Why Travel?

Some time ago, a friend asked me “why do you like to travel so much?”. Snarky Bill almost responded with a “that's a stupid question”. But the Slightly More Evolved Bill thought for a moment, and realized it is actually an interesting question, one that I hadn't given proper consideration. Why do I like to travel? There are a multitude of reasons, and I often don't think of the why of travel, just the how.

Why do I like to travel?

1)  Because I Can. At least for now. I can still get out of bed in the morning under my own power, and that may not be true next year/month/week. I know that this life is a limited engagement, and want to squeeze as much out of it as I possibly can. I remember growing up, hearing my grandfather's stories of the places he wanted to travel, but he waited too long, got sick, and never went. I don't want to be that guy. When visiting my Mom in her final years, I noticed that the people around here that seemed to be the happiest were the ones that had interesting stories of adventures they had been on. I want to continue to build those memories while I still have any memory left.

I have generous flight benefits thanks to my son's airline employment, and that may not be true next year/month/week. I want to use the benefit while I can. I feel a moral obligation to fill at empty business class seating heading to Amsterdam from PDX when I see it calling me from the web site.

2)  Differences are Fascinating. Different people, customs, food, plants, animals. I enjoy observing the differences in how people live and what they think about this world we all share. Those differences usually make me look at things a bit differently once I return home. Ours is not the only way to do things, and often not the best.

Sometimes the more minor the difference, the more interesting I find it. On a trip to the UK in the 70s, I noticed that at all the B&Bs, they always unplugged the TV at night, out of a fear that a late night power surge would blow up the TV and burn the house down. In New Zealand, all outlets have on/off switches next to them, and everyone is careful to turn them off when not in use. Not a bad idea, but why don't we seem to worry about such risks in the US? Someone in Tasmania just commented yesterday that they were nervous on a trip to the US when they found that the outlets all around them were unswitched, as if the electrons were going to sneak out and get up to some mischief.

Grocery stores are a favorite observation platform when in foreign lands. In Colombia, all produce is priced and measured in kilos, but potatoes are priced by the pound. Why? Never got a good answer on that one. In Sicily, the 4 aisles of the super-grocery store dedicated to pasta in every shape and size was no real surprise, but it was a sight to behold!

I enjoy meeting people from other places, to learn how they view the world. We have very seldom found anyone in our travels boring. The people who would interact with us always seem to possess a curiosity that I sometimes find lacking in the US. I would much rather hear about your father arriving in Capetown after a long sea voyage from Wales, alone, at the age of 12 and making a go of it than I would to hear about how much your neighbor is paying for their 4 year old's birthday party. Just saying....

3) The Obvious: Many trips are driven by a desire to sit on a warm tropical beach, to see friends and relatives, to visit world class museums, or view natural wonders. These are often why we plan a trip, but not always the most memorable part of the adventure.