There are many reasons to travel or to take that vacation you’ve been longing for. Some are obvious, yet others may not be as apparent. If you want to see what our top reasons to travel are, continue reading below.
Reasons To Travel #1
Heart Health
Our first, and foremost, reason to travel is that travel can improve your health and quality of life. There have been many studies on the affects that travel has on the human body over the last 50 years. It may be surprising that taking a vacation can actually prolong your life! We have read that women who take at least one vacation per year show a significant reduction in heart attack risks than those who travel every six years or so. Alternatively, men who do not travel at least once a year have a 20% higher risk of death and a 30% higher risk of heart disease.
The main factor for these numbers is that travel reduces stress. Getting away from your daily grind can help you relax and enjoy life a bit more. Studies have shown that just 3 days after a vacation, travels report feeling less anxious, more rested, and in a better mood. The surprising thing is that these effects last long after the vacation has ended.
Happy People
It may seem obvious that vacations make people happy or else why would we take them. Everyone’s idea of the “perfect vacation” is different yet we all can agree that generally vacations equal fun and happiness. One thing we found interesting is that the anticipation of taking a trip is even greater than the anticipation of obtaining a physical possession. This means that the health benefits of travel start well before the vacation even starts. Also, after returning from a trip we find we are more productive and creative.
Motivation
I have no scientific data to back this up, however I’m guessing most people try to get in better shape before a vacation. I know we are just a bit more motivated to eat healthier and exercise more leading up to that big trip. For us, we know that we most likely will be overindulging on vacation so it’s best to cut a few pounds prior. Another great reason to get in shape prior is so you have the energy to do all the fun things you want to do on your vacation. Finally , why not look your best when the camera is most likely going to be working overtime!
We realize that everyone’s ability to travel/get time off is different. The good news is that all these benefits are similar no matter how long of a trip you take. A quick vacation is just as effective as a longer one. Also, a lot less is involved with a shorter trip so you save on some of the travel related stress too.
Reason To Travel #2
Second on our list of reasons to travel is that it makes everyday life more exciting. We all get into our daily routines and these routines can become quite monotonous. An upcoming vacation can give you something to look forward to. I’ll assume that a lot of people if given the choice of working or not working would choose to not work. Unfortunately, we have to buy food, put a roof over our heads, or have children to raise. Work is a necessary part of life for the vast majority of us and even if you enjoy your job, having time off is fun.
An upcoming trip can help you see that the everyday grind is paying off. It gives you a goal to work toward. We always have a much easier time putting in the extra hours before vacation knowing in the end it will be so worth it. Of course there is a fine line, and you shouldn’t start your vacation completely exhausted.
Trip planning on its own can be very exciting as well. Researching all the different activities to do or the sites to see prior to vacation can really get you excited. I may be in the minority here, but I have several itineraries laid out already for places I’d like to visit, or go back to again. It’s enjoyable for me to plan trips and with these itineraries in hand, we are just a cheap flight away from our next vacation!
Reasons To Travel #3
Our third reason to travel is that it gets you out of your comfort zone and builds confidence. There are numerous ways travel can achieve this so we will pick three ways to elaborate on.
Communication
This first one aligns more with international travel, however, if you have traveled around the US enough you’d know how different we sound depending on our location. Learning how to communicate with others when English (or your native language) is not the primary language can be a bit daunting. I’d be lying if I said there was never a time I couldn’t verbally communicate with someone else on our travels. Luckily 90% of communication is non-verbal (or so I was taught in college) so even when there is a language barrier all is not lost. Trying to learn a few phrases ahead of time can be a great step toward overcoming this barrier.
We don’t believe anyone expects each other to be fluent in our respective languages. However, attempting to speak in their language, others may feel more comfortable trying to reciprocate in English. If for nothing else, maybe you can give someone a good laugh at your own expense! (German food isn’t the easiest to pronounce) 🙂
Another side to this, is just feeling comfortable being in an area where they don’t speak your language. Sometimes you just won’t be able to get your point across to each other and that is ok. Luckily with advanced technology, this may be less of an issue now. We quite like it sometimes when we are in a crowded place and we don’t speak the language. The conversations fall to background noise since there is no comprehension, and we can feel like it is just the two of us enjoying the experience.
Let’s Get Physical
Trying a new physical challenge can also get you out of your comfort zone. We all have different physical capabilities so this is dependent on you. For some, a walking tour in a new city can be a daunting task. For others maybe paragliding over the Andes is a bit more your speed. Regardless of the activity, pushing yourself slightly beyond your comfort zone can greatly increase your confidence. By continuing to do this you may become more and more excited about trying new things not only on vacation, but also in your everyday life.
Navigating New Terrain
Each one of us brings something to the table. Depending on our background, each of us is comfortable navigating aspects of the world around us. If you grew up in the country, navigating through thick woods can be quite easy. If you were raised in the city, navigating different forms of public transportation is second nature. Whatever your upbringing is, learning to navigate a new terrain can help you become more confident.
As I stated before, I grew up in a small town so other than the school bus there were no other forms of public transportation. When we did our honeymoon in Europe, we took busses, trains, subways, planes, and even rental cars. I was so out of my element that I was just led around like a child. Luckily, Cassandra was quite familiar having spent a lot of time commuting to NYC for work when she was younger. As we continued to travel around, I was able to see how to navigate these different modes of transportation and see how they all connected with each other.
Cut to a few years later my older brother and I planned a trip to Oktoberfest in Munich. However we lived on opposite sides of the country and decided to meet up in London to start the trip. I easily got us to Munich by way of multiple modes of transit. My brother actually commented on how did I know how to do this and I explained that travel helped me learn.
Reason To Travel #4
Number four on our list of reasons to travel is that it makes you more open-minded and more tolerant of others. I should add that this will happen if a) you allow it and b) if you want it. There is nothing wrong with taking a vacation just purely for relaxation. If you don’t want to interact with others that is ok. However, if you are willing to embrace the culture through their customs, people, or cuisine it can open you up to a different type of travel.
There are several ways to embrace another culture. We believe the easiest way is to open yourself up to conversations with the locals. If you look for smaller boutique hotels you’ll most likely immerse yourself in with others from the area. Americans may be more comfortable booking a hotel through a chain that is recognizable in the States. You know what to expect and it takes what could be an uncomfortable situation and makes it less stressful. In our experiences, some of our fondest memories started with a conversation with the locals.
Also, a willingness to dine in locals favorite spots helps you explore the culture through food. We love to try and recreate the dishes that we tried while on our trips. It’s a great way to relive some of our favorite moments while traveling. If you are willing to open up, you may find that we are not that different from each other and it will make you more trusting of others while traveling.
Reason To Travel #5
Our final reason to travel is that travel allows you to create unbelievable memories. By sharing these memories with others that you traveled with you can relive these experiences. We have also found that when sharing your stories with others that have visited the same area, it creates an instant bond. Being in the RV community currently, we have had dozens of connections with others just by sharing similar stories.
Finally, there is no better feeling than seeing a place on TV or reading about a location in a book that you have been to that instantly takes you back to those memories. These places have amazing histories and knowing you got to experience a bit of that is life changing!
As I have stated above, there are many reasons to travel that can provide you a variety of benefits.. This list is what we found to be the most rewarding parts of our experiences. Thank you so much for taking the time to join us and if you’d like to hear more visit our podcast or check out other posts on our blog.
