Why I Travel

For a while now I have felt like my life is missing something. When I feel like this, I immediately think, “That’s ridiculous. What else do I need?” In the past few years, I accomplished everything one is generally supposed to do to be considered successful and happy. I graduated from high school, graduated from college four years later, and shortly after that I landed a job in my industry in this awful economy. I am surrounded by incredible friends and family that mean more to me than words can say, and overall my life is in a solid and stable state. So why do I feel so dead?

Following these conversations, I decided to take a vacation. I hadn’t taken a vacation in about 2 or 3 years. I just needed to get away and clear my head, and I figured that would fix my problem. Although it was always a thought in my head as something I’d love to do, I never did much traveling because I either did not have the money, or more importantly, anyone to go with.

A friend of mine recommended a trip to Mexico through a tour company called Contiki(contiki.com). She said most people go by themselves and the tours are well planned out so you don’t have to think much. At this point I was so desperate to get away I booked it that day. People thought I was nuts for going by myself, but to me it felt liberating.

After three long months of painful waiting, I was on the plane to Mexico. It was the best decision I have ever made. I discovered so much about myself that the world finally fell into the perspective that I needed to see it in. During my time in

Mexico I felt so alive and truly saw how much bigger the world is than me. I saw that the stability I had at home was never going to give me this feeling of freedom and exciting uncertainty that I had fallen in love with.

When I came home from the trip I immediately began to scheme ways to travel more and for longer periods of time. On my trip in Mexico I met so many incredible people that changed my life and showed me ways to make it happen. It was a kick in the butt to go after something that some people only dream of doing. Shortly after I came back, a friend of mine who is currently traveling sent me this quotation:

“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. “-C.J.M

I felt a little emotional after reading it which does not happen to me often. For once in my life, I believed in something. This quotation verbalized my feelings and encompassed my new perspective on life completely. My adventurous spirit has been reborn and is ready to fly again. I have discovered my passion for the world and how much I want to walk among its many wonders. I’ve been inspired to begin this blog and make plans to start my journey. I plan to leave my home and see where the road takes me in all of its excitement and uncertainty. And that, my friends, is the greatest feeling I have EVER felt in my whole life. That is why I travel.