Not all Travel is a Vacation

I love calling a spade a spade. Travel is many things. Several of which are not on Instagram. The truth is, beyond memory cementing moments, is an on-going exercise in logistics and patience. (See photo of train station here sans English 😬). Doesn’t sound like a vacation, does it? Well it’s not. Travel and vacationing are not always synonymous. They can be, and at certain moments feel the same, but it’s not a given. To be clear, all vacation requires travel, but not all travel is vacation. (Staycation excluded). Just as all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon.

This is not bourbon. We are not on a vacation.

This is travel. It’s effort in coordination, it’s constant movement. It’s problem solving. In that way it’s like everyday life. It’s also filled with novelty. And for me, novelty is a great motivator for traveling. But what brings me comfort (and I’m guessing it does you too) is familiarity. The coolest thing about travel? Finding that the people you meet on the surface are different (novelty), yet similar on some deeper human level (familiar). That combo brings me joy. It makes me feel closer to home — it makes me feel like anywhere could become home. Travel makes the world feel accessible, less scary. More human.

Logistics & Patience. Novelty & Familiarity. The first pair bring fulfillment (a sense of accomplishment that you made it happen and endured some pain), the second, joy. Peace.

In my non-expert opinion these are the elements of travel. I love travel. So this makes me wonder… Perhaps living a life inclusive of these elements irrespective of where we are, can bring a realistic and practical cycle of joy and fulfillment? What do you think? #ontheroad #travel#wanderlust #logistics #human #joy#patience #train #japan

Oh, and we may need a vacation after all of this travel. Follow my travels, questions, and life explorations on Intagram @DBLoves_