There’s a fine line between scary and exciting. The first feeling that starts to bubble up in the pit of your stomach is the same, but it can easily go either way from there.
I say that I travel to see and learn about new places, immerse myself in a new culture, and meet interesting new people. That’s all true. I’d happily travel around the world just to see a beautiful piece of art or to try a specific dish in the region where it’s originally made, but my real motivations are much deeper than that.
I travel to push my own limits and to practice finding ease in risk.
Stepping off the plane or waking up alone in a new country gets easier and more exciting every time I do it. Navigating a new city feels both risky and exciting. A couple of blocks in either direction can make a world of difference. Seeing new and different parts of the world through travel ultimately helps me experience more moments as exciting instead of scary.
So travel for me is like a multi-dose inoculation against fear and dis-ease, the cure of which isn’t limited to the realm of travel. Its effects are felt well beyond those boundaries.
