I spent yesterday sorting out "stuff" to pack for my holiday at the end of the week. I will cram clothes & all sorts of things which I feel are essential to 2 weeks away from home into a suitcase. Thus prepared I will leave my "normal" life & travel to places both known & unknown.
As I age I'm less and less sure why I do this. It's a hassle from start to finish. It takes an inordinate amount of time, before, during & after. The chances are I will become unwell at some point - hopefully not seriously. The chances are also that things will go wrong - hopefully not too badly. I know all this from a lifetime of experience.
In the face of this knowledge it seems perverse to continue to do it.
But I also know I will meet new & possibly interesting people. I will learn more about people, places & cultures. I may also learn more about myself. In short I will widen my horizons & take myself out of my insular comfort zone.
Is it worth it? Well it always has been up to now. I have a lifetime of memories, good and bad. I have experience which broadened my horizons & made me a different person. Travel has made me more tolerant & understanding. Human beings learn by doing. Yes, I could watch a documentary or read a book, that has it's place, but it isn't the same as actually experiencing.
A holday isn't the same thing as travel. To travel is to go somewhere with purpose. A holiday is an oddly sedentary thing. The friend I am travelling with is very excited at the prospect. I'm not. But I am hopeful that it will be worth the effort.
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