How to make most of your travels?

“I cannot rest from travel: I will drink / Life to the lees. . .” said Ulysses, “For always roaming with a hungry heart /Much have I seen and known”. The travel bug that had smitten man the day he was born is very much alive in you and me today. For, why would we otherwise unsettle our well-settled lives, pack our backpacks, and take the trouble of venturing out to explore unknown lands? To make most out of our travels, it is crucial to understand the importance of traveling. Yes, man has always been a traveler.

History is replete with heroic tales of his daring journeys. From the tales of the great warrior, Gilgamesh and the Biblical story of Noah to the legend of the great hero Ulysses and the saga of the brave traveler Sindabad – man’s earliest and most beautiful memories are full of magical and awe-inspiring tales of his long and adventurous journeys. Some of his journeys turned into myths, fables, and epics and some became treasured records of history like the account of the journeys made by Huin Tsang and Fa Hein, two Chinese travelers who came to India some thousand years ago. So, let’s explore how to make our travels memorable and special.

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And a gray mist on the sea’s face, and a gray dawn breaking.”

- John Masefield

Traveling is not just about doing some sightseeing, chilling out with family and friends in luxury hotels and resorts, enjoying some thrilling adventures, and shopping; it is much-much more. I remember meeting a family which had come to see the Andamans during the winter vacation. I met them on a beach one beautiful evening – the sun was setting and the sea waves were roaring and rumbling on the rocks. But, unmoved by the beauty of the colorful evening, the family kept complaining without end – there was no fun, they were bored, they would never come back. I also chanced to meet that day a newly married couple that seemed equally indifferent to the captivating beauty of the sunset – the two were busy all the time taking selfies. They had come to the traveler’s paradise, not because the irresistible call of the sea had compelled them, but because it has become a big trend and craze among the new generation to honeymoon after marriage. I felt sorry for them and it was then that I realized that most of us do not know how to travel. Yes, to travel is to discover the place, the people, and a new way of life, but more than that, it is to discover ourselves as well! While we make a journey, the journey makes us too!

Therefore, before setting sail, we must remind ourselves that to travel is always in some way or another to connect with our rich legacy. To make our journeys special we must remember that man’s race to conquer the world began, no, not with Columbus or the European colonizers, but with the first journeys made by the first family of our ancestors, the Homo sapiens. They left their home in Africa tens of thousands of years ago on nothing but two feet and small rafts. Thus, it is true beyond doubt that traveling is in our genes – it’s encoded in our DNA. If there is one thing that is indisputable, it is the undeniable truth that man is not made for sedentary life; his machine is designed to travel, to explore new horizons. It is this very undying thirst that compels a man to make daring sea voyages. So, set out with the right spirit for the right results.

Following the footsteps of our forefathers, we millennials have set sail on little spaceships for the shores of the dark, unending, timeless sea of our universe wherein our earth, our first home, is nothing but a little island! Think of that and then of the journey you are about to make – you will notice a certain similarity; why the motivation behind both of them is the same – they are nothing but attempts to explore the unexplored! Thus, To make most out of our travels, it is necessary to keep these golden rules of traveling in mind.

Firstly, come out of your comfort zone and try something new – something you have never done before. It will boost your personality and make you understand yourself better. It is said that we are our biggest enemies because we tend to become slaves to our habits over time. You will be able to make most out of your travels if you see traveling as a chance to break the rigid mindset and old habits and practices.

Secondly, go slow. If you keep racing through places, you will never be able to experience the soul of the place and connect with that. Moreover, you will deny yourself the chance to set your mind and imagination free for some time. Let’s not forget that traveling gives us a rare opportunity to see ourselves in a new light. We often judge ourselves – our achievements and failures – very wrongly. Often, we are very short-sighted too. Traveling broadens our mind and soul – it enlarges our understanding of time and space.