Why Do We Travel?

Most of the travel itineraries are unplanned.

Someone sends a photo in the family group chat. A friend uploads a reel. And while browsing through a mountainous road during a night scroll, suddenly you are feeling the urge to go on a trip.

And the usual process starts:

• “Chalein?”
• “Dates kya hain?”
• “Budget kitna hai?

And after a few weeks of this process, you are packing your bag. We travel for various reasons. To break from work, spend time with family, to go on a much-awaited trip with friends. Sometimes, we simply want to see a place we have been looking at in our mobiles for many months.

Regardless of the reason, breaking from our daily routine, we do something.

We change the pace of our day.

A Few Days Out Can Be Something Else

Think of a typical weekday.

You wake up, get ready, check your phone and start dealing with whatever your day has planned for you. Be it work, college or traffic, calls and errands. And by the end of the day, you are tired enough to say, “Kal se pakka kuch productive karunga.”

Then you are on holiday.

You wake up and ask the first question regarding breakfast.

Then you are exploring a road, visiting a market nearby or even staring at the view outside the window for a minute.

Nothing major has happened yet.

You are just somewhere else.

That is one of the easiest things about travelling. We break our monotony for some time. Even a small weekend holiday can help the mind get something different to focus on.

And yes, your pending work has not miraculously disappeared.

It will most probably be waiting in your inbox.

However, you got some days to yourself.

Sometimes We Travel To See It For Real

This has happened to all of us.

• Saved a photo of a place.
• Watched some reels about it.
• Checked the hotel.
• Saw the same viewpoint from seventeen different perspectives.

Then you have visited the place and realised that photos did not give the actual feel of the place.

A photo of Kashmir will not show you how chilling it actually is.

A photo of Kerala backwaters will not give you the sound of flowing water near the boat.

Beautiful European road will not give you the smell from the bakery nearby.

Even the crowded tourist spot seems different when you are standing in it rather than seeing it through the mobile camera.

That is the fun part.

You stop seeing the destination as a picture and start experiencing it as a place.

There Are Many Destinations To Explore In India

Not all the times when we travel, we need a passport.

India itself can engage the traveller for many years.

The landscape, food, languages, architecture, even the rhythm of living is entirely different in different places in India.

You will have an entirely different experience in Kerala than Rajasthan.

You will see different scenery in the mountains of Kashmir, green hills of Meghalaya, beaches of Goa or old lanes of cities like Jaipur and Varanasi.

Also, there are places in the country which are not flooded with thousands of posts telling you what to see there.

• A small town.
• A quaint village.
• Roadside café.
• Local markets.

Sometimes, these are the places we talk about later on.

That is the advantage of domestic travel.

You can go to a completely new place without necessarily going far from your place.

Destination Is More Than Its Famous Landmark

In any travel itinerary, there is a list of places that you will be visiting.

Surely, there should be.

You will go to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. You will be in Goa to enjoy the beach and so on. If you are in the mountains, it goes without saying that you want to see the views which everyone has been discussing for a while.

But don’t rush through everything just because you have checked them off from your list.

The road near the attraction can be interesting as well.

So can the food stall you saw while returning from your visit.

Or an old shop which caught your attention.

Or even a local who has suggested a place to you which you did not even know about.

All of these are not always impressive in the brochures.

But they could easily become your most precious memory.

The destination is not only the famous photograph associated with it. There is also everything which surrounds it.

International Travel Changes the Little Things

While travelling abroad, everything gets a different kind of excitement.

Now there are some things that you need to give some attention to.

You need to figure out the currency of the country. You must know how public transport works in there. You must understand the language of the place. Even food orders could get a little complicated.

It is a bit confusing at the beginning.

Then, gradually, you start getting the hang of everything.

You learn which train to take, which area surrounds your hotel. You learn some words of the local language and get comfortable walking alone around the place.

That is a big part of the international travel experience.

You are not only visiting the famous places. You also get the idea of how the everyday life works in another country.

And sometimes, this normal aspect of another country is more interesting than another tourist spot.

The People Become a Part of Your Travel Experience

Ask someone about their old travels and observe what happens.

They will start with naming the destination.

After five minutes, they will start telling you about the driver who took a wrong turn, the waiter who recommended a certain food, the uncle who slept in the car or the friend who claimed that he knows a shortcut.

People become a part of our travel experiences whether we want it or not.

Sometimes, just a conversation with a local can tell you something which you would never find on Google.

Sometimes, a family drive becomes a memory that lasts for many years.

A simple dinner with friends becomes memorable than the expensive activity you planned months ago.

Destination is important.

The people sharing it are equally important.

Not Everything Has to Go According to Plan

This is one of the most useful lessons travel gives us.

Plans fail.

That happens quite often.

The weather is not what you expected it to be. Your train gets delayed. The place you wanted to visit turns out to be closed. You forget your wallet. Google Maps decides to take you through a completely unreasonable route.

Everyone panics for a few minutes.

Then someone comes up with another solution.

You visit another place. You take another route and change the plan.

Then the day continues.

After some time, you stop expecting everything to happen smoothly during your holidays.

It is useful in many situations aside from travelling.

You get more comfortable with changing the plans.

Why Travel Is Important

Perhaps we have too much expectations of travel making us see something life-changing.

Not every trip has to be.

Sometimes you just need a few days out of the same four walls.

Sometimes you want to have something to eat.

Sometimes you want to see the mountains before the winter starts.

Sometimes you want to sit by the sea and do nothing.

And sometimes the only reason for that is, “I haven’t been there yet.”

All of these are enough.

Travel breaks us from our familiar surroundings. We see different places, people, food and collect some memories that would not be possible if we stayed in the comfort of our homes.

The trip will end someday.

But the memories won’t.

And that is where the real value of travel begins.

The Little Things That We Bring Home

A trip does not end once we arrive home.

The suitcase gets unpacked. The clothes go to the laundry. The photos are stored in our mobile, most likely mixing with all other photos, memes, screenshots and forgotten photos.

However, some aspects of the trip stay behind.

You listen to a song from the road trip and remember everyone singing it. You smell a dish and find yourself back at that little restaurant. After many months, someone mentions the destination and you start retelling the stories.

This is what travel memories are made of. Most of the time, they come from the ordinary moments.

Food, People and Places Make The Story

Food is a very important thing.

You might be traveling to a destination for its landscape, but you will be talking about the food.

A breakfast in the local cafe. A sweet you haven’t tasted before. Even the street food which you were hesitant about and ordered anyway.

Food helps to learn a little bit about a destination without learning its entire history.

Same goes for the people.

A local guide tells you a story. A shopkeeper recommends you a place to visit. A cab driver tells you about an interesting road that the tourists usually miss.

These conversations may be short.

However, they stay with you.

When we speak of the importance of travelling, these conversations may be overlooked. But they shouldn’t be. These little interactions often become the most personal part of the journey.

Travel Makes Us Closer to Our Friends and Family

Family travel requires its chaos.

Someone is hungry.

Someone wants to stop for tea.

Someone has packed too much.

And someone else is absolutely sure that he knows the way.

Friends also aren’t different.

There are the quarrels over the music, last-minute arrangements, shared snacks and the usual question:

“Kitni der aur?”

But there are also long talks, shared dinner and jokes which only make sense to the people who were there.

A trip creates time for each other.

Time not rushed, between work, college and other responsibilities.

Proper time.

Years later, you may not remember all the destinations you visited. But you will surely remember who was with you and whom you laughed with.

Travel Does Not Require Luxury Accommodations

Most of the travel images are those expensive hotels, airport lounges and perfect views.

Nice? Certainly.

But necessary? Not really.

Some of the most wonderful travel experiences do not Inclusion/Exclusion a lot.

• Breakfast in a cafe.
• Walk around an old neighbourhood.
• Sitting by the seaside in the evening.
• Watching the landscape passing by the window of the train.
• Searching for a tiny restaurant just because you were hungry and ended up falling in love with the food there.

Comfortable accommodation can make things easier, but it is not the one which creates memories.

Sometimes, the simplest aspects of a trip create the memories which stay for the longest time.

Travelling Also Teaches Us to Leave Some Room for the Unexpected

There are no itineraries that survive intact.

The weather plans something else.

Your destination is closed.

The road takes more time than you expected.

You miss the turn.

Then you adjust.

Perhaps you find another cafe. Perhaps you change your plans for the day. Perhaps you find something better since the original plan did not work out.

That is what travel is about.

You cannot control everything.

Once you stop trying to do it, the trip becomes easier.

It is the same for both domestic and international travel. The details might change, but the basics remain the same. The plans are made, the plans are changed and somehow the trip remains a good experience.

Going Abroad Makes Even the Simplest Things Exciting

The international travel makes everything feel new.

• Supermarket visits.
• Bus rides.
• Menu reading.
• Learning how to use the local transport.
• Currency calculating before buying something.

You notice everything since the place is not entirely familiar to you.

Gradually, you start learning the way around.

This little change feels good.

The city which was confusing at the beginning becomes understandable. You know where to walk, what to try and how things work.

You do not only see another country.

You spend some time inside its everyday life.

Travels Must Leave Some Good Memories

One more thing worth remembering.

The destinations you visit are not only holiday backgrounds.

There are people living there.

Mountains, beaches, forests and historical buildings require maintenance. Local community is a part of your destination too.

So, responsible traveling means consideration.

• Take the trash with you when there is no place for it.
• Respect the customs.
• Do not damage the nature or the historic sites to take a photograph.
• Always ask for permission before taking someone’s picture.

Small things matter.

Since we enjoy the place, it only makes sense to leave it in good condition for its residents and the future travelers.

Maybe That Is Why We Travel

Maybe because we need stories.

Not all the travels make us change.

Sometimes, it is enough to create something to remember.

• A road.
• A meal.
• A conversation.
• Sunset.
• A silly mistake which everyone laughs about later on.

That is enough.

We spend most of the days doing things which we need to do. Travels are different. There is always a little room for curiosity.

You can take the long road.

Try something unusual.

Make a stop just because the place looks interesting.

And when you come back, you will have another story to tell.

What We Get From a Trip

Our bags return with us.

Our souvenirs come home too.

There is one more thing which nobody planned to bring home.

The new favorite dish. The funny story. The destination you will be happy to visit again. Maybe even the road you will still remember due to the view.

All these are the pieces which make your trip your trip.

Not the itinerary.

Not the list of places you have visited.

The little things.

You Do Not Need to Go Far

An unforgettable trip does not have to be a long one.

It might be an escape from the city for two days. A trip with friends. A few calm days in the hills. A visit to a destination in India which you somehow never visited even though it was in your list for years.

This is one of the nice things about domestic travels.

There are plenty of variety without leaving the country. Mountains, beaches, forests, heritage towns, crowded cities and serene villages can offer very different experiences.

You do not need an elaborate itinerary either.

Choose a destination.

Pack a bag.

Start seeing what happens.

Sometimes We Need to Go Much Farther

Other trips require a bit of planning.

Another country means another rules, currency, food and transportation system. Another language you do not understand. Another transport system which you never used before.

At first, it feels strange.

Then you start learning how everything works.

You go to the station. You order something you have never ordered. You learn a few words. You recognize the neighborhood near your hotel.

These small victories are what makes the international travels exciting.

You do not only see another country.

You spend a few days in its ordinary life.

The Trip Does Not Have to Be Perfect

The perfect holiday is mostly found in the advertisement.

The real trip has problems.

Someone forgot something.

The weather is not what it was expected.

The restaurant is not that good as the reviews said.

You took the wrong road.

You got tired of sightseeing half-way and decided that the next attraction can wait.

And that is fine.

Years later, those little disasters can become the funniest stories.

No one says, “Remember how everything went as it was supposed to?”

Instead, they say:

“Remember when we got lost completely?”

That is usually the best story.

World Tourism Day Means More Than Just Travel

Every year, World Tourism Day gives us the opportunity to see travel from a wider perspective.

Tourism brings travellers closer to their destinations, but it also brings people closer to the local businesses, cuisine, culture, and communities.

When visiting a place, you experience much more than just popular landmarks.

You observe the way people live.

You sample the local cuisine.

You pay for services rendered at hotels, restaurants, and activity providers.

In other words, you participate in the life of the destination, even if for a brief period of time.

Therefore, thoughtful traveling is crucial.

Observe local customs. Don’t litter natural areas. Respect wildlife. Ask permission to photograph people. Encourage local businesses if possible.

It’s not hard.

There is no complicated stuff involved.

So, Why Is Travel Important?

It seems that there is no single answer to this question.

You may travel because you feel tired and need to rest.

Another person may be dreaming of travelling to a certain country since his or her childhood.

Family members can travel together because they want to spend some quality time.

Friends may decide to organize an exciting road trip.

A lone traveller may crave several days free from other people’s schedules.

All these reasons are legitimate.

Traveling does not necessarily mean that you will learn some profound life lessons.

You will come back refreshed from the trip or find a place that you love.

You may enjoy a meal of your life or the entire vacation may go wrong.

Still, you will have a story to tell.

And this story is worth telling.

Before Planning Your Next Vacation

There is no need to be obsessed with the number of places that you can visit during your holiday.

Just think of what exactly you want to get from your vacation.

Perhaps, you would like to enjoy quiet mornings.

Maybe you wish to have adventures.

You may be interested in delicious meals or exploration of a new culture.

You may also want just to relax somewhere for a couple of days.

Having understood that, it will be easy for you to choose the destination.

At TrippingCube, you can view our Domestic Trips if you are looking for your next vacation in India, or International Trips if you are planning to travel abroad.

And if you are still uncertain about the destination, don’t worry.

Contact Us and tell us about your ideas, and we will take care of everything.

Your Vacation Does Not End After Returning Home

Eventually, all vacations come to an end.

You return to your job.

You hear the alarm again.

Your familiar roads are waiting.

Your inbox is full.

Your life returns to normal state.

However, a few weeks later, you see the photo taken on the trip.

You recall the evening.

The restaurant.

The road.

The stupid argument about the place where you were going to have dinner.

And for a second, you are there again.

Perhaps, it is the simplest answer to the question, “Why do people travel?”

We spend several days on our trips, but our memories stay with us for years.

Not every journey needs to be long and far away. Not every vacation needs to be expensive. And not every trip has to be perfect.

Sometimes it is enough just to visit a place you’ve never been to, have some time away from the routine, and say:

“Let’s go.”