HONK!

Always great to think about...

Just a couple of thoughts ...

It's not that I travel to escape a mundane life at home. I love my life at home. In fact, one reason we rent apartments rather than hotel rooms when we travel is because there's nothing better than a candle-light dinner and a good glass a wine with my best friend -- my wife. I do it at home every day and barring the occasional special restaurant meal, why would I do something different when I'm traveling?

For me, the difference between going to a great museum, a beautiful canyon, or a fabulous restaurant when I'm travelling as opposed to at home is very simple: when I'm travelling I may never return to that place again. (My wife and I tend to travel to places only once.) So when travelling, everything is by necessity very special.

Considering I can't find a watering hole I even like in my area,that does have some lure. Since I'm a single black woman who travels alone I have to be careful obviously when doing the pub thing. I do love to over indulge.

I still visit my local museums and I'll sit in parks here in soak up the day. I just love the history and meeting new people and having wonderful experiences abroad.

;-)

Mind you I've been drinking,so if none if this ma kes lick of sense.

I travel to see learn about different cultures and appreciate what they have to offer. It also gives me time to reflect on my own life!

nice thread.

travel is opening oneself up to the possibilities that life cannot be complete without learning and growth. And these transcend over and thru, many cultures and communities.

we have only one life.

"Until the end of time, I am the only one who will ever see the world through my eyes and I want to make the most of it."
I don't recall who originated this quote - I'm not even sure I have it quite right - but in a nutshell, it's why I travel.

This was facinating to read. I quess we all do it for the love of it. Why else would we suffer the long security lines at airports, long flights, multiple connections and jet lag. I particularly love the comment from another earlier response.

I am therefore I travel.

I love that!!!!!!!!!!

We change. We change as we age. We change as we move. I stayed in the army for 20 years because it allowed me to keep changing.

Travel is one of life's greatest agents for change. I am a different person watching storms come across the North Sea than I am shopping for groceries in Würzburg. I like finding new versions of myself in new surroundings.

I also like to revisit places where I lived and visited before, just as I like to listen to old music and reread books. I want to remember (not revive) versions of myself.

Live to change, move and travel.

Regards, Gary

I do not travel to escape the mundane existence of life or to learn about different cultures: I travel to learn more about myself. When I travel, I develop and heighten my own self-awareness. In my travels, I have learned that there is no one in the world I enjoy and adore more than my husband, I am not afraid of heights all the time, I can drive on the left side of the road, I love my skin color in every country I am in, I miss my dogs immensely when I am away from them, an amazing painting can touch me and stay with me forever, I will always be generous to beggars, I am thankful for the ability and knowledge to question the policies of my country, despite going to many churches, temples, and other religious sites, I am not and will never be religious but I believe strongly in a spirit and humanity of all people that binds us together. When I return from my travels, I am more me.

My family & I travel because we love seeing new places, learning about other cultures and trying new things. It's all about the experience and the food.

It's far different from when we were kids. Our travelling was mostly limited to visiting family. I got the travel bug when I was stationed in Germany. We love to travel and as a family are always discussing where to go next.

We're not weird in that regard to Fodor's forums, but to our families and friends--we're usual. Most people that we know have no desire to see Europe.

Our son is 11 and he's been to 4 other countries, so far. He flew to Europe for the first time when he was 5 or 6. I feel it's an amazing opportunity and one that many his age just don't have.

I love this quote because it expresses one of the things I love about travel...it keeps one in the "now"..more alive :

“To my mind,
the greatest reward and luxury of travel
is to be able to experience everyday things
as if for the first time,
to be in a position in which almost nothing
is so familiar it is taken for granted”

Bill Bryson


We are on a very slow and relaxed world tour as a family and we started when our child was 5. We do a combination of moving via camper , using mass transit ( and even planes if necessary) and long term rentals.

http://www.soultravelers3.com/

What motivated us was to learn , grow , expand, enjoy. I can not imagine a better education for my child than this experience of getting to know the world in deeper ways.

We have only been doing this 6 months and we already see the benefits and only wish we had done it sooner.It has enriched us all in countless ways and we are so grateful for the opportunity.

We are at an age where we knew it was now or never to see those "someday" sites before we die and while young enough to enjoy it and life as a field trip seems most appealing to us and how we learn.

Talk about community based education at its best! Travel also creates wonderful bonding as a family and shared experiences.

It is interesting that when we move and tour we are more like tourists and when we stay put for months we get a much deeper understanding.( And yes we can see ourselves in the tourists). Both are good.

I suspect some people actually travel to find out if the "must sees" really are.

Mi Novia forces me to travel.
She even buys a meal or two.
M

WTnow-

Thanks for sharing the link to your blog. Your trip/lifestyle sounds enchanting and your photos are just gorgeous! Your journey is an inspiration.

As children, we have fantasies that are carried out later as we travel...seeing castles, going on adventures, getting lost...nobody wants to dissappoint those little souls, still inside us, who used to dream so vividly and wanted to touch everything like it was real. As adults we are free to do it...so we should, and must...As humans we are inquisitive; through travel we learn answers and gain perspectives...and our questions are answered in different ways throughout the cultures as we travel...we are richer for these experiences and the memories only become sweeter.

Thanks Blueswimmer, I appeciate that! It is great to hear you enjoyed the blog.

Always great to read these responses.

To relax and see a different way of life.