The Joys Of Travel

It’s no secret that Kathy & I love to travel. We’ve often joked that people probably wonder what we’re running from. But that would be the wrong impression. We love to travel because we enjoy seeing new sights, interacting with local people, learning about history and just generally getting out in the world.

One thing that we’ve learned consistently is that no matter where we are, from Nebraska to Portugal, people are people. Everyone and every place has their issues, but every place also has its pride, its unique history, its interesting culture and significant landmarks. Once we get out and away from TV news, (anti)social media and hand-wringing podcasters/bloggers we realize that we’re more alike than we’re different. We all have problems and our problems have different names, but we all face similar issues. And for most of us life goes on, albeit better for some than for others.

Admittedly, the travel that Kathy & I like to do is by many standards very low risk. We aren’t hitchhiking through Morocco or cycling through Nicaragua, and we do prefer cruise ships, comfortable plane seats and nice hotels with a good restaurant and bar. I recognize that we have the advantage of a bit of (hard-earned) privilege compared to many people and situations. But time spent in a country where the language is something other than English has some unique challenges, which while relatively benign, is usually enough risk for us! Admittedly we haven’t yet gone someplace where we were completely helpless, but we have experienced a taste of a language barrier in a few places. It’s a reminder that we’re not the only people in the world and that sometimes we’re the ones who need to adapt and to be flexible. What a concept! Trying to order food in a Spanish or Italian restaurant where English is less common is a humbling experience. Most but not all places offer English menus, but servers do appreciate when guests make the effort to use the local language, no matter how clumsy!

Language is usually the most obvious sign of our differences, but there are many others. The kinds and flavors of foods are different from place to place. Some countries drive on the left side of the road. Bikes have the right of way over pedestrians in some cities. Stores and restaurants close for lunch or siesta, and some businesses still close on Sundays. And not just Chik-Fil-A! I’ve not had Indian food in India, but I have had it prepared by Indian chefs on cruise ships. Would I like to visit India? Of course I would, but does a taste of the food make me happy? It does!

We visited a local (Charlotte) spice shop lately, and the woman working there commented about how friendly most of her customers were. Kathy said she thought it was because “we all cook.” The idea that the creativity of and satisfaction from creating interesting meals at home makes us just a bit more open and friendly. I think the same holds true for many travelers. Sure, there are a few people that are out to check off the “must-do” place or to post the next photo, but there are plenty of people like us who just want to get out and experience the world. And I think that travel spirit makes us just a bit more friendly and interesting.

Traveling to other places truly expands our horizons and stretches our imaginations. I think it makes us more aware of the realities of the world we live in, and helps to put in perspective our needs, wants, and yes, our problems relative to the rest of the world. We all have our issues, and wherever we live and wherever we’re from, there is a certain amount of disappointing and depressing news. We’re not alone, and no matter how dire things sometimes seem, understanding where we fit in the scheme of things helps us to appreciate what we do have and realize that maybe it isn’t the disaster we’re led to believe it is. We’re always glad to be back home, but it is never long before we start looking forward to the next destination.

The list is long, and time keeps getting shorter, darn it. But each time we head out, we think about how best to experience the place where we’re headed. And we look forward to stretching our comfort zones and our horizons just a bit more.