Girl holding a "Free Hugs!" sign. Photo: Jesslee Cuizon / Flickr

Is happiness a state of mind or a state of place?  The answer may be is that it’s not so clear-cut, and one can lead to the other.  An article titled How to be happy anywhere sparked this train of thought.

To be fair, a lot can depend on luck.  You may be struck by serendipity, and have one great experience after another in one place. Like when you meet a great person, and end up exploring a locale together.  A new friend can make an average journey into something unforgettable.  Long after you’ve forgotten how much the place ticket cost, you’ll still think fondly of the cool people you met along the way.

On the flip side, you could encounter endless problems during a trip and associate it forever with bad memories. For example, I had a friend who faced a marathon of mishaps on a journey to the Philippines (he went during typhoon season).

Travel is a gamble, but fortunately the odds are in your favor.  Have you ever had “buyer’s remorse” after purchasing some new product?  I’ve never had that with travel.  Despite enduring sickness, visa hassles, and worse, I’ve always been glad that I took that leap abroad.

Where were you the happiest?  What made that location so memorable for you?  Please share your stories in the comments.