There is an important difference between traveling and the travel experience. The definition of travel is visiting a new geographical location. The traveling experience is about a life changing, humbling, perspective altering experience. There are eight travel experiences everyone should have in their life.
Instead of staying in a luxurious hotel, or even a sleeping bag, everyone should sleep beneath the stars at least once. This can be accomplished with a blanket on the beach, a patch of grass in a fragrant field or a camp bed in the backyard. When you stretch out to the sight of a sky filled with stars you are seeing the universe. This moment teaches life is not about any single individual, the concept is as vast as the endless night sky.
The Sea VoyageDue to technology, most people travel on a commercial flight. They pay more attention to the dinner menu or the in-flight movie than to how fast they are traveling. This concept is completely different when traveling on a boat. You can watch the harbor slowly disappear, embrace the open water, and the wind on your face. This makes people appreciate how fast long distances can be traveled, and the joy of traveling these distances slowly.
Everyone should travel to a destination with a completely different culture. This can be a place with a solar glare as bright as the sun, or air much thinner or thicker than you have ever breathed. A place where there are no roads, or the roads are the size of a football field. Culture shock is experiencing people, customs and landscapes different from anything you have ever seen, read about or imagined. Seeing firsthand the diversity of the planet is an exhilarating, and often strange experience you should not miss.
Although food from every nationality is readily available, something is lost as the recipe travels. There is no comparison between a taco made in Mexico, and a taco made in Kansas. Travel to Japan and savor the Kobe beef, partake in Guinness from Ireland, and relish in the pizza made in Napoli. Choose you favorite food and travel to the country where it originated. Learn the difference made by the growing and harvesting of the local hands. Taste your favorite dish made with the traditional preparation and seasonings for an entirely new experience.
We learn about religion mainly from the media, and ignorance breeds prejudice. Explore countries with all different religions, and meet the individuals who live their lives according to their beliefs. You can understand and appreciate Buddhism when you visit a mosque with an imam. You can learn how to appreciate religious customs from other cultures, gain an understanding of the precepts, history and practices of the religious beliefs of people all over the world.
A casual yet steady walk brings peace. There is no better way to appreciate the vastness of the earth than traveling on foot. You can get lost in your journey, take the time to enjoy your surroundings and see the sights. You cannot appreciate the symmetry of the blades of grass, or the feeling of the morning dew on you skin by using Google maps.
Fear is an incredibly personal emotion. Some people are both exhilarated and scared when bungee jumping, and others are absolutely terrified at the thought of visiting another continent. This is something about traveling that scares nearly everyone including getting lost in an unfamiliar place, eating alone, climbing a mountain, or purchasing a train ticket when you do not understand the language. Whatever scares you the most is what you should do. Once your fear has been conquered you will be empowered and much stronger.
Many of the ancient construction methods remain unexplainable, and go back in time 4,500 years. The Coliseum in Rome was the setting for barbaric battles with gladiators, our early ancestors left cave paintings, petroglyphs and churches 2000 years old. Visit these exceptional monuments to the past, touch them when allowed, visualize life far into the past. It is amazing so many of these structures have survived the centuries. Standing by these phenomenal places provides a true appreciation of the past.
Planning a trip? Try this method to plan travel experiences you can actually enjoy here.
The best possible traveling experiences must be personalized. Not everyone has the same interests as the next person. Some people will try every experience possible and repeat their favorites. What is important is that you make the effort to give each experience a try.
Author Bio for this guest post:
Summit Shah has a deep interest in photography, and the beauty of the venues all over the world. He has traveled extensively, yet there is always a new area he wants to visit including the Torres del Paine in Chile, the Kimberly in Australia, Antelope Canyon in Arizona and Central Park in New York.