Travel quotes
Some words on travel from great thinkers, past and present …
‘A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it.’
George Moore
‘He who would travel happily must travel light.’
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
‘Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.’
Miriam Beard
‘Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone.’
The Dhammapada
‘Everywhere is nowhere. When a person spends all his time in foreign travel, he ends by having many acquaintances, but no friends. ‘
Seneca
‘My favourite thing is to go where I’ve never been. ‘
Diane Arbus
‘The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see. ‘
Gilbert K. Chesterton
Do you agree or disagree with these statements? Discuss …
No doubt Seneca’s observation was correct, in his age. But that was then, and this is now. In this age of electronic correspondence and social media blogs, I wonder if our global acquaintances (yes, ‘friends’) aren’t as valid as our friends and relatives who live next door and just down the street?
I agree with Seneca- when I travel, I do grow tired of making small talk ‘where are you from, where are you travelling, what have you seen, where are you staying’- so many acquaintances. The only place I have picked up (what I hope to be) life-long friends overseas is where I have settled and lived for a period of time. I usually find travelling satisfying alone time, and short holidays great to share with people.
All-in-all I think travelling messes you up a little. I think everyone comes back unsettled, with a wider view on the world- where knowledge can be detrimental. you know a bigger world is out there. And you’re stuck here, at your desk wondering what to do next. Maybe I should have stayed insulated and bought a house and had a few kids by now, so that even this blog post could make sense.
PS- 2 of my besties are New Yorkers who I love dearly.
“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.”
-Lao Tzu