Is it worth travelling ? What is the return on investment when you travel ? Let us say, you go on a 2 week trip to Africa, gaining enriching life experiences observing lions up close in the Masai Mara , or trek up the Kilimanjaro in Tanzania ...
At the end of it all .... what really determines whether the trip was "worth" it ?
Was it worth burning 6000$ off of your savings for 2 weeks of epic adventure ? Was travel a wise way to invest your wealth ?
Or was it more of Wealth Destruction ?
This is the kind of question that has long perplexed me.
On one hand , I want to live in what Jeff Bezos calls the 'Risk Minimization Framework' a fancy term for living your life with no regrets. In other words , project yourself to age eighty. Now look back at your life and think about all the regrets you have - the things you wanted to do but missed out on.Now come back to the present and try to eliminate that regret by taking that chance.
On the other hand though , I look at my bank balance and try to be pragmatic. I don't want be broke trying to live my dream.
This constant yin and yang of adventure versus safety is part of the human condition. While I always protect the bottom-line and work hard to ensure that I have enough wealth to keep my family financially safe , there are a few compelling reasons why I believe that every once in a while I need to turn a deaf ear to my fears and dive into the unknown sea of travel and adventure .
We only remember events, not objects
When we look back at our lives , we tend to remember the people who loved us , the places we travelled to , the daring adventures we embarked on. We tend not to remember that we drove this car , or wore that dress - meaning : if I had an extra 10,000$ , my future self would probably thank me more if I spend it on creating memories than on driving a better car.
Travel prolongs our perception of time
Scientific research has proven with enough evidence that spending time on the things that add meaning to our lives extends our perception of our own lives. Work day after day in the same cubicle for months - and every day just blends into the next in our memory , but ever so often change routines, take a vacation , go on an epic journey , talk to a stranger , and aloha ! we extend our perception of time -for time is measured by the mind not by it's actual passing , but by memorable events to which we can anchor our thoughts.
Travel stimulates the mind
Visit a new country, and suddenly you are in chaos. Go to a country where the locals do not speak English, and you are forced to be a child again.You try to learn the language , you use sign language or even better - you act out your idea like a young toddler.You find the same things being done in different ways - you discover new cuisines that you enjoy, new hobbies that intrigue you,you learn to drive on the left side of the road instead of the right.You eat with your hand , you discover different religions , different traditions and as you try to make sense of all this variety - your mind expands , your creativity and imagination is awakened anew and energized.
Travel broadens your perspective
Travel to the Middle East - and you will soon realize that Muslims are peace-loving and friendly people , just like their Western counterparts.You realize that reality is not what the media projects. You realize that good people are everywhere , in every culture , every religion.
Go to the Himalayas and meditate on the root cause for all suffering. Go to Italy and take a two hour lunch break to connect with family and friends.
Go to Japan and realize that you should be working your *** off instead of taking that break ! You develop a newfound respect for cultures, religions, beliefs different than your own , which in itself makes you a better, deeper , wiser human being.
Innate human drive for adventure
The human spirit is wired for adventure. Helen Keller said it best when she said that life is either a daring adventure or nothing ! Our species' curiosity and drive for adventure is what drove our ancestors from the relative safety of the African continent - to seek new lands and colonize them. Our life is testimony to the undying spirit of those brave souls who risked their lives just to know what lay ahead of those roaring waves crashing against their tiny boats.
Is it worth giving up your job to travel the world ? Probably not. Is it worth spending 10,000$ in a Casino in Vegas ? But is it worth investing your time and money to an adventure that will probably give you memories to cherish for a lifetime , mold you as a person , stimulate your mind and stirs that innate drive for exploration and adventure ?
Yes.
It definitely is.