Hello to my fellow bloggers and blog-lovers! I’m Elle, or E.L. Jayne as my pen name states, and I’ve embarked my own rendition of an Eat, Pray, Love trip this summer, albeit, without the dramatic divorce and existential crisis at the onset, luckily.
Deciding to travel for 4 months made me reflect on the catalyst that drives people to travel in the first place. Some people want a glamorous destination to relax. Some people desire to discover the culture of a foreign destination. Some people travel for events such as concerts, sports games, or book fairs. Some travel to visit family or friends, while others solo travel. No reason, in my impartial opinion, is better than another one.
I’ve recently found myself leaning towards traveling the road less traveled, or “the road not taken,” as Robert Frost once put it. Traveling to places outside of my comfort zone. Knowing I’ll miss my western comforts, but knowing I’ll be better off for it.
Pushing the limits of your comfort zone while traveling can seem like a formidable effort, especially while on vacation. But it’s also a window into another world. It’s an opportunity to leave your little corner of the world and explore another pocket of the world. You’ll be introduced to new people, cultures, food and beverages, politics, geography, animals, etc.
It’s never too late to start traveling outside of your comfort zone. All you have to do is start and see where it takes you.
Why do you travel? At this stage in your life, do you prefer to see nice places, to experience something that will make you grow as a person, or a little bit of both?
I also would like to add, as I write this, it’s the 148th day of the Russia-Ukraine war. For our brothers and sisters in that region, traveling means one thing: surviving. Others, have to stay to fight, and don’t have the option to leave.
From my own experiences, travel has allowed me to meet people who have experienced war and the aftermath of war firsthand. It’s taught me to look outside of myself. It’s expanded my knowledge on humanity as a whole. And that’s why I travel.
Travelling a road less traveled is pretty amazing experience. Isn’t it?
You’ll know start knowing the world better.
The older I get, the more constrained my comfort zone becomes. Resources and physical abilities, mostly. I still prefer the empty trail over the busy one.
Travel does have a way of opening up our consciousness. And some family and friends were just discussing the other day about how leaving our comfort zones is a good thing and expansive to our spirits. The Road Less Travelled is still a classic read, in my estimation at least. Thank you Elle.
To gain insight into different traditions, and ways of life
that’s one of the best parts for me, too.
Yes, the bread and butter of traveling!
I’m so glad that you’re getting to travel and I’m so sorry about how the war is effecting you and those around you. LOVED your opening photo. Swoon!
Thanks for your support, I really hope there can be a resolution sometime soon, although my optimistic side never seems to make much sense when it comes to war. Sending my best to you <3E
Traveling opens up your mind and you become more tolerant towards other people and also yourself. Beautiful insight E.L.!
The more I travel, the more I realize how similar we all are, at the core of humanity. The tolerance part you mentioned is spot on. I think that’s a major reason why if people can travel, they should, and travel to less common places. Thanks for sharing and I love hearing from you. Best, E<3
Thinking about the way leaving home allows us to imagine more informatively how others occupy our world. We often forget how large adventures and every day homemaking occurs all over the globe, and as we talked with French and Swiss citizens this past month, buying groceries and exploring parks, we re-remembered how tiny our own experience is, in the context of the world, kind of like Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird.
Wishing you joy in your exploration!
Hi Kris, thanks for your comment–I really like how you mentioned that traveling allows us to see how tiny our own experience is. That part has fascinated me about traveling. My childhood is one small experience in a world of millions of other experiences and upbringings. It doesn’t mean mine is any less true, but there’s just so much more out there. That’s something I’ve really been intrigued to study while traveling. Best to you! <3E
Loved this !
Nice article E.L. 👍👍👍 I love to discover new places, food, cultures, people and animals… I feel extremely lucky that I am able to do this.
Hi Anne, thanks for sharing why you like to travel. It is a privilege that we can travel and I try to be conscious of that more and more each day. Best to you <3E
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