People who love to travel aren’t trying to escape the pressures of their everyday world. Instead, they are trying to discover the world anew by appreciating new places and meeting new people.
The joy of travel
Admittedly, travel is inconvenient. You’ll leave behind your comfortable home, sit in planes for hours, wait in line for grim immigration officers to rummage through your luggage and question your motives for showing up in their country, run after buses and taxis like a lunatic, and eat unusual foods that might upset your stomach.
So why do it?
It’s simple. Travel is good for the soul. It refreshes and renews you. You’ll notice it provides unexpected benefits. You may feel more soulful, empathetic, and in touch with the present moment; or you may experience unexpected insights that lead to more personal growth.
Interestingly, even unrelated things—relationships and careers–appear to miraculously improve because you have a new perspective on life. You’re suddenly eager to talk to more people or advance your business aspirations.
Places to go, things to do
So how do you take advantage of cheap flights, buses, taxis, and trains to go places you’ve never visited before? Whether you pack your bags for a day, a week, a month, or even longer, here are three ideas to set your soul free to explore the wide world:
1. Hit the wide-open roads
Although Route 66 is just a nostalgic memory in the collective American consciousness, the classic road trip itself is alive and well.
A road trip is a way to maximize novelty while minimizing the cost, effort, time, and distance it takes to find something new and interesting to marvel at.
You can travel around your local county or across the country. You can organize where you should go, or you can follow the road to see where it leads. You can go alone or travel with your best friends or family members. There is no right way to enjoy a road trip. Every day can be an adventure when you have no idea what you’re doing or where you’re going.
Besides a reliable car, you will need good auto insurance. If you don’t have it because you just bought a new car, there are all kinds of plans for all types of people, plans for good drivers and plans for drivers with a history of car accidents. Regardless of your track record as a driver, you can find the right insurance. In fact, it’s even possible to get insurance if you have bad credit.
2. Go on an African safari
“If I have ever seen magic,” said John Hemingway, “it has been in Africa.” Africa stirs a unique passion for people who love to travel. They return home to their colder climes with tales of sun-splashed days, rare wildlife, surprising adventures, and spectacular landscapes.
Think of how much fun you’ll have if you go on a four-day game safari through Tanzania.
3. Visit a Tropical Island
If you’ve ever fantasized about escaping to a remote island, then visit the Andaman Islands, a cluster of 300 islands strung like sun-blessed pearls between the blue sea separating India from Thailand.
Why the Andaman Islands? Because the beaches are unspoiled, the water clear, and the climate balmy. If you’re looking for a five-star resort, you’ll enjoy Havelock Island. Taj Exotica Resort & Spa have built luxurious villas on Radhanagar Beach that have been inspired by the huts of the indigenous people, the Jarawa tribe. You’ll spend your days swimming, diving to explore multicolored coral, kayaking through the mangroves, and hiking through the forest.
If you’re short on time or tight on money, then pack your car and visit your own country. Or if you’d like to glimpse the world before civilization turned much of the world into a metropolis, go on an African safari or hang out on an exotic island. Yes, travel is expensive and inconvenient, but you’ll have the time of your life.
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