The Open Road

Its an interesting phenomenon.  Everyone seems to like the idea of travel, or say they want to travel, but how often is it that they take a break from their lives and go explore the world?  Hardly anyone does.

Its a sad fact that only 37% of Americans actually have a passport according to the latest stats put out by the State Department.  How many of those have stamps to prove that they’ve gone and experienced something different than their own culture? We can’t be sure.  For most Americans it seems to be a question of “When can I find the time?”.

What is Travel?

The truth is that travel is many things and people should define what is to them. Travel can be an escape from your normal life where the bills, school, kids, and all the rest of lifes normalcy piles up on top of you until you feel like you’re drowning. Its important to remember that traveling is a way of relieving stress, but it should not be though of as an houdini escape act from your life.

It can be a learning experience in so many ways. When was the last time you got to interact with a sherpa from Nepal, kayaked with a local in the Amazon basin, or traded stories with a stranger from Norway while having coffee in Costa Rica? No matter what you do while you’re traveling, you’re forcing yourself outside of the comfort bubble you have built for yourself back at home where you have a circle of friends and a stubborn routine. Get out there and see why different isn’t always a bad thing.

What you get out of it is up to you

There is no magic potion or formula for good travel. Everyone has their own idea of what they like and dislike, and it is up to the individual traveler to decide what is and what is not a sound experience for themselves. It is up to you to get what you want out of your experience.