I know the answer to the question ‘Why Do We Travel’ is very individual. But let us explore it via what is in fashion about travel these days and see where it leads!
One of the most common theme doing rounds seem to be that we travel to find ourself. Well since I never managed to lose myself I feel I have no need to find myself! But then I guess it is just me?
Next comes the thought that we travel to know the unknown, yes I agree we try to know the unknown with our mobiles and tablets loaded with every app that would predict with certainty about everything that is there to know!
Then comes the variety that to travel is to awaken, now with the common office goer is anyway so much sleep deprived that many look forward to catch up on sleep on their vacations rather than being ‘awaken’ on an obscene hour by the alarm! Now a true photographer is different, they still need to chase the dawn for their pictures and they may like to get awaken.
Then comes let us find some beautiful place to get lost, of course with a sat phone and google maps! Hot water and electricity also welcome, a pizza joint in the vicinity would be priceless.
Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer, till my pay checks keep coming in either regularly or from somewhere. Otherwise my bank balance shows a tendency to run towards empty very fast.
A journey is measured in friends rather than miles, yes Facebook friends and their likes actually. I have nothing against facebook but I somehow detest the current hype around travel.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow mindedness, till it comes to debates like tourists vs. travelers. Then we display prejudice, bigotry and narrow mindedness in all its glory.
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving, all very well, but next time I am going to tell this to a country’s Visa Office and see their response.
Travel is never a matter of money but courage, OK next time I will try to pay my bills with courage.
I mean I can keep going on and on and on. But then why has it so gone out of fashion to travel just on a simple, pure vacation?
Lovely post Mridula. It does seem to have gone out of fashion to just travel on vacation. Why do I travel? I do it to escape, for a break, to explore….. But above all, because I can’t stay all the time at home. 😀
I know Anu most of have more non glamorous reasons to travel! 😀
You said all points cent percent right…. Travel truly molds an individual in his / her life and makes him / her truly humane…. Very good thoughts!
I did this very tongue in cheek 😀
With you on this.. whatever happened to – ” Let us go on a holiday 🙂 “
I agree Prasad, plain and simple.
Though travel for a break from daily routine is common in our life but I want to travel just for the sake of travel… and I get inspired by you …keep travelling and enlightening us 🙂
Moon but I have a daughter, a full time job and I travel in between. Not for any fancy reasons!
I travel to rejuvenate myself from the everyday mundaneness 😀 any place will do…..not that I’ve to live in luxury hotels or have to visit renowned tourist spots. Even a simple village, a lesser known riverside do the magic for me… 🙂
Loved your thoughts here Mridula on travelling 🙂
Thank you so much Maniparna. For me too fancy hotels happen only on blogging trips 😀
You are absolutely right, sometimes you just do not need any reason to justify something!
That sounds exactly like my state of mind on travel!
Somehow I like to connect with past and then watch with awe the advancement we humans have made. 🙂
And then you went to Athens! No wonder you had a gala time.
Crazy traveler don’t require any reasons , they just look for opportunities 🙂
I so agree Mahesh.
I don’t identify with ‘finding or getting to know myself better thro’ travel.
However, I agree with travel making me richer. I do feel enriched with every trip I make, coz it just means I’ve seen a little more, learnt a little more.
Have a great week, Mridula. 🙂
Divya the entire post is tongue in cheek! 😀 You too have a great week.
I completely agree with you on the point “we travel to find ourself”. i particularly love to talk to myself specially while trekking.
But you see I never lost myself Amitabha 😀
Excessive travellers on the planet, more than what t can take? 🙂
Niranjan, and I so like air travel! When it became synonymous with pollution 😀
I like to travel to make some good memories, Mridula.. Like I love my parents and often remember how I used to live with them before marriage and the first fond memories comes to my mind are those of the family trips I had with them and so I am keen to travel with my husband and my daughter.. We travel together, cherish each moment, enjoy the diversities, fight a little in between and love a lot 🙂 And yes click pictures to travel again through them in my old age if I get to live that long. Your post made me wonder all this.. Thanks 🙂
Soulful: To Chaya Mam
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Roohi. Family travel is always fun in spite of those little fights. 😀
Being a women, you are doing great. I Love to travel a lot but currently my situation makes me to stay aside of traveling 🙁
Thank you Devi, as a woman I expect myself to do great!
Well put. Also agree travel is about courage.
Param, but no one accepts courage as currency 😀
the click is just mesmerizing!
No more words required….
Kudos!
Thank you Anirudh.
I just like to travel to get to know a new place.
Also we have so much to see in India…. one full life might be less to unravel the mysteries of our nation!! 🙂
Me too quite happy to see a new place in India.
Thought provoking article… I am not sure if I am a traveler or a tourist, I love what the new place makes us to experience… I just receive it… I must add, I love to read your posts and see your photography that doesn’t hype anything. I feel as if I am experiencing when I read your posts…
Thank you so much Sindhu 😀 I do not like to hype things.
I suppose many people travel to recharge their emotional batteries 🙂 I can draw upon every little trip for days and days, extracting my impressions and making them a part of my everyday reality.
AWESOME POST OF FAGU,MRIDULA. YOU ARE SO LUCKY THAT TRAVEL OFTEN. IN 2014, I WITH ALL MY FAMILY VISITED SHIMLA AND NEARBY PLACES. FAGU WAS LEFT BEHIND. WE WILL SEE IT IN FORTHCOMING SUMMER.
TRAVELLING IS JUST LIKE AN INNER WAY OF SELF REALISING. I FEEL UN BARRIERED WHILE TRAVELLING.