As Nyma and I prepare for our next road trip, I’ve been thinking a lot about my insatiable urge to travel. Why do I feel so inclined to keep moving? What is it about the open road that keeps pulling me back? Answering these questions wasn’t as easy as I thought, but I’ve finally been able to put words to my motivations. As always, I feel nervous about setting out on a long adventure, but reminding myself why I love to travel has me jumping up to pack my bags!
A desire for the unknown
At the heart of every journey is a desire for the unknown. When you’re traveling from point A to point B, you’re going to encounter things you could never expect. It can be both exciting and terrifying. New people, places, and obstacles lie on the road ahead of you. Each one you encounter is exactly what makes each journey unique.
Sounds a lot like life, doesn’t it? I’ve always liked when sages like Neil Young refer to life as a trip. It’s easy to forget sometimes, but life is the greatest journey of all. Start treating it like one! It won’t last forever…
Break free of my shell
For some reason, whenever I find myself in a routine I begin to close myself off from my surroundings. Anything familiar tends to fade into the background as my mind grows accustomed to them. Strangers pass in and out of my life with little or no interaction. I’ve talked to many who have experienced the same thing.
My explanation? We build a shell around ourselves to shelter us from the world. This can have benefits, like providing structure to help you achieve goals, but it can also make you rigid and narrow your perspective to the point where you are blind to your surroundings.
Travel is a wonderful way to break free of this shell. Something about seeing new places totally shakes up your world and you’ll begin to look at things with fresh eyes. Even things that may have felt familiar can suddenly feel new. There’s nothing like changing your perspective to help you appreciate what’s in front of you.
Experience awe
Nothing inspires me quite like climbing to a new peak, admiring an incredible vista, or gazing at a starry sky. Why? It is moments like these that remind me how grand and marvelous this world is, and how small I am in comparison. Any problem I may be dealing with seems to shrink into an anthill and everything feels alright. Likewise, it makes me feel grateful for all I have.
This is the power of awe. It is humbling and magical. If you are smart, you seek it out as often as you can.
These are just a few of the reasons inspiring our next journey. Our destination is Vancouver Island via the Pacific Coast, paying a return visit to the stunning Olympic Peninsula. Once there, Nyma and I plan to explore the island thoroughly, perhaps ferrying to other islands and mainland BC at some point. We’ll have about two months – plenty of time to hike, get lost, and feel awe.
Did I leave anything out? We would love to hear what inspires your journey in the comments below!
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