If you subscribe to G. K. Chesterton's assessment of the difference between travellers and tourists, I've always been a traveller. Pre-conceived notions of what I'd encounter have always taken a backseat to the actual discovery -- the people I've met, the surprises that have lain in store, and the incredible variety of sights, sounds, smells and tastes experienced on the journey. Thirty years of travel have led me down a wonderful variety of roads and lanes, and it's a delight to be able to share some of the experiences along the way with my fellow travellers. I travel for work, but also for pleasure; the two can't be separated. Alone or in company with others, the spirit of discovery leads me on around the next bend in the road to see what lies beyond.
For me, it all boils down to the approach, summed up in another quote:
"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." -- Ellen Parr
Do you travel to see what's been promised in a printed itinerary or a description on a website, or do you travel to discover and experience and satisfy a craving for the spirit of a place? Please leave a comment with your views -- I'd love to know!
I travel to see what's around the corner, over the hill, down the beach and love every minute of it. But, of course, I go to see the ice bergs, the Empire State Building, the Rocky Mountains, the Lincoln Museum....if other words, all of it.
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