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Someone once asked me if I was traveling because I was running away from something. The question took me by surprise—I had to stop and ask myself if I really was running away. But the answer was quickly ‘no.’ In half-Italian, half-English (equalling a less-than-ideal communication style) I tried to explain my motivations for travel. They only came out as simple superlatives—’Excitement!’ and ‘Adventure!’—without a trace of nuance that you’d normally have with a common language. I think he mainly asked because it seemed unusual for a solo American to hang out in his small Apulian town. I later found out he was happy with my answer, as though I had passed a test.
A post on Travellerspoint makes me think of this—it asks: ‘Is there a right or wrong reason to travel?’
I can think of one that I’d personally consider ‘wrong’: going solely because others want you to go. But otherwise, I don’t think there’s a right or wrong reason. Aren’t there as many reasons to travel as there are people traveling? Who’s to say what the right or wrong reason is?
Maybe you’re waiting for a new job to start. Or you need time to consider what your next job should be. You’re looking for inspiration in your life. Or you’ve found inspiration in a certain destination. You see an opportunity in your schedule. Or maybe you can’t quite put your finger on the reason.
The original post came from someone who decided on a whim to travel because he was unhappy with his job. He wondered if he was traveling for the ‘right reasons,’ and not just escaping responsibility. The responses gave good advice all around (mainly: you don’t need a reason), but I especially liked one: “Travel may or may not be the change you need, but at least you’re trying something…It’s a proactive step.”
Try to understand your motivations as much as possible, but don’t doubt them. You’re listening to an instinct, a call to the road. And that’s reason enough.
September 24th, 2008 at 6:50 am
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September 24th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Great post, Alison!!
September 24th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Actually, one of the biggest reasons I continue to live abroad is to be around other travelers. I love talking about travel, and it’s harder to to that in my hometown. If I do it there, people think I’m bragging or they just can’t understand.
Another reason is that it’s easier to travel if I’m already abroad. Proximity makes trips faster and cheaper. It’s fun to take vacations in other countries at the drop of a hat. The U.S. is so geographically isolated, it costs a fortune to get outside of North America. Taiwan is pretty central, I can fly almost anywhere in East and Southeast Asia within 5-6 hours.
When I’m in the states, I also feel a stronger pull to live a “conventional” life. While if I live abroad, that pressure is gone and I feel more free to do what I want.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
I’m now 18 years old but I like to travel so much,even I want to give up everything I have achieved, to travel throughout my country(Vietnam) and abroad.
I usually express my desire to travel with my friends and they response to question me “Why do you want to travel?”.That’s make me be like you “stop to standd and aa
and try to find out the answers”.Yes I don’t need to spen a lot of time.The reasons seem to have already been in my mind.however,after read your writing I find that youre right.No need to see how many reasons you have to travel.The only inportant thing is your and my inspiraton to travel to a certain destination in the world