10 hours of work, 8 of sleep and the rest lost in between. Is this what you were looking for or imagined to spend your days like?

While the oil may not have spilt for many of us, we have but forgotten to notice the Persian tapestries and the garden that the Master of Gardeners took years to create. (read: two drops of oil)

Well, I can give you thousands of reason to travel. In fact, if you ask me, for most of the problems the solution can be travel.

So why is travelling so important?

1. PERSPECTIVE

Things change when you leave the familiar faces and places that you see every day. You get to know that people may have a completely different approach to life which may not match yours. It may change your own views and life may never be the same again.
One thing is for sure – it is going to transform in a way you have not known.

2. BREAK

Daily routine life can suck in life out of anybody. Doing the same thing over and over makes one mentally tired. Setting foot in distant lands gives a much-needed break to your mind. You realize there is much more to life. Stay in a remote place and try doing ‘nothing’. Remember ‘Leisure‘ by W.H.Davies?

3. ADVENTURE

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.
-Helen Keller

But who pays heed to what Keller has to convey! I see most people planning every hour/day of their journey and any kind of deviation annoys them. Let the journey take over and be ready for the unknown. Adventure would be around the corner. Try adventure activities that scare you. Take that plunge mate.

4. KNOWLEDGE

Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have travelled.

The best form of learning happens when you are out there in the open experiencing things and talking to strangers that you will never learn in any organization. Travel teaches you economics, geography, politics, history, psychology and philosophy in the most natural and raw form no class can.

5. NATURE – Its vastness and beauty

When you hit the road you realize that it just goes on. From cities to towns, villages, stretches of barren land, deserts, mountains. It just goes on. The more you travel, the more you become cognizant of the vastness of the lands and seas and how little you know.

Mesmerizing landscapes, expansive nothingness, architectural wonders. It can give you a picture for every thought and emotion.

What are you waiting for?

6. PATIENCE

Things may always not go in the manner you have wanted. Delays, weather, uncontrollable events. You may crib in the beginning as I used to or you can learn to be patient. Eventually, if you have travelled much, you will learn the art of composure in those situations. Just sit back and enjoy the time.

On a somewhat related note, I once tried to enter into an Omelette shop in Mussorie and to my amusement, the shopkeeper restricted me and told me to wait. There was a 1-hour queue outside the shop which I had failed to notice. In 70 minutes my taste buds experienced the best cheese omelette in the country.
See! the reward of being patient.

 

7. FITNESS/HEALTH

Hiking is an important aspect of travel. While trekking will increase your stamina and fitness, you will enjoy a better state of mind which is equally important as physical. Start hiking now so that you can enjoy your fitness and not behave like ’50s in your 20’s and 30’s.

It can start small. Read Treks near Delhi for beginners

Though words can move one, for travelling it is imperative that you just start. Once you have, you will need no other stimulus.  Travel itself will inspire to travel more and will egg you on to discover roads less travelled and mountains less climbed.