We Travel Because?

Why do we travel? There are the usual reasons - business, visiting family and friends, vacation, or to learn about and embrace another culture.

 On a recent trip to Asia I had several experiences that have kept me wondering about the nature of travel in our global world and how friends and families communicate during travel. Two tiny questions asked in the context of a shrinking planet.

In December I listened to an interview with one of the author’s of the 5.21 billion places you must visit before you die books. It was really late but I'm pretty certain the author suggested that travel is important because it makes you interesting; you learn, becoming more curious and open.  

Bottom line: travel is stimulating on all levels.

Two weeks after hearing this interview I was traveling in Asia.  I was standing on a small space waiting to view a gorgeous valley when a woman in front of me began to back up. I gently put my hand to her back and said, “Be careful I am right behind you.”  She looked at me and said, “It is so wonderful to hear English spoken.”  Normally I am quick to respond, sometimes too fast, but at this moment in time all the thoughts racing in my head were colliding. It was a five-car pile up in my pulsating brain.

“Really, what language were you expecting?"  Interestingly I am only hearing English. It is spoken everywhere albeit with many accents, it seems to be the universal language.

I wanted to ask her (and all vacationers in general) “You traveled how many hours, crossed how many bodies of water and paid how much so you could hear English spoken in countries where they actually have their own language?” 

I said nothing; very difficult for me, smiled shook my head wondering why people travel? If travelers want the Accidental Tourist experiences so one can feel that they are still at home --rent the DVD. Or go to Vegas or Disney, it is cleaner and closer. I hear they speak English.

Later in the trip, and in another country, we were eating breakfast in our hotel dining room.  Vacationing families have started to arrive from many different countries to celebrate Christmas. Most of the business travelers have departed for home.

As the business travelers left we noticed the dining area becoming quieter and quieter, fewer and fewer diners were speaking to each other.

On our last day I noticed large groups of extended families laughing, showing each other screens or texting each other. Weirder yet, a table of diners would send messages to another table, eagerly watching and waiting for laughter and acknowledgement.

As we started whispering it hit us…we were the only people speaking to each other besides the folks working in the restaurant. Everyone was using some type of electronic device, young, old, and in the middle.

Suddenly I visualized a very near future where restaurants will have speaking and non-speaking rooms.  The hostess will ask, “speaking or non-speaking?”

Virtual travel is much simpler, less expensive, easier to plan, less invasive, and requires no uncomfortable family dynamics. I think I saw the movie.

Again my question - why do we travel or have family time? We can now have quality family time without the encumbrances of pesky personal chatter. We can all speak in one language and record it on our cell phones while we join hands and sing It’s a small world. That’s a global anthem!

Tell us why you travel and what observations you've had.