Over the past few years, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on why I travel. I’ve always been a traveler. I was three years old when I took my first trip to Denver, Colorado, with my family. According to my mom, I showed early signs of the world travel I would become on that trip. At the end of a very long day I asked, “So, what are we going to do next?” When told we were finished touring for the day, I laid down and went to sleep. I guess I was ready to be refreshed for the next day’s adventure!
My family did not do a lot of travel while I was growing up. Our vacations were spent at Texas beaches, and sometimes at New Mexico ski slopes. We went to Disney World once when I was in middle school. But I always dreamed of international travel and somehow convinced my parents to let me go to France with my French class when I was 16.
As an adult, I’ve sought out every way to get to as many states and countries I can. Along the way I met Amanda and we became instant best friends and travel buddies. And about 20 years ago, I landed a job that required me to travel internationally a few times per year. And of course, Amanda and I started Extravelgance which led to offering group trips.
But why did the travel bug hit me so hard? I’m still not entirely sure, but here are my theories!
Why I Travel
Discover New Cultures
I love seeing how other people approach the world. It’s always interesting to see how they dress, what they eat, how they worship, and what their houses look like. At the same time, I realize that fundamentally almost all humans have similar goals and dreams. They want to ensure that their lives are secure and happy and to make the world a better place.
Step Outside of My Comfort Zone
I’ve lived in the same place and worked at essentially the same job for 20 years. There’s not much in my day-to-day life that is a surprise. And this is nice and comfortable to me. But I know I need to be put outside my comfort zone to become a better human. And travel does this for me. Even if I’m traveling domestically, I have to face the unknown that comes with travel. And that’s good for me!
Jazz Up Life with Adventure
Related to above, my day-to-day life can be a little boring. I go to work, sit in front of a computer, send and receive email, go home, cook dinner, and spend my evening watching a screen. Then I get up and do it all over again. Travel helps me break free from life’s monotony. I get to discover a new place, taste different foods, and avoid screens entirely except for snapping photos of the exotic new things I’m seeing (and to navigate around, of course). Travel is freeing in this way – it refreshes you and makes you appreciate the mundane day-to-day – as long as you have another adventure planned in a few months!
Connect with Others
Travel is definitely my love language. I show others I love them by planning awesome trips and managing every detail so they can sit back and enjoy the vacation. Then I love the shared memories trips give us for years to come.
Appreciate What I Have at Home
One thing I think I like most about travel is that it makes me appreciate what I have at home. I may complain about traffic where I live, but it’s nothing like the traffic I’ve seen in China or India. I may hate paying my taxes, but I definitely appreciate the infrastructure we have compared to most developing countries. And I may sometimes be frustrated mopping my floors or cleaning my bathrooms, but I definitely appreciate not having dirt floors and latrines like in some homes I’ve visited in Africa. I am a privileged American. Travel reminds of this and hopefully makes me a better person for acknowledging this privilege.
Why Do You Travel?
I encourage you to think of your travel “why” – it will enhance your trips and make you even more grateful for the opportunities you have to see the world.
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