Welcome to the Travel Therapy 101!
About the Blog or Why Travel Therapy, eh?
Why do people travel in the first place?
There are different studies about travelling and they proved that people who travel:
look younger
feel happier
live longer
I agree with those strong key points because I look happiest on my travel photos.
Have you noticed that all of these points are health related? I do not know anyone who doesn’t want to look younger, to live longer or God forbid feel less happy in their lives.
Travel Therapy will cover different thoughts as well as different domestic and international destinations in the landscape of importance to travel and benefits gained after being in the particular destination by simply relaxing and absorbing.
I can’t stress enough about mental health issues being in such high numbers in Canada: 1 in 5 people in Canada experiences a mental health problem or illness. Anxiety and depression can be prevented and can be fixed with Travel Therapy.
If it makes you feel better when you travel alone and you can only relax without anyone talking to you, than you probably are a Solo Traveler and there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, there are a lot of you out there in the world right now.
Your goal is supposed to be not only to tan but to recharge both mentally and physically, recuperate and rejuvenate, unwind and bloom again.
If you plan to go on a hiking trip across Iceland, you will have to first get in shape. Otherwise you risk your physical inability getting in the way of your spiritual discovery. And we travel to discover not only the destination, but ourselves. I never knew I loved pizza so much before until I tried the Italian one…
Being European I feel like North Americans concentrate more on values such as money versus travel. Yes, it is important to build a career, but it is also extremely important not to lose yourself along the way. I would suggest to go on a journey and not wait until retirement to travel. What if you don’t live that long or end up with some disease that prevents you from flying or even worst – from walking? How will you feel then about all lost opportunities of the Should I Just Go moments?
The human brain needs to be reset time after time. And since we don’t have a Reset Button, I would encourage you to travel at least once a year or however many times you can. The farther you go – the better. I wouldn’t suggest to go twice to the same destinations because life is just too short to do that.
Even by living in a super multi-cultural city often enough we do not have the luxury of getting out of Our Normal in order to observe Someone Else’s Normal. You only can reach that point while in another country and suddenly you realize that you can’t charge your phone because plugs don’t look the same on your hotel wall. Don’t dare to be mad, celebrate the difference!
I hear you say ”But I don’t have money and time to go on a 21 day Polar journey without wifi access”. I don’t have that kind of money either, but if you take my blog into consideration, you will learn how to transform even a typical all-inclusive vacation into a once in a life time experience. Some of the examples will be not lying on the beach for the entire week but to take excursions, learn something new and exciting, talk to local people even if you don`t speak their language, craft your own souvenir, try every single freshly squeezed juice in the buffet instead of stuffing on meats, breathe equally and deeply that salty air and do some meditation or yoga right where the ocean meets the sand…
Also it is not a myth but you don’t need big money to travel. That’s why the phenomenon of backpackers exists. Many people travel around the world with their backpacks, staying in hostels or even do some little work for cash to pay for their food.
There are a lot of talks now about Traveler vs Tourist. I am afraid I am a little bit of both actually. However my advice will be to stop taking pictures for a minute and take it all in, feel the moment, be present. Do not look at the destination through the lenses of your camera! If you are someone like me there is a very little chance that you will ever look at those pictures again anyways because you are too busy figuring out and organizing your next trips and adventures.
You know how sometimes you take a walk to clear your mind? Now imagine taking this walk across the Charles Bridge in Prague during sunset. Breathtaking, right?
Travel is a huge part of this bigger thing called Life. That is why you will find different posts in the Life Blog section.
Travel is essential, it is like breathing, it makes you more open-minded and knowledgeable about yourself and about the world around you.
And if these deep thoughts do not motivate you to travel, I don’t know what will.
I promise to take you on a mental journey with a sprinkle of humor if you wish or just by pretty much being myself as to those who already know me…
I hope that this blog will become an inspiration to many.
Travel Therapy 101 