Discovering the Wonders of Traveling -

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Exploring the world and discovering new places is one of the greatest pleasures that a person can have in his life. Mark Twain once wrote that “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness” and the fact is that when we travel, we become more accepting and understanding as we are exposed to different foods, cultures, places, and people. While it may sometimes seem like planning an elaborate trip is an insurmountable task, it is worth it ten to a thousand times. Below are some thoughts on why traveling is so great and enjoyable.

Embracing Otherness
Another aspect of travel that I adore is the opportunity to move from being a mere spectator to a participant albeit for a short period of time. Sampling new dishes, exploring crowded markets, and talking to people feel like you are really a part of something. When you start discovering various values, family models, arts, religions and many others, one starts respecting the diversification of the human beings. Thus, the more people learn about other cultures different from theirs, the more tolerant and kind they turn to be.

Experiencing Natural Wonders
Travel lets you marvel at natural beauty – great mountains, powerful waterfalls, blue-green bays that can hardly be captured on camera. The world has some of the most stunning geographical formations including the Great Barrier Reef, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Swiss Alps. It is inspiring when one is out in the natural environment and away from common day to day physical and mental interferences. It is also quite refreshing to be brought back down to earth and be reminded of the sheer size of our planet.

Bonding with Travel Companions
Traveling adventure is always fun and exciting when that fun and excitement is shared with another person, usually a friend or family member which makes the bond to be very strong. The fun that comes with exploring together gets recorded in the heart as sweet memories. And as you go through issues such as transport delays, language issues, confusing maps or any other travel tensions, you get to understand how the individual approaches difficult situations and solves them. Suffering through occasional difficult times is actually what strengthens the bond. You make jokes based on your activities that you will both look back at and laugh about in the future.

Gaining Life Perspective
Traveling the world simply makes you view life through a different perspective. It presents you with such diversities of life – from a Masai warrior in Tanzania to a monk in search of his spirituality in Tibet. You come to the idea that the norms and belief systems which you were educated, are not the only ways how the world could be perceived, and how people could live. This fosters attitude of open-mindedness, curiosity and healthy skepticism. Travel also makes one focus on other issues and forget personal troubles. If you get too worked up about your job or your social life or other aspects of your life, it is good to take a break and appreciate how vast the world is.

Creating Lasting Memories
Most of the time we can recall how something was done during the first instance more clearly and more effectively than when it is done for the hundredth time. Travel offers an unending list of firsts – your first view of the Sydney Opera House or the first sip of gelato in Rome. These are the moments that burn our memories and keep on living in our hearts for years. Reliving the journey through the photos brings back the kind of feeling that makes you realize that you are not in Athens admiring the historical sites or the Caribbean blue sea. While traveling involves time, energy and money, the rewards one gains in form of memorable experiences that make life fuller is way beyond any price.