Women of Reddit who are “lovers of travel”, how would you describe its importance and meaning to you? How does it contribute to the life you want to have lived?

8 comments

1. It’s just fun. No cleaning, no cooking, no work stuff. It’s doing nothing in somewhere beautiful. I love being anonymous whether that’s in a small town in New England or a bigger city in Europe. I love trying new food, going to museums, shopping at cute little shops and walking. I love doing things like concerts, botanical gardens, hikes, tours, tastings, comedy shows, plays, etc.

   I work a highly stressful job and I love spending my time off doing nothing while I have no responsibilities. It’s a highlight to fuck off for a week or so and just drinking beer in some beautiful beer garden or whatever. It was super cool to see the tulips in Amsterdam or riding rides at Tivoli Gardens.

2. I love learning and exploring other countries and their cultures, experiencing things I could never experience at home. When I compare it to the country I live in, I either think “I’m so grateful for my home country” or “wow this country is actually better than my home country, I’d love to live here.” The latter I’ve only ever thought about 2 places. It’s important to me because I want to be well-versed in other people’s cultures. Not because I want to talk to people about their culture (I’m pretty introverted lol), but more just so I understand what makes different countries what they are. It’s why I also prefer to travel to the non-touristy areas of countries, but this isn’t always an option which is fine too.

   Architecture is different in different countries and can really showcase a country’s past/present/future – there’s different techniques used, different materials, different styles, and in places like Rome we have ancient cities that still exist for us to explore. Landscapes are different as well, as are flora and fauna. The greatest travel experience I’ve ever had was swimming with a whale shark, nothing has topped it since. History differs from country to country – the wars that were won and lost, the communities and civilisations that once existed that now do or do not, the way that nature was protected or used in the past and how it’s been preserved for today.

   I know for a lot of people travel is an escape from their life but for me it’s a chance to add more to my life and really shape my understanding of the world.

3. I grew up in a small town which I enjoyed for the peace and quiet. Also the hiking and scenery. I had to move for my husbands job and due to the nature of his work he has to live near large cities. The never ending traffic sounds drive me nuts and I travel to escape it. I love hiking and skiing in the mountains. My favorite places to travel too are Denver Colorado, Stowe Vermont, and Bar Harbor Maine. I also enjoy the smoky mountains but I don’t know that area that well so I don’t feel comfortable going by myself. I have left the country once but it was on a mission trip and I couldn’t leave the orphanage because the outside was too dangerous (Guatemala). I’d like to travel to more exotic places like Norway.

4. It’s a way to escape. Experience something new. See something different. If my life in my home in the city I live in was all I ever had, I’d go crazy.

5. Travelling is the meaning of my life. Especially now since I’m not satisfied with my life

6. For a long time, travel has been about escapism for me. It felt like I left all the sad things and issues behind me and I only focused on having fun and exploring a new place. Now it’s less about escapism and more about just having fun, but I still absolutely thrive when being on the road, it makes me feel alive 🙂

7. Different cultures have different perceptions of time based on their language. As a bilingual speaker, you can become really attuned to new dimensions that you aren’t typically aware of by learning a new language.

   I’ve also read that third culture children are more adaptable and versatile to change/upheaval.

   Ultimately, I think exposure to new terrains, languages, foods, ideology, cultures, religions all expand your mind in a positive way and can actually shape your brain. The above are just small examples. (The language one in particular is actually a really cool subject! There are some pretty incredible linguists doing really cool work to determine how language shapes us. But I digress…)

   Traveling is important. Just in the sense that this is our home. It’s beautiful. We should go discover as much of it as we can. In a more important sense, the phrase “widen your horizons” is a bit cliche but accurate. The most important of which is meeting people of all shapes, sizes, and colors. It can breed compassion, empathy, and a deeper appreciation of our world. I think everyone should experience living in another country at least once in their lives. (Although, I know that isn’t always financially feasible for a lot of people.)

   I want to experience and learn as much as I can for as long as I can. I’m not gonna do that by just sitting on my couch.

8. It’s my favorite thing to do in the world. If I would need to choose between never being able to travel again or never being able to do super fun activity X, I would always choose in favor of travel. I love getting to know about other cultures, history, art, talking to locals and learning how to cook their food, seeing nice architecture, connecting with nature, and taking some beautiful photos. It’s a way for me to broaden my horizon and to learn to appreciate the small things in life. It made me more relaxed, I learned to go with the flow and realized how incredibly privileged I am in my country and that I should have absolutely nothing to complain about. It makes me happier than anything else in life.