From the moment I book a flight across the world or hop in the car for a road trip, I feel that instant rush of excitement. I know I’m about to embark on a new challenge, try some new foods, learn something new about myself or the destination, experience new cultures and experience the world. I never have expectations, I just have an open mind.
When I travel, I challenge myself. I put myself to the test and step out of my comfort zone, whether its navigating a new city or trying to order vegan food with a language barrier.
Arriving in a new destination gives me the feeling of freedom and the urge to explore. Learning about history and new cultures beyond the books that I’ve read or online pictures that I’ve seen. I love learning about different social rules & norms, and learning about how others view the world differently than myself.
I travel to try new foods and expand my palette, from Japanese onigiri or Key Lime on a stick in the FL Keys to fresh lychee in a local market in Thailand.
I travel to meet new people, either in the airport waiting to take the same flight or chatting with a Karen Tribe member in the mountains of Chiang Mai.
I travel with my best friend, my boyfriend Dave, so we can create memories together and share our addiction of traveling with each other.
After returning home from an epic trip, I am able to share the knowledge that I’ve gained with others and feel accomplished. I am also able to look back on memories, years and years later.
Traveling is completely personal in a sense that you travel for your own reasons, and you take away the lessons and values that you’ve learned. No one can instill them in you but yourself.
-Alicia
