Humans have the itch to travel and explore

by Mark Pavilons

“Oh the things you can find, if you don't stay behind!” - Dr. Seuss

Theo was spot on with many of his tidbits that he shared with generations of readers.

“We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment,” read a mural at Hamilton International Airport. I saw the quote when I picked up my eldest from a short trip to Alberta to visit her cousin.

Lexie is the world traveller of our family and “oh the things she has seen.” She's been to Europe, New York and LA. She did humanitarian work in Rwanda and Kenya. She's done work in Guatemala and spent time in a small fishing village in Trinidad.

We encouraged her of course for the very simple reason that travelling is something you may or may not have the opportunity to do later on in your adult life. Carpe diem is good advice for anyone, don't you think?

“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so ... get on your way!” Seuss recommended.

The pandemic kept most of the world house-bound for far too long. Many are itching to break free and get out of Dodge.

According to an article in the National Geographic, travel is wishful thinking, an activity where we never know what's going to happen. Travel may not be a rational activity, squeezing into a seat aboard a contraption flying above the clouds. The long lines at airports is also one of those irrational necessities.

From sustainable tourism, eco-tourism, bucket-list tourism, we long for an escape.

I remember my mom telling me that I simply had to take Kim on a Caribbean vacation – here's nothing like it, she would say. She knew, deep down, that visiting strange new places opens up our mind, heart and soul.

She was right, of course.

Kim convinced me to travel with my Mom to Mexico for one last hurrah, before my Mom got too old. She often told me this was the best trip of her life and I was happy it brought her joy.

Kim and I were lucky to have sprinted off several times during our “courtship” days. 

Each destination was more unique than the last. From the casinos in Vegas to “booze cruises” in the Bahamas, we made great memories.

I wouldn't trade those adventures for anything in the world.

Lexie always makes it a point to immerse herself in the culture and cuisine of every land she steps foot on. She's lived with host families and visited street vendors in Guatemala – some of the best home-made dishes ever!

Of all the places I've seen, my advice is to be curious, venture off the beaten path (if it's safe), talk to locals and don't rush. Try something on the menu you're unfamiliar with. 

Watch a local artisan actually make their crafts.

Look and listen. You will see and hear some magnificent things.

Our ancestors were nomadic, chasing food and more hospitable climates.
Our ancestors were storytellers – elaying tales of far away places and people.  Like a good book, who hasn't been mesmerized by a passionate tale of action, adventure and strange creatures big and small?

With limited travel experience myself, I'm glued to the TV watching travel shows and anything National Geographic. Of course, armchair adventurers live vicariously through these amazing images and footage of far-away mountains, valleys, rivers and forests.

I give one big nod of approval for technology and TV programming for beaming such beauty into our lives.

In our closed-circuit world of social media, we can see things we've never imagined. But we can't touch and taste. They say our technology is a trap, has isolated us more than ever before in our history.

With 195 countries across the world, that's a huge amount of real estate to visit.

While we don't all travel regularly, I'm sure most of us have a “bucket list” of places to visit.

Mine include Japan, Greece, Italy, Belize, New Zealand, to name a few. And yes, bring on the heat!
Lexie, who just finished her Yoga certification, wanted to enjoy a yoga retreat in Bali this fall, but her plans fell through. Machu Picchu is also on her must-visit list.

I am also a big fan of ancient archaeological sites and I would love to visit many ancient wonders like the pyramids in Egypt; Easter Island; Stonehenge; Gobekli Tepe, and Anasazi, to name just a few.

There's so little in our modern society that could be considered chin-droppingly awesome, I want to experience that with such ancient wonders.

But travel isn't cheap and requires a lot of time and planning. The advice that has always stuck with me while on vacation was to bring half as many clothes and twice as much money!

Of course, there are more destinations that time allows. Perhaps we all should have paid more attention to that in our younger years, and set out an exploration time table. One special trip every few years in our 20s, 30s and 40s would definitely set the stage for our twilight years.
While many can enjoy a bright, beach-filled retirement, others can't. I don't know what those years will bring, but I really don't want to wait to find out.

I have joked with Kim about selling it all, getting an RV and travelling the wide-open roads across North America. Being stuck in a vehicle with me is not really her idea of a perfect road trip.

My son recently mentioned that his goal is to own an island and be one with Nature. People aren't his thing.

I think everyone has an idea of the best place to be. Maybe if we start by finding the best place “inside,” we can travel to the best location “outside.”