by Joe
Travel when I was young was much different from travel as I got older. Certainly most people would say the experience of travel changes for us as we mature. In addition to that, and more importantly for me, the feelings, reflections, and the thoughts that are provoked have changed immensely. I suspect this may be somewhat common to us all but I’m not sure if it’s the same for each one of us. I still enjoy travel on all the basic levels such as the excitement, joy, curiosity, and happiness felt at seeing new places and people for the first time. Even returning to places and events that I go to more than once, but only once in awhile, does the same thing. But I started to notice in my early adult life, (late teens, and early twenties) that travel also awakened in me a new access to ideas, contemplation, and awareness of self and how I fit into this great universe and perhaps even reality. I found myself doing some of my best introspective thinking, reflection, and planning while I was traveling.
My wife and I have done most of our traveling since our children became older. Before that we took the once a year vacation to Florida and enjoyed it very much. I travelled quite a bit for business, but vacations together with just my wife has been in the last 15 years. We’ve traveled the U.S. fairly extensively but have also been to Europe, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Tahiti. All of these places have been wonderful but the people have been equally if not more so than the actual places. The uniqueness of each trip, even if we visited a place for the 10th time, has provided a great thought provoking experience. Some of these contemplative thoughts have been initiated by the people we meet and some have occurred on their own, quite spontaneous. I believe that during many of the early trips, many years ago, I didn’t even realize how much my thoughts were changing while I was away (including my business trips) until later in life. I’ve since become aware of this and now look forward to the change. I think if you become aware of what’s happening, you too will experience this in an appreciable way and enjoy the wonders of the trip in a new way.
All of the senses are involved in producing this phenomenon. For instance, the sense of smell and taste are amazing and food and drink becomes a major focal point of all of our trips. These experiences make me wonder and think not only of how it pleases my senses but how this puts us in such an accepting sense of mind to experience other parts of the place we are visiting. Reading other blogs I know this to be true as most people comment in some way about the eating and drinking experience. Kind of cool huh, that we all use this basic need to energize and replenish our bodies to enjoy and learn about other people with which we share this great planet.
While this is only one example I think you get the gist. Paying attention to all of the senses while traveling will stimulate the feelings of place. While it may seem like it would be difficult while you are young and traveling with children, I think it’s just the opposite. Watching and experiencing new places through them only enhances the thought process and the enjoyment of the place. I see this more and more as we take trips with our grandchildren.
This may all seem like some heady stuff for a travel blog right? But as Bono once said as he finished one of his short treatises about an issue he cared about in the middle of a song, “am I bugging you? I don’t mean to bug you”. I just thought I would pass along a little bit of background info about how I experience travel, which you can use and consider, or throw away if you prefer, as you read my future articles.
Anyway, I try to always love the trip I’m on and try my best to take it all in, and take some time to notice the changes in my thoughts. I wish I had taken more time to write them down over the years but I know that they have happened and improved my life. I hope you can do the same. May you always have safe and happy travels, and Godspeed wherever you go.