Your eyes follow the path of any airplane in the sky. The palm of your left hand itches non-stop portending an upcoming journey is in your future. You can’t get enough of watching House Hunters International on HGTV and you just bought the full five level French language program from Rosetta Stone. You’ve got Expedia and Kayak apps on your smartphone. You know the proper pronunciation for the food “bruschetta” and you haven’t met a rolling suitcase that you didn’t want. You’ve got the travel bug and you’ve got it bad. The only cure is to give into it.
Travel is the biggest high that you can experience that is actually still legal and won’t leave you alone and wet in the middle of a strange neighborhood wondering how you got there. Okay, there is a little of that going on with travel, but that’s all part of the fun. The rush that one gets from the new experiences they encounter while traveling is like no other. The thrill of planning a trip, whether budget or luxury sets off imaginings and anticipation that keeps you tingling every single day until you set sail…
I couldn’t say which kind of travel is my favorite. There are so many variations to choose from. I must say that I adore the comforts of five-star luxury travel with its smooth management and ultra comfortable appointments. But it is budget travel that I remember most vividly. Budget travel gets you in the closest contact with the culture. With no one to handle all of the tricky bits for you like the language or the food, you are forced to find your own way in a culture so different than your own. You must find a way to communicate with the people and the traditions, which is enriching in itself not to mention mind-expanding. Adventure travel is a blast and takes you off of the beaten path. Food travel brings new flavors into your life. Heritage travel brings you face to face with your ancestors and their lives deepening the fabric of your own. The only constant that I have found in my most enjoyable trips was a connection to its population of color. Whether it’s Europe, Asia, or Africa, the footprint of people of color is everywhere and it is thrilling to behold.
We are going to explore it all here on TBB and everything from the perspective of over achieving, intrepid folks of color who are bold enough to venture forth into the big, wide world. Stay tuned.
We look forward to hearing from you too as we explore the world so please be generous with your thought and insights. Here we go.
Travel Beyond Borders Magazine 