My Reasons for Travel
What is the purpose of Travel? A broad and personal question for anyone who answers it.
There are many purposes for venturing beyond our homelands. Just as there are many reason to live in our present homes.
Why do I travel? What am I seeking when I go abroad, or even take a weekend get away? The personal answer I want to give has layers.
Beyond simply sightseeing, I am reminding myself of the deep gratitude I should have for how I live. I am also reminding myself of what is essential to my life and wellbeing.
When I am in my regular life I can often slip into taking many things for granted. To me, one of the main things that becomes apparent when on an extended trip or journey is the value of simple needs and pleasures that I often overlook. I suddenly become more aware of what I actually need, and this brings into question the “normal” life that I left behind. How much of what I use or want back home could be reduced or minimized? Could I change my lifestyle and streamline my possessions and priorities?
Yes. The question is will I? Does the inspiration from travel last?
Like any inspiration — it will last if I take action. It will fade if I delay and return instantly to the “normal”. Procrastinating on any inspired action allows the forcefulness to erode. It allows the change to corrode. If I return from travel and fail to make changes based on what I experienced or internalized in a foreign land — why did I go?
I am talking about the deepest reasons for my travel, beyond having fun, or “experiencing another culture”. I am talking about the deepest why’s behind both of those. Why do I want to experience another culture?
It can be to contrast it against the cultures that I am familiar with. To shake up the familiar. To morph the mundane. What we leave behind when we embark on a journey is often a good life, but a life that is too stable. Maddeningly familiar.
My soul was crying for an expansion and an exploration. So I planned an expedition to Japan. This sojourn is deep into the everyday life of the Japanese people, and deep into my current headspace.
Conscious decisions have been made about the way to execute this: what to avoid, and what to embrace.
The following are some thoughts from the first few days of this adventure. Jotted down as I sit in a train station. Aiming to rekindle my writing flow for bigger projects I have in mind during my time in Japan.
WHAT I AM NOT DOING ON THIS TRIP
1.) I made the decision sitting in the airport before I caught my first flight — NO FACEBOOK.
I am here to be here. I am not in Japan to be instantly sharing what is happening — I am here to experience it first hand. I have seen many people travel via Facebook, and it seems like posting on FB becomes too high of a priority. It becomes a compulsion. Perhaps a brag. Perhaps a live journal. Whatever the conscious or unconscious motivations for continual activity on Facebook while abroad, I am opting out.
Even more than the sharing I’d be doing, I am disengaging to avoid consumption of the newsfeed. I have finite cognitive resources and aim to wrap my head around another culture and language. Why would I allow time and focus to be dissipated seeing what is happening back where I came from? I do not have FOMO in regards to anything that may be happening outside of my current day to day.
I will curate the highlights of my experiences abroad and share with my Facebook community later.
2. Over-scheduling.
I am purposefully allowing for the cultivation of empty space in my agenda. Time to be creative, time to think, and time to soak in the richness of the environment and culture I am immersed in. I decided to relinquish the desire to do the impossible and “see everything”. Surrendering to the serendipity of what my heart and intuition provide. As opposed to demanding a high volume of activities, I would rather opt for a high quality of activity. Serenity beats hectic-ness.
WHAT I AM DOING:
1.) Prioritizing Fitness.
It is easy to let workout regimens dissolve when on the road. I want to keep improving myself. Aiming to maintain physical activity via the Minimum Effective Dose principle. Thus far my workouts have been simple and capitalizing on the least I need to do to get a good return on my time and energy. Throughout the duration of my travels I am aiming to get some good hard training in too: sprints, calisthenics, and skill based activities (martial arts/boxing).
2.) Capturing and curating.
I am living the moments and capturing a select amount of what I experience. What I share will be even more carefully selected. The purpose of this limited time in Japan is beyond taking pictures standing in front of tourist sites, and sharing every minute detail online. I want to share the best of what I learn, observe and enjoy. I want to make sure what I do decide to extend outside of my own memory into the digital realm is worthwhile for those looking at it, and myself. Not overkill. A creative and unique expression of what this travel meant to me. Again quality over quantity. I aim to curate the moments as they happen — letting them remain internal memories, capturing photographs or journal entries, and ultimately crafting everything into a select few outlets. Trying to be thoughtful.
We all travel for different reasons, but regardless the journey has a life of its own. Life is short. So is this journey through the Japanese islands. The smells, sounds, tastes and energy I am experiencing are hard to capture — let alone share.
We are taught when we travel, that is if we are mindful and aware as it unfolds. I am open to learning and enjoying each and every day in my life, especially these few in the Land of the Rising Sun.
This is the 62nd installment of Writing Wednesday. Published from a coffee shop in Akihabara 秋葉原 Japan.
