The Art of Travel

Saint Augustine once said, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” And that is exactly how I feel. I imagine lots of people share this feeling with me. However I have come across a few people in my lifetime, a select, rare few, who unfortunately have not shared this viewpoint. And I can’t begin to imagine what my life would be like if I thought as they did.

My love for travel developed early on. As a young child, I was blessed to have parents that took me all over the country. They both loved to take trips and learn about new places. Before I was even five years old, I had already been all across the Northwestern states, into two Canadian provinces and to two Hawaiian islands.  Throughout my childhood, my mother and I would take road trips all over the country.  When my father remarried, I lucked out with a stepmother who was not only amazing, but who also worked for Alaska Airlines. Because of her, I got to travel on any Alaska Airlines flight for free.  In college I studied abroad twice and almost didn’t come back after the second time. It’s safe to say, I love to travel.

But like I said, I have met a few people in my lifetime that hate to travel. That think that their little corner in the U.S. is the best place on earth and they never want to experience anything else. Now, I know it’s not my place to judge but I can’t help but think of all they’re missing out on – experiences, cultures, people. Travel is how I changed my perspective on life; it’s how I developed compassion and empathy. How can people know what’s really out there, what life is really about, without experiencing the world first hand?

There are so many great travel deals out there all the time, making it so easy to see the world. I know that airplane travel is not as glamorous as it used to be, what with all the extra screening and waiting at the airports. But the cool thing is, that once you’ve reached your destination, it makes it all worth it. In my opinion, travel is the only way to have a full life. I know without it, I would not be who I am today.