Travel Makes the World Go Round... 25 Reasons why I LOVE to Travel!

1. The thrill of feeling like Barbie. Let`s face it. I live a pretty typical Canadian lifestyle- daily double double, a game of scrabble here and there, too much time spent in front of the computer, the nine to five job where I fall into the mix of other like- minded cubicle rats. At my current place of work, I would be surprised if even 10% of workers knew me my name. Let`s face it, I likely go about my day largely unnoticed. And while I highly enjoy my present incognito circumstance, let`s face it- sometimes it gives our ego a real boost to find ourselves walking down the locals street in a foreign land and have an army of children chase after us yelling things like "princess", "Barbie", or "Britney Spears." While it may not be legitimate fame, it feels nice to be temporarily and falsely placed on a pedestal for a short time...

2. I Lose touch with reality. Facebook is like crack. Since joining the site in 2007, I had an epiphany in the Winter of 2012 whereby I had decided that I had enough with the breastfeeding and household chore statuses that we`re bombarding my newsfeed login page. I mean, do I really need to know that you woke up, walked to the post office, came home and cleaned out your fridge, and then took a nap? Does such information enrich my life or impact me on some deep emotional level? Not likely. Despite this, my facebook free days were exactly 3. It`s hard to live in the modern world without having some connection to others through a form of social medium such as facebook. Travel keeps me away from facebook and shut off from the nonsense of other people`s lives that I can often become obsessed with.

3. Because all of a sudden- Money really does grow on trees. I don`t so much hear the saying being thrown around these days, but growing up, I would hear it frequently enough. I love travel because for the time being, one is able to appreciate that the saying is full of belogne. When you`re lying back on the beach enjoying a  $4/hr massage and appreciating a three course meal for under $2, money my friend, really would appear to grow on trees!

4. Travel keeps us grounded and humbles us. My first Fall back in Canada, I worked in a drop- in centre for teenage parents. I was appauled when mothers would come in to the food bank in order to access free diapers, turning their noses in the air and walking back out empty handed because they would rather go without than lower their standards to grocery store brand products. It took me a while to get my head around this sense of entitlement when just weeks before, I had found myself in an orphanage in the hillsides of India where a half dozen babies would occupy one tattered crib, the flies swarming to their tiny faces as they slept. Travel gives me peripheral vision, forces me to appreciate the little things again, and convinces me not to take anything in my life for granted.

5. I`m a sucker for a bed that isn`t my own. Checking into new accommodation makes me incredibly happy. Five star, budget, hut on the beach, shared hostel living, it doesn`t matter. I love being a guest and exploring new facilities.

6. I learn and improve geography. My jaw dropped the other day when an acquaintance asked if Egypt was located in Asia. My geography may not be stellar, and it may not even be as good as my 11- year old nieces`, but I pride myself on having a decent basic knowledge of geography as a result of extensive travel planning through the years.

7. It makes me feel like an adventurist. No one looks back fondly on a trip to the dry-cleaner. But after ziplining over the jungle canopy in Costa Rica, successfully navigating the alleys of Kathmandu, the speedboat ride in Vanuatu, or Jeeping out with the grazing animals in Tanzania, you get a feel for what being an active human being is like (again). The need for adventure is hardwired; travel lets you tap into it.

8. I learn more in a single trip than I did in 17+ years of school.  Seeing the world provides a source of education absolutely impossible to get in a classroom setting, teaching you things like economy, politics, history, geography and sociology. I often reason that I learned more about myself and the world around me in one year on the road than I did in a combined total of 19 years in a formal school setting.

9. I get to do something new.  It sucks to be stuck in a rut. Everyone knows what that’s like. Travel can be the perfect solution. And what’s not new about being somewhere like Sri Lanka?

10. I rack up epic stories to someday share with the grandkids. Don’t fancy yourself a storyteller? You’ll be the life of any party with the stories you come home with. Even if they seemed trivial when they happened, nostalgia will create an epic spin around getting your laundry done. I just love telling people about the time an Indian pimp in the Singapore Red Light District thought I was a Russian prostitute and tried his best to make me one of his girls... I then pulled a runner to a hotel on the other side of town in the middle of the night!... Did I also mention that I could barely walk, as I got a bad foot infection from a dodgy tattoo I had gotten done the week prior in the Philippines? Jealous, yet? haha

11. I get to piss off my taste buds. – Enough said about this. You will be constantly surprised at the flavors exploding in your mouth. Corn, jello, and beans swirled into sweet potato ice cream? You have got to be kidding me!!??!!

12. I get to cross paths with some of the most interesting characters (people).  People you meet while on the road usually become some of the most valued ones on facebook, stalking them on a regular basis to investigate the neat adventures abroad that they have been having lately. People met on the road also give you a momentary glimpse outside your hometown circle of friends, forcing you into a new and refreshing perspective on things.

13. My old clothes back home become new again. You know the feeling when you buy something new? That little bit of a rush that you get when you take out your new purchases and admire them with their price tags still on? (Okay- so maybe that is a women thing?) Well- that feeling only lasts a few minutes and then the item is thrown to the back of the shelf with the rest of your stuff. Time spent on the road living in the same meagre scrappings makes the clothing you have back home feel all new again once you`re back. More bang for your buck!

14. The kids are that much cuter. Have you ever been stuck on a plane beside a screaming baby? You know what I`m talking about. I don`t ever recall being truly annoyed by a rugrat in foreign territory. My theory is that it is because they are that much cuter than their Canadian counterparts... and therefore more tolerable. haha

15. I am intrigued by foreign toilets. I have a weird fascination with just how ridiculous the bathroom situations can be in different countries. Holes in the ground, toilets that are so technologically advanced they’re practically potty assistants (some wiping your bottom for you), buckets, foot stands. I travel to discover the plumbing practices of the various regions in each country.

16. With the right accent, even the ugliest of boys become instantly attractive. I’m not afraid to admit that I love boys. While abroad, I love to enjoy the different hair styles, smiles, skin colors, eye colors, muscles, complexions, and so on. There`s no denying my current fixation/borderline obsession with Asian boys. haha (please refer to # 14= Asian children are just that much more cuter! ha)

17. Supermarket Tours make me Happy. If you’ve ever walked into a supermarket in a foreign country you already know what I’m talking about. This is where you get a real glimpse of what that culture eats. It`s sensory overload and sometimes the smells can be rather overwhelming, and even downright scary. Despite this, I can literally spend hours reading foreign labels.

18. I get to rewind the clock. As I approach 30- I sometimes struggle with the reality that I am getting older. In fact, I haven`t reasonably celebrated a birthday in about six years (unless drowning one`s sorrows in a bucket of Baskin Robins counts?) The wonderful thing about travel is that you can be anyone you want to be... and be any age you want to be! (but you`re shit out of luck if someone then sneaks a peak at your passport... )

19. Every day feels like a Saturday: You know that Saturday feel when you first get out of bed, knowing that an entire weekend of freedom looms before you, welcomed? Well that Saturday feeling follows you day after day while on the road... Every day is a new adventure and every day justifiably feels like a Saturday.

20. I get cool stamps in my passport: Who needs tacky old souvenirs when you get some pretty kickass stamp keepsakes to remind you of all the dates you spent away!

21. When I finally get to wash my hair or take a hot shower, it feels AWES-AMAZING (Awesome & Amazing!).  Its a lot like one of those Herbal Essences shampoo commercials!

23. My body tends to shed those unwanted pounds: Maybe it`s the heat or the nature of the constant moving around.... or maybe it`s that I am consumed with a jam- packed schedule. Regardless, I always tend to be 5-10lbs lighter when on the road. Hey, I`m not complaining!:)

24. It usually means being closer to the ocean. When living in Canada, I usually find myself living pretty far from the water. Any Nova Scotian can relate that only a short period of time sans ocean and the salty sea air can go by before one starts to feel as though they are in a bubble. I become irritable and moody. When travelling, I usually find myself on top of the ocean, my all natural anti- anxiety medication!

25. I get to ride a girlie bicycle with basket: Growing up, my favorite movie was "Now and Then." I couldn`t get enough of watching the girls hop on their bicycles.... baskets and all. Travel allows me the opportunity to hop on a basketed bicycle in sundress all on my own... and for a brief moment in time, I may as well be "Teeny"... haha