the middle of nowhere, I am constantly amazed with the variety
of landscapes and wonders that our world has to hold. That might sound a little too sentimental for
some people, but I really do find our world to be incredibly beautiful with all
the intricate details be them man made or found in nature. Everything is so unique, alive and colourful
that as someone who has a background in art and an eye for design, I can’t help
envy the world’s unique and complimentary sense of style.
Travelling is a learning experience. Whether you classify yourself as a nerd,
jock, prom queen or otherwise, I think everyone in the world has at least to
some degree, a sense of curiosity and a hunger for knowledge. People want to learn, discover, ask
questions, get their hands dirty and find out what makes the world go
round. I have learned so much over the
course of my travels. The people I meet
always have something new to share. The
different cultures I come across are always eye opening and expand my
viewpoints, challenging my opinions on certain topics. I’ve learned much about how other people
perceive me and my own culture. I’ve
learn how to prioritize and how to relax when things don’t go according to
plan. I’ve learned how to communicate
better. I’ve learned that folded paper
maps are better than the electronic ones because the batteries in a paper map will
never die and that only when I forget my rain jacket at home will it rain the
entire week.
People travel for a variety of different reasons. Each person is motivated by different
things. Maybe you are motivated to
travel because for once, you want Thursday night Chinese food to actually be
served in China and not your living room couch.
Maybe you travel because as a child, you spun an old globe in your
grandparent’s living room and decided that you needed to see as much of the
world as you could. Comment below and
share why you love to travel.
