It's the journey - not just the destination. Why we travel

A journey to a destination but also through life.

Why is it that we have this drive to explore?

People who love to travel (not just vacation) but want to explore, and learn about other people and cultures will understand where I am coming from here. It's a drive to learn and see everything we can on this planet.

 I think it's also a way for us to improve ourselves as humans. I feel that I have grown to be a more understanding and tolerant person because of the traveling I have completed.

Life's journey (like traveling) can be at times, a joy and also a struggle. Both life and traveling can be an adventure or a battle to get to where we aim to land.

What are some of the most challenging or interesting journeys you have taken to reach the destination you were planning to get to?

Did the planned destination change because of the journey?

I have one great memory of when I was traveling through Europe for the first time. I was 23 years old and with my cousin Marina. We were backpacking and using a Urail pass to get from place to place.

One of the joys we shared was when we were standing in front of those large train timetable screens that were in the main concourses of all major city stations back then in the 1990s. I don't remember which station it was, but we were just struck but the possibility that faced us  - we gazed up at that screen and saw destinations like Vienna, Paris Rome, Munich. All locations that we had only dreamed of visiting. We were so euphoric at having the freedom to go to any destination we wanted - it was our choice.

We had no rules. It was one of the most liberating feelings I had ever had in my life and I think I still crave to feel that freedom again.

I don't remember where we ended up going that day, but just to have the ability to go anyway was amazing.

I love trains. It's an exciting way to travel. To be able to relax and watch the world go by, to have the flexibility to disembark anywhere. It's romantic and you can move around, randomly meet new people, and strike up a conversation with an interesting stranger.

 I think that's why the movie "Before Sunrise" is embedded into my psyche and love so much. It's about two strangers meeting on a train and making a connection.. It's a coming-of-age adventure that you may relate to the story. I highly recommend you see it!

Oh, I also have had some horrific stories of train journeys but on reflection, are these not just experiences in our life that help shape us? I once had my day pack stolen while sleeping on an overnight train through France. That was scary but you adapt and go on.

I think we need to be brave when traveling to destinations unknown.  I remember when I was traveling by train (and ferry, bus, and tractor - but that's another story!) to visit my grandfather in Croatia for the first time. We were in Split, Croatia, and needed to find a way to the small village that was the ancestral home of our fathers. We had the address but were not sure which station to disembark from. 

With our limited Croatian, we asked the train conductor for help (yes they were around in the 1990s - no internet or Google Maps here!). The conductor asked us where we were headed. He then proceeded to walk up and down to the train calling out our grandfather's name to all the passengers, as if they knew of our family!  Well, one older man stood up and claimed that he knew our grandfather and would assist us to reach his home.

We thought he would just help us by advising the location to get off the train, but no. When the train reached the location where we needed to get off,  the train just stopped.  No station, just stopped and we were instructed to get off and go with this man.

It was the middle of nowhere. No town, only one house that appeared to be this man's house.

The blind trust we had to follow this man who eventually guided us directly to our grandfather's front door was pretty awesome! I am so glad that we all have no fear when we're young and can trust that we can all get to where we want to go.

My motto - is just keep taking those steps forward and you will reach your desired destination. Cause it's those 'steps' that are how we learn.

 keep going... 

love Julie