These last two weeks have reaffirmed that travel is good for my soul! Hopefully, you noticed that I did not publish a FFfT last Friday. Instead, I took a break and enjoyed my trip. I’d like to say this was intentional, but the reality was that as the trip progressed, the schedule became packed and there wasn’t time to focus to write this blog. I admit, it drove me a little crazy, so maybe I still am a workaholic 😊. The schedule forced me to pause from my regular activities, to slow down, and to focus on just one thing. The trip, and the people I met on the way made it a truly amazing experience. We really bonded as a group and these relationships have already led to plans for future trips. We shared common experiences that were outside of our daily lives, which is a great way to build new friendships. Travel is a great way to do that, but so are hobbies and other group activities.
Travel, though, happens to be my favorite. I travel for many reasons; to learn and grow, to experience and discover new things, and sometimes just to escape. A few years ago, my goal was to travel outside my area once a month for at least one weekend. Some of those weekends were tacked onto the end of a work conference, some were very elaborate, and others were simply a quick drive to the beach. Each trip had its place and purpose, and in most cases, I learned something new, met new friends, or strengthened existing friendships.
Don’t get me wrong, traveling can have its challenges. Even on this trip, as amazing as it was, there were moments that I just wanted to be left alone (being with 11 other people for 13 days can wear on you) or just wanted the bus ride to be over (some were 3 hours long). At times, the hotels and restaurants did not meet my expectations. But I was not on this trip to complain, I was on it to have new experiences, meet new people and learn about new cultures. I was there to feed my soul. Mission accomplished!!
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous
How do you feed your soul?
V-