Have we lost touch with what the true essence of travel is all about? In the hustle and bustle of the western world we dream of finding that relaxing escape on the beach where you can shut off your brain, plump yourself down on a lounge chair with a Mai Tai in hand and forget about all your worries. I’m not saying that this is a bad thing, everyone deserves the right to relax and rest in a beautiful setting, but are we missing out on what travel is truly all about?
Although you may come back from your relaxing beach escape feeling rejuvenated and well rested, you may seem somewhat unfilled. Maybe you feel you should have ventured out more, tasted the delicacies sold at a food stall, interacted more with the locals, or even attempted to learn a local dance. Well, the reason why you may feel this way is that it is ingrained in our blood to keep moving and exploring new places.
Let’s travel back into history starting with the nomadic hunters and gatherers who needed to travel and stay on the move purely for survival. From there came the development of ancient civilizations in Rome and Greece and people began to travel in search of new riches, to discover strange lands, to meet new people, and to trade unique offerings. After that came the Vikings whose sense of adventure enabled them to brave the seas and settle on new lands in Iceland and Greenland.
By the 16th century, travel immerged into a rite of passage for wealthy Europeans as part of their education to learn about the art, culture and history of other destinations. Then came the development of the rail systems making travel more accessible, cheaper and affordable for all sorts of folks. And with the addition, of airlines and cheaper travel options even more individuals caught the travel bug and ventured out to explore new places ad venture into the unknown. So travel has always been in our blood and there is a natural desire to keep moving and exploring.
So what happened? When did this shift begin where we want to just sit and do nothing while ‘traveling’? Have we lost our natural instinct of exploration? Are we just too overworked and tired to even think about trying new things?
Well, sometimes people just need a little push out of their comfort zone. Once you reconnect with the true essence of travel you will find out what you have been missing. Travel is about cultural exchange, trying new things, discovering new environments, and creating relationships with new people.
The world is waiting for you… discover its beauty.