Why I Travel

I was just complaining about how Central Asia is underdeveloped - the trains and roads cross country lines, visas make things difficult, the areas aren't fully safe for tourists but I think that's part of the magic of travelling. It's about blending in (or trying to) and just going with the flow. Trying local cuisine off the streets and squatting behind a wall (because one normally causes the other).

I always love the perspective and passion you get when you travel - you see life in such a different way and when you're travelling suddenly the conveniences you took for granted seem less interesting. You don't have an urge to play xbox or watch a movie. You're more likely to just find a spot outside and read a book - your mind somehow is more receptive and you become totally okay with chatting with a stranger and enjoying life. Maybe it's also because a lot of other countries aren't so intense as we are back home, but I think it's more than that.

I liken travelling to The Alchemist - it's all about the journey of self discovery. Questioning, reflecting - following in the footsteps of so many others who journeyd around the world to find an answer - only to find more questions. Nasir-e-Khusraw, the famous central asian poet and philosopher, remarks in his poetry the centrality of personal search in an effort to reconnect to consciousness.

"...he has written in his Safarnama that on a certain night he saw in his dream some one saying to him "How long shall you go on drinking the wine that ruins the human reason ? It is high time for thee to become sober". He answered in the following words: "The wise have not invented any better means for the purpose of reducing sorrows of the world", the addresser of the dream said, "Senselessness and unconsciousness do not bring peace of mind. One cannot be called a wise man if one leads people to unconsciousness. It is necessary to search for something that flourishes reason and increases wisdom.He asked,"Where can I find that?" The addresser replied: "Those who search will find, and waved his hand in the direction of Qibla saying nothing more."
(http://www.amaana.org/ISWEB/khusraw.htm)


Whatever reason you travel - do it more often, we need the change of perspective.


Great article + photos:
http://archive.salon.com/travel/feature/2000/03/18/why/index.html

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/07/19/travel/20090719_WHY_slideshow_index.html

Thanks to Tim for the links + idea for the entry