Loneliness is an essential part of travel

“You are simply not lonely enough when you travel with companions… Spells of acute loneliness are an essential part of travel. Loneliness makes things happen.”
–Jonathan Raban, Driving Home: An American Journey (2011)

Posted by | Comments (2)  | October 6, 2011
Category: Travel Quote of the Day


2 Responses to “Loneliness is an essential part of travel”

  1. Davis Says:

    True words. When you travel alone, people will take you into their lives, as they are much less inclined to if you travel with a companion.

    For myself, the great value of travel has been as an internal experience, which is diluted when you have a companion to distract yourself from your internal experience. That is one reason why I would be against tweeting or e-mailing while on the road, as they would detract from your complete immersion in the place and people around you. You are not really there if part of your mind is elsewhere.

    I have never done it, so I don’t know, but I might think that blogging from the road would not be as distracting if you are not writing for and thinking of a particular recipient. I suppose that might be a question for someone who has traveled with and without blogging.

  2. Rudolph Aspirant Says:

    I totally agree. I have never had the experience to associate blogging with travel, however. I am only now realizing, thinking about it, that when I travel, I am less predisposed to introspection, and I tend to open myself to the outside real world much more than usual, letting it occupy, even invade my senses, most of my time. I seldom THINK, reflect, or even daydream, while I let myself FEEL REALITY more, when I travel.