Why We Travel

“For in traveling to a truly foreign place, we inevitably travel to moods and states of mind and hidden inward passages that we'd otherwise seldom have cause to visit.” Pico Iyer

Why we travel indeed. My passion for travel has been such a constant in my life the last 15 years that it is hard for me to remember a time when it wasn’t a part of me. The passion has intertwined itself so deeply into my daily thoughts and is always within arms reach whether I am dreaming of new adventures or wistfully recalling fantastic escapades of the past. It has forever redefined my outlook on life and has influenced me in irrevocable and positive ways.

Travel gives me a much needed break from the realities of life. It is also an opportunity to clear the cobwebs from my head and recharge. But more importantly it is a source of immense inspiration. Traveling gives me the space to be exposed to other cultures, discover new locales, and allows me to learn about myself. Over the years it has given me the confidence to believe in myself again; to dream and aspire to do great things with the life I have been given. And what is no doubt going to be lifelong project, it is slowly teaching me how to become the person I want to be.

Pico Iyer, a favorite travel writer of mine, tackled this still very relevant topic over a decade ago. His essay, Why We Travel, is one that I reread every few months when I am in need of an extra dose of stimulation and motivation.

Iyer starts off his essay with one of my favorite passages:

“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again -- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.”

I think that Iyer captures and eloquently expresses the reason that travel is such a passion for some of us. But don’t take my word for it, read Why We Travel for yourself and let me know why it is that you travel.

Park Life – Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego, CA

  

Three weeks ago, you may remember that I wrote about my love of parks and the inspirational sculptures that can be found in Vigeland Park. The park I would like to showcase this week is Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego, CA. This national park is named after Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo, who has the distinction of being the first European to set foot on the West Coast of the United States.

Name: Cabrillo National Monument

Location: Southern tip of Point Loma Peninsula, San Diego, CA

Size: 160 acres

Park Highlights

Cabrillo Monument

The monument of Cabrillo commemorates the 1542 landing at Ballast Point in San Diego Bay. The sandstone monument, which stands 14 feet tall and weighs 14,000 tons, was donated by the Portuguese Government in 1939. Additional details of the life of Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo can be found at the Visitor Center.

Perfect Day Out and About in Salzburg, Austria

If someone were to ask what I think the perfect ingredients are for a day out on the town, I would have to say that the day would need to include good company, some sort of outdoor exercise, a bit of culture, and an afternoon drink in the sun. This agenda has served me well in many fine cities around the world. I have found that I can get a good sense of a city’s character using this set of criteria.

This week’s perfect day out is Salzburg, Austria. The city is probably best known for being the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and providing some of the stunning city scenes from The Sound of Music.

During a recent a nine day Eurotrip adventure that started in London and ended in Zurich, I found myself in Salzburg for two nights and one full day and knew just how I wanted to spend the time.

Biking

First order of the day is to get out and explore the exquisitely preserved city of Salzburg. One of the most enjoyable ways to get around Salzburg is by bicycle. Bikes can easily be rented from the Central Train Station or many hotels also offer free or inexpensive rentals. After picking up pastries from a bakery in Old Town, join the locals and other tourists on the numerous bike lanes strategically placed around this compact city. Head out along the banks of the crystal-clear Salzach River with the pristine Alps looming in the distance.

Picture of the Moment - Japanese Friendship Garden

Overlooking the Koi Pond