Traveling

Today, I am thinking about how I miss traveling. I haven’t been able to do this now for a couple of years. There are several aspects to it that I really enjoy. The excitement begins for me as soon as I reach the airport. I love to people watch while I’m there and see all the culture in one place at one time, all the individuals coming and going and on their way to or away from something. There are those who are reuniting with loved ones and those who are saying goodbye. When I took my trip to London in 2009, it was my first time ever leaving Canada. The airport became my gateway on the way to another world, and I truly was so much richer for the experience.

After many hours in the air, I was exhausted when I had my first sight of England. I was amazed by my new surroundings, completely captivated in a way that made me want to stay for as long as I could. I only had five days however, because trips don’t last forever and we have to return to our daily lives. I won’t go into further detail about my adventures in London because I’ve already written that story and many of you have read it. I’ll talk some more about what I miss and what I hope my future travels include.

The days are long when you visit another country and you are trying to see as many sites as possible. You don’t really care how tired you are though—every corner you turn is in anticipation for the next little discovery. It’s as though you’ve stepped out of your own universe and right into the pages of all the books you’ve ever read. Imagination comes to life and gives you the space that you need for self-reflection and you are able to see life from a fresh perspective. When I was in England I learned so much about history and culture; I was able to experience moments that I would never forget and that I couldn’t duplicate in Canada. To actually be in a place that I read and seen so much about was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. Pictures never do justice to the real thing.

There are so many more countries that I want to explore and little corners of the world that I hope to find. As soon as I can possibly afford it, I will back on a plane. The destination doesn’t really matter, as long as it’s far away and can capture my heart and teach me something about myself.