I love asking questions.
I’m with Socrates: questions are where it’s at. Questions dig deep into the issues at hand, challenge assumptions and never pretend they’ve reached universal truths about life (unlike statements, the fun-hating super-uptight older siblings of questions).
I also like asking questions because it’s a great way to get other people to do all the hard work.
So here’s a question…
“Let’s imagine I’ve never travelled, and I’ve never wanted to. What am I missing out on?”
Every midweek for the next couple of months, I’ll be lucky enough to have someone stop by and give me their answer, while I’m sitting in the background dozing or reading a book. (After all, this is what questions are for – to encourage you to read books, yes? So I’m being intellectual rather than lazy. Don’t doubt my motives on this).
This week, Robin Locker is stepping into the breach – and so without further ado…
*****
In this day and age I find it hard to believe that someone has never travelled. Sure, maybe you haven’t flown across the country or been to a place where you needed to speak another language, but I could pretty much guarantee that everyone has taken a long weekend at some point in their lives.
But for those who haven’t – or haven’t traveled far enough away, I’d like to share with you the reasons I like to travel. Perhaps these four E’s of Why I Travel, will help convince you to travel more.
To Escape. Work is stressful, family drives me bonkers and my daily routine can be mundane and tiring. I need to get away, just to recharge those batteries and give myself a new outlook on life. Whether it’s a week spent relaxing on a Caribbean beach or a long weekend in the mountains – I need that change of scenery to keep my sanity.
To Explore. There is a whole wide world out there – one that won’t be discovered unless I actively look for it. I’m curious and long to travel so I can appreciate nature’s treasures like the Grand Canyon and Alaska’s glaciers. I also find it fascinating to see and hear about ancient ruins, like those in Italy and Greece. There is no shortage of new places or activities and I can’t wait to discover them.
To Engage. Some of my most memorable travel experiences and best travel advice have come from interacting with those I encounter during my trips. The hotel staff, the waiter, the taxi driver or the shop owner – they all have stories and secrets of their homeland they are willing to share. I love the good feeling I get from trying to communicate in their native language, and learning about another culture.
To Eat. One of the most enjoyable ways to discover a new area, is through my taste-buds. I’ll never forget that first croissant in Paris or first lobster in Maine. Half the fun of travel is eating the local cuisine and experimenting with authentic recipes and ingredients indigenous to the area.
Robin Locker is a travel consultant for France and Italy, freelance travel writer and photographer. She writes about travel for MNUI travel insurance and on her own site, My Melange. She is addicted to social media – you can follow her on Twitter @MyMelange.
Images: Rengel134 and woofiegrrl.
Mike: Nice Idea–
Robin: Couldn’t agree more with your reasons–you will hear this a lot when I travel. ” Nice church. Where are we going for lunch?” Food, how people grow, shop, prepare and even sell their everyday food will tell you more about their culture and their real lives than any single other item. It’s all about the food.
Thanks for sharing Robin! Those photos made me want to visit Alaska. Beautiful.
‘In this day and age I find it hard to believe that someone has never travelled. Sure, maybe you haven’t flown across the country or been to a place where you needed to speak another language, but I could pretty much guarantee that everyone has taken a long weekend at some point in their lives.’
It’s worth remembering that the London Evening Standard recently carried a series of stories about poverty in London in which a mother on a sink estate within site of the towers at Canary Wharf had never visited them. And that some people in these areas are too poor to even catch the tube… we take travel for granted but it isn’t so for all. Even today in developed countries there are people who don’t travel, have never travelled and maybe never will.
What are you missing out on? Lost luggage and transport delays, for starters. Seriously, though, food, food and more food. Losing yourself in a foreign culture. Not being able to speak the language but finding out that you can communicate anyway with a smile and some basic sign language. Food. Not knowing where the hell you are and having an adventure because of it. Oh, and did I mention food?
I really like your blog and i respect your work. I’ll be a frequent visitor.
Dear Weight Lost –
Somehow I kinda doubt it.
If that’s your real name, by the way, I’d consider suing your parents. (It’s all the rage). I mean, of everyone in the no doubt long line of Diets family members, they give you the forename that will guarantee you will be flagged as Bad by every spam filter the world over. It’s just cruel. I’m actually upset over here on your behalf.
Not sure what happened to the link to your personal website there – I clicked on it and it sent me somewhere spammy – so I removed it. Hope you don’t mind.
Mike, that is the FUNNIEST response I’ve ever seen. Seriously-you should be a writer.
Great post, Robin!