TRAVEL

The act of traveling

Travel is one of the most exciting and enriching experiences a person can have. Whether it's a weekend getaway to a nearby city or a month-long adventure to a foreign country, the act of exploring new places can be incredibly fulfilling.

One of the best things about travel is the opportunity to learn about new cultures and ways of life. When visiting different countries or regions, travelers can immerse themselves in local customs, try new foods, and meet people from all walks of life. This can be an eye-opening experience and can broaden one's perspective on the world.

Another great aspect of travel is the chance to take in beautiful sights and landscapes. From the majestic mountains of Switzerland to the pristine beaches of Thailand, there are countless natural wonders to be seen around the world. Travelers can also visit historic landmarks and architectural wonders, such as the

Benefits of Traveling

Everyone keeps saying how important it is to travel. So what's all this fuss about? Why do people travel and love travelling?

More importantly: why should we travel more?

The benefits of traveling are not just a one-time thing: traveling changes you physically and psychologically. Having little time or money isn't a valid excuse. You can fly for cheap very easily. If you have a full-time job and a family, you can still travel on the weekends or holidays, even with a baby.

2020 has been a tough year for travel - to say the least. But don't let that discourage you from making travel plans in 2021!

Here are some of the main benefits of traveling, in case you need convincing. And I'm sure that once you get started, you'll find some more yourself!

1. Traveling Lets You Disconnect From Your Daily Life

This is closely related to my previous point. We tend to get so caught up in our daily lives that sometimes, by simply sticking around, we may do ourselves more harm

than good. Your boss is taking over your life? Kids are driving you mad? Your parents are trying to make you live the life they want? How long do you think you can handle this pressure before you burst and everything falls apart?

Sometimes it is best to take a step back, take a deep breath and take go that Tower Bridge selfie. In all seriousness, travel is not a bad option - it is the most natural way of inducing the feeling you miss someone or that you are missed. The trick is to leave with a bit of preparation to avoid making a mistake during your journey. Plus, if you're flying, you better start thinking about booking your tickets sooner than later.

2. Traveling Makes You Smarter

Get used to picking up new words in a different language every time you travel and you will see improvements in your brain capacities, as Dan Roitman wrote in the Huffington Post. If only this, start getting familiar with travel jargon.

Even more than "just" languages, traveling helps you learn about yourself. You might run into challenging situations where you need to be resourceful and think differently. I'm sure that you will develop a new set of skills that you didn't suspect you had within you.

3.Traveling Makes You More Interesting

I have no doubt that you're quite the conversationalist. That being said, including a few stories from abroad is likely to grant you even more attention. Mentioning something that most people aren't familiar with or bring a new perspective is always a good way to shine in a social situation. No need to write a whole travel essay, just discuss what you've seen and where you've been: people who are accustomed to their daily life will travel with your words.

During my trip to Egypt, my Airbnb host and I went out for dinner. He had been to some many different places, the conversation lasted all night long, and I wasn't bored for one minute.

If you're not yet an Airbnb user, use this link to get a few free credits and check out this post on how to get started.

Who do you think people want to listen to: the guy who spent his vacations at home doing some gardening and reading the newspaper, or the one who spent a week in Cuba, driving an old American car, swimming with dolphins and tasting deliciously spicy food? I know which story I want to hear about...

4.Traveling Improves Your Health

From cutting down on stress, to lowering your chances of developing a heart disease, the health benefits of traveling are huge. You may stay sitting on a chair all day long at the workplace: including some walking to your trip is sure to make your body feel better. For some people, wandering abroad is even a cure for depression and anxiety. Of course, it's not a foolproof cure, but it might help you feel better, both physically and psychologically.

Traveling more is likely to have a tremendous impact on your mental well-being, especially if you're no used to going out of your comfort zone. Trust me: travel more and your doctor will be happy. Be sure to get in touch with your physician, they might recommend some medication to accompany you in your travels, especially if you're heading to regions of the globe with potentially dangerous diseases.

5. Travelling Improves Your Understanding Of Other Cultures

Why we travel may differ from one person to another, but people travelling always develop empathy and a deeper understanding of other cultures.

Being more understanding and tolerant about a culture different than ours is part of being smarter, but I consider it as a benefits of traveling in itself. There is a quote by Saint Augustine, which goes “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page”. You could think of it this way: if you read what's in the news or watch the news on TV and don't question it, you're missing on a ton of information. You might think that it makes you smarter and more aware of the world, but it's the exact opposite: it narrows your mind to a unique and biased perspective.

Sure, you probably feel comfortable where you are, but that is just a fraction of the world! If you are a student, take advantage of programs such as Erasmus to get to know more people, experience and understand their culture. Dare traveling to regions you have a skeptical opinion about. I bet that you will change your mind and realize that everything is not so bad abroad.

6.Traveling Allows You To Try Amazing Food

Speaking of food, I bet you're one hell of a chef and your home meals are delicious. But there is no such thing as trying a typical local dish from another country. Don't trick yourself into going to the Sushi shop next door: you don't know what sushi tastes like until you've been to Japan. As you travel, you discover the real thing, and discover that it's usually very different from what you're used to.

Eating local food in a new country is an entirely new experience. All the flavors are different. Here me out: I'm French and I love our local recipes. You do to. But let's not kid ourselves: some change would be more than welcome in our daily diet. If only because we're naturally curious. Some food bloggers travel thousands of kilometers for a specific dish! The least you can do is travel to the next region and try something new.

7.Traveling Let you Create Lifetime Memories

My grandfather was an amazing story-teller and he used to tell me stories of the trips he made when he was younger. One of my favorites is how he tried eating with chopsticks in China for the first time. He regretted not traveling more as a young man. Years later, he still remembered everything in details: because traveling made a real impression on him. And it probably will on you too.

No matter how insignificant it may seem, the fact that you've had an experience abroad, something that was out of the ordinary, creates a memory that you will remember for a long time.

I think that creating those memories is why many people keep traveling.

Conclusion..

I hope that this travel article makes you want to travel more in 2020. As you travel, you realize that the world is a much better place than what you can see on TV when watching the news.

There is a quote by Mark Twain that I love: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.” Cliché as this may sound, the money you spend on travel, is an investment in yourself. Travel doesn't make you feel as bad for spending money.

And one last benefit of traveling: it might provide some money when your flight is disrupted! Did you know that you could get up to 600€ in compensation when your flight is delayed by at least 3 hours or cancelled?