LuAnn wrote two very nice pieces on travel on WIA or she calls wea. It stands for Women In Agriculture and the forum is on www.agriculture.com She is a highly kudo's poster on that forum because she has many friends there and she is an excellent writer.
"The thing about travel is the desire to experience sensory pleasures that are completely different from your own environment. Viewing natural landscapes or a work of art, tasting local cuisine or wines, listening to music or theater of a region or locality, touching objects that are foreign or unfamiliar or touching natural objects from a different environment,.... That is what makes travel valuable. Even the air smells different in different places. Who would think that something as simple as breathing in a new environment could be so much fun??!!
It enables us to step outside of our comfort zone and stretch our world view. The phrase "broadening your horizons" accurately describes the experience.
I understand that people have an aversion to tourist traps but those are not what I consider true travel. I would consider a Disney World experience a vacation, but I would not consider it a cultural experience.
To enjoy travel you have to be flexible, curious and adventurous. We've met some very seasoned travelers who admit they once did not like to stray to far from home but they became travelers through a passion or hobby. One couple had a passion for Civil War history, another for flowers and gardens. Those interests fueled their desire to explore.
For us, our love of agriculture and my photography has taken us places. Our desire to see the land of our ancestors has motivated us. I cannot begin to explain how connected I felt in Paris and in Nova Scotia. Those were the lands of my people.
I would sacrifice a lot to afford to travel. I cannot imagine the person I would be without the sensory experiences I have enjoyed.
My motto is "you can't truly live life from a recliner in front of TV or behind a book". There is no substitute for been there done that. Even the smallest adventure can yield the biggest benefits. "
Going to Indy or NNTC used to be a big adventure for me. Now it's only small and it seems more work than benefit this week. I do have a lot of good friends myself though counting on me and I know I will pick up some good ideas. I always do.
I will see some of you in Indy, safe travels!
Ed
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