Towards a Philosophy of Travel

Filed in archive Good Read on October 19, 2008

What did insomniacs do before the invention of the World Wide Web? It's been almost one week since my return from Italy, yet I am still on Italian time. Unfortunately, this is 8 hours ahead of Mountain Time. That said, there's some great stuff to be found in the wee hours of the morning. In fact, it was in this time frame that I discovered one of my new favorite travel blogs: http://www.worldhum.com

So I'm up at 3AM. Even my greyhound and one remaining cat are asleep. I begin to think about the reasons that people travel. Most people will tell you that they travel to get away or to see the world. However, I believe that there is another dimension of travel that allows you to get inside and see yourself.

Having been raised in New York City, I once thought I lived in the center of everything. Then, I set out to see the world. Had I not visited Egypt, spent a summer studying Italian in Perugia or visited most of Europe and other places, I would not be where I am or who I am today. Travel makes us more complex. We are no longer the "typical New Yorker," "typical Californian," or typical name your stereotype here.

Under the right circumstances, each time we visit a new place, we incorporate a bit of it into our own being. Travel inspires a spirit of adventure that can give us the courage to take risks and make changes in our lives, such as pack of everything and move to Colorado.

So, while I'm pondering deep thoughts about the reasons for travel, I come across this interesting article on World Hum. It was written by Rolf Potts, and was titled: 10 Sizzling Hot Travel Tips from Sir Francis Bacon.

The 17th Century English philosopher Francis Bacon was famous for his essays on travel. In this article, Potts interprets Sir Francis' travel writing advice into modern English. These include:

• Avoid "quarrelsome" travel companions. This might make a good case for women's travel groups!
• Look for companions who will challenge you. It's easy to only talk with English speaking people. It's also a cop out. The best way to learn about a place is through its people.
• Keep your journeys alive by maintaining correspondence with people you met while traveling.

Although these ideas were written by a man, I believe that they have a special relevance for the female voyageur. Inevitably, travel will often have some sort of problem. This can actually be a good think. It forces us to think outside the proverbial box and make quick decisions.

I recall my first solo trip to Egypt. Egypt Air had fowled up my reservation from Cairo to Luxor. I faked some tears and told them that I was a travel writer on my first assignment, and now I won't be able to get to my destination. Years later, my little fib came true!