What is the allure of travel? What makes so many so ready to jump on the next bus or plane to go to a different place? Can you catch the travel bug and why is it important that you do?
Travel develops your ability to understand other cultures and people first hand. It is a great thing to read but it is even better to go meet people and see why they think or act like they do. You might even enjoy trying to do things that might not make sense to you because of the culture you were brought up in.
It makes you a well rounded person. You get to see the world from other perspectives and get to engage other people. Travel changes the way you see things. Your worldview changes.
It creates the most amazing friendships. Traveling usually brings us new friends, some of whom we keep long after the journey is over. Some remain friends for a lifetime. Sometimes when you are traveling you need a place to call home and if you already know somebody where you going the journey seem less scary because you know that somewhere on the other end of the journey is a friend that you had made on another trip.
Traveling is not as expensive as you think it is. You don’t have to start with expensive trips. You can do a local trip to see the beautiful sights in your country. If you are in Nairobi for example you can head to Naivasha, Nakuru, Meru, or Mombasa. But there are so many things to see in Nairobi as well. Have you been to Uhuru Park lately? There is Paradise lost on Kiambu road and Ngong hills in Ngong.
It will help you learn a new language. Going to a different country may give you a chance to learn a new language. It could be as simple as learning a few new words or if you are great with languages you could learn enough to carry on a conversation.
It is an adventure. There is nothing as exciting as planning to travel to a place where you have never been. There is a sense of childlike adventure about it and it keeps the adrenaline pumping.
Traveling is an education. The things you learn are things that you cannot learn in school. You get to know new cultures, foods, language etc. You learn about the economics and politics of a different place. You grow, you learn and you don’t come back the same.
It helps you to get out of a cycle of boredom. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut doing the same old thing. Traveling gives us a chance to reset our mental clocks. We are able to think outside the box in a different situation and sometimes find solutions to problems that have eluded our grasp because of seeing it in the same old ways because of being in the same old places.
To fulfill a lifelong dream. There are probably places you have dreamed of going. One day you may have the money to go. It brings a sense of achievement to actually tick something off your bucket list. And when you do dream of somewhere else to go. That is the fun thing about travel, once you do it once, you will be tempted to do it again.
Travel because it is fun. It is fun to drive out to somewhere new or to meet new friends. Travel is a fun activity.
You will have so many stories to tell when you get back from your travels. Even a disaster on the road can be something to laugh about when you get back to the safety of your home. You will have great memories to last a lifetime.
It will develop skills you never had. Go eating with chopsticks in China. Or go biking on a scenic route. Learn to sail or how to fish. Traveling allows you an opportunity to get to learn new things.
You will try new foods. Some you will love and some maybe not. But you will be richer for the experience. Maybe you will even get a recipe that you can pass down to your children.
Travel because you can. Don’t say I will travel in 5 years or when I retire. Time waits for no man and your adventure is waiting for you now. All you need to do is accept the challenge and go out.
The road is calling. Will you answer?
