Let’s face it. In theory, the idea of travel is completely romantic. But like an outdoor picnic that inevitably lures bees, a few inconveniences are sometimes integral to both experiences. A price must be paid while venturing along the path to bliss.
First—and foremost—is a substantial dent in our bank accounts. Travel isn’t a cheap pastime: getting to the airport, paying for airfares, securing decent hotel accommodations, and flipping for meals and even moderate entertainment all add up quickly. Even with a generous budget, the total cost of a trip is often double the amount originally estimated.
Along the way, we also have to squeeze ourselves in and out of some tight spaces. First, we have to limit our baggage and personal belongings to get on the plane; then, we need to suck ourselves into small spaces with traveling “partners” who might talk nonstop during a long flight or laugh like hyenas while watching the scheduled movie—when we desperately need a nap.
When we final arrive at our destination, the hotel that looked so luxurious on the Internet may actually have smelly rooms—or a shared bathroom at the opposite end of the hallway. At 3 a.m., after half a night of thrashing in a lumpy bed in search of elusive sleep, the all-night party next door may not provide universal entertainment.
Even if we land in a spectacular vacation resort, the worries about family members and pets left behind may put a crimp in much-needed relaxation. Even while stretched out on a beach, we can’t help but wonder: Will the long-nurtured plants survive without our careful watering?
The nagging concerns, which we wanted to leave behind, find a way of creeping into the carry-on baggage—adding ten more pounds of unwanted weight.
So traveling actually requires a fair number of sacrifices, despite the promise of indulgent perks at a glorious destination. But, oh, the heady rewards—if we can just get beyond the relatively minor inconveniences.
After six hours of feeling like a squished sandwich en route to San Francisco, this magical city made my mind cartwheel in everlasting delight. Now my bookend to Philadelphia, this New York-like blend of art galleries and posh boutiques—set on steep hills with palm trees—enlarged my scope of the country. With unending vistas stretching beyond the Golden Gate Bridge, the water views dazzled me from every angle.
The perspective from under the bridge on a tour boat was equally astonishing from the lookout post on a highway shoulder. Popping out of a tour bus to photograph the majestic arch reaching across the glistening water has preserved that powerful image for all time.
At Fisherman’s Wharf, bread bowls filled with seafood chowder encouraged seagulls, searching for afternoon treats, to perform swooping acrobatics. The sea lions, overlapping each other on floating boardwalk rafts, provided humorous entertainment as they jockeyed for position with powerful body bumps. Just as one drifted off to sleep, another was pushed into the water—allowing the victor to swivel up and claim his prized spot.
Later, during a leisurely walk around nearby shops, lively street entertainment and prized Ghirardelli chocolates delivered a delightful bonus.
In the maze of Knob Hill, curved streets winded around elegantly designed gardens. But when a taxi driver screeched to a sudden halt for a red light on a precipice, even the most courageous amusement-park rider was forced to grip the hand support—and silently pray for good breaks.
Although guidebooks described San Francisco’s rollicking hills, they were steeper than the mind could possibly have visualized beforehand. Similarly, stories about early-morning and late-afternoon temperature dips were absolutely true, despite a stubborn refusal to pack a heavy-duty sweater for sunny California.
During an excursion to Napa Valley, a joyful day with a fast friend from Australia was a good reminder of commonality discovered in California’s wine country. Sampling different vintage wines under a pergola overlooking the thriving crop, stories were exchanged about families, homes, and loved ones—with a sense of familiarity in knowing each other for years rather than just a few hours.
The next day, an excursion to Sausalito offered a peaceful respite at one of the many lunch spots overlooking the water. At an outdoor table, a leisurely meal allowed the mind to wander along the rocky cliffs as explorers looked for treasures by the bank.
Climbing the redwood hills—while doing a back-bend to see the towering trees—provided immersion in a spiritual hush. In the presence of this seemingly ever-reaching height, Nature, once again, reaffirmed proper proportions in the world.
Back in Union Square, lunch al fresco allowed for prime people watching: roller bladders swooshing by dawdlers, mimes entertaining children, and artists displaying watercolors. Just up the street, a national bookstore was a familiar haven—with a slightly different layout—during time away from home.
First-rate dinner spots were plentiful, with options for every palate. A bottle of champagne and dancing on the 46th floor of a hotel bar, with floor-to-ceiling windows, offered a 360-degree view of San Francisco’s shimmering lights.
Since this quintessential experience exploring another cosmopolitan city—balancing Philadelphia across the country—every new city has continued to offer its own special charm.
In Boston, the path along the Charles River invited walkers and bikers to gather and chat in outdoor glory. The astounding constellation of museums in Washington, D.C., filled each day with artful education while Georgetown’s collection of cozy restaurants and shops animated an easy-to-navigate college town. In Chicago, the towering architecture along The Magnificent Mile stretched the shape of another world-class city.
On another trip to New York, the pulsing street life and international flavors at Rockefeller Center were guaranteed energizers. Baltimore’s Inner Harbor welcomed families marveling at the glass-enclosed aquarium, creating the sensation of becoming part of a colorful fish underworld.
In San Diego, the zoo provided an unforgettable proximity to pandas napping on tree branches in one of the largest-scale animal sanctuaries in the nation. During a trip to Florida, roller bladders whizzed around South Beach, artists sketched portraits on easels, and outdoor cafes lit up a vibrant nightlife.
Further afield in the Bahamas’ Paradise Island, a female taxi driver shared stories about universal dating woes. A German roommate at the island’s Club Med facility provided enlightenment about her country’s paid vacation policy for a minimum of four weeks. As American oglers openly gaped at various shapes and sizes on the island’s pristine beach, European’s ease with “natural” sunbathing was testimony to their nonchalant body comfort.
Satisfying a growing appetite for travel, the quaint streets lined with used bookstores and antique shops in Nottingham, England, delivered a small village’s walk back in time. An international literary festival in Hay-on-Wye reinforced the belief in the power of words to forge—or break—universal connections. In the emerald-green fields of Wales, sheep roamed freely while massive castles transported visitors to another century.
In Costa del Sol, Spain, elderly women sweeping steps energetically and tending flowerpots meticulously offered insight about a beneficial lifestyle for longevity. Two-person boats with foot pedals, operated like a bicycle in the Mediterranean, offered a thrill for even the most entrenched landlubber. During late-night performances in venues along the city’s central balustrade, Flamenco dancers clicked their heels proudly—asserting the culture’s spirit.
More than a decade later, each of these vivid snapshots of extraordinary places—around the country and world—continue to provide a bright moment on a dreary day. Although these trips involved a certain degree of inconvenience away from the security, familiarity, and comfort of home, they have added multicolor layers to an otherwise one-dimensional understanding of the world.
Years ago, others’ obsessive talk about travel was a mysterious fascination. Before visiting a new city, people and places appeared basically the same. But that was a grave misperception.
We may all have common experiences involving families, jobs, love, loss, joy, and aging. But our cultural heritage, the way we live, and our view of the world—from the spot we happened to land or choose to live—varies substantially.
Surely, waking up every day along a coastline with the sound of water serenading the rhythms of a day has to impact one’s outlook and attitudes. For cultures that value the importance of vacation time and employees’ health, the drive for nonstop work and wealth must assume different proportions. In cities and countries where residents from many backgrounds have settled, a level of tolerating differences—or at least a necessary effort in that direction—emerges, even on the surface, out of sheer necessity.
Although nesting in the comfort of our own home is often easier, cheaper, and simpler, traveling to new places invites us to stretch both our physical and mental boundaries. By exposing ourselves to some initial discomforts in unfamiliar territory, we enlarge our perceptions of the world—and burst our protective bubble.
Bon voyage.