TheTraveler

A Monthly Special Feature from The Traveler at TouristTravel.com

Why Travel?
By Lynne Christen

I am often asked why I travel so much. I guess part of the answer is that wanderlust is in my blood. My passion for travel was born at ten years old when I stepped onboard an airplane for the first time. From that moment on I was hooked. All I ever wanted was to become an airline stewardess. (We were called stewardesses in 1965 before flight attendant became the gender neutral title). Until I was old enough to fly, I traveled through books. I packed my imaginary bags and took off around the world inside the pages I read. I made lists of places I would visit someday. Today, after spending over 22 years as a flight attendant, visiting 45 countries and traveling throughout the United States, I’m still making travel wish lists.

Travel has changed dramatically since September 11, 2001. Yet, in spite of challenges, complications, and concerns, the pleasures and privileges of travel outweigh the problems and pitfalls.

Mostly, I travel because I love new adventures, new places, and meeting new people. No photo really captures the majestic beauty of the Grand Canyon, a rainbow across the entire horizon at sea, the romance of Paris at night, or the thrill of a hot air balloon over the Sonora Desert at sundown. No book or documentary fulfills the personal sense of history you feel when you actually walk paths of the past.

When we travel with an open-mind and open heart, we learn to appreciate that because cultures, beliefs, and traditions are different, they are not wrong. We learn new ways of thinking and new ways of approaching problems. Travel is an important source of continuing education. A passport filled with stamps from around the world or a journal filled with travel memories at home and abroad is your diploma.

Meeting people in their surroundings and learning about their daily existence guides us toward more compassion and understanding. Seek out opportunities to be a participant rather than simply a spectator when you travel. Being strapped into a torturous weaving contraption in Bali where the women painstakingly weave row after row, taught me a new appreciation for beautiful batik fabric. As a committed travel foodie, I enjoy learning to prepare exotic new dishes with totally different ingredients and tastes. Some of my favorite souvenirs are recipes shared by hosts in other countries.

Travel gives us the opportunity to become part of past, present, and even future history. We experience first-hand what it must have been like to build the Great Wall of China or the pyramids centuries ago. Standing in the midst of historic sites and before monuments to our past, such as the Arizona Memorial in Hawaii or the Viet Nam Wall in Washington DC, invokes deep respect for the sacrifices that allow us to be where we are today. It is not an exaggeration to say that travel is a life-changing experience.

A trip to a Presidential Inauguration or the Olympics puts you right in the middle of history in the making. And, from a lighthearted perspective, Hank and I enjoy seeing the places we have visited featured in the news or movies. It’s fun to say “Hey we’ve been there…right there!” It brings more meaning to headlines, articles, and novels when we personally identify with a story.

Finally, travel brings us closer together. Whether we travel with a significant other, close friends, or solo and make new friends, shared experiences strengthen relationships and create memories that bring pleasure, and warm our hearts for many years go come.

St. Augustine said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” Don’t stop with one page. If you’ve always dreamed of walking the colorful streets of Hong Kong, sailing across the seven seas, soaring in a hot air balloon over vineyards in Europe, or standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon at sunrise, don’t wait. Start your travel fund and travel plans today. Life is so short and many things we put off until someday or the right time never become realities. Happy Travels!

Travel writer Lynne Christen is author of Travel Wisdom – Tips, Tools, and Tactics for All Travelers (www.travel-wisdom.com). Contact Christen at travelwisdom@cox.net.

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