Why I Love Traveling
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Why I Love Traveling

Travel is so much more than simply getting from point A to point B.

56
Why I Love Traveling
Pritali Amrutkar

Ever since I was a little girl, my family has consistently made travel an integral part of my life. My immediate family has lived in the United States for many years now, but the rest of my family still remains in India. Every couple of years, we go to visit them. This calls for expensive plane tickets, 24-28 hour flights, countless airports, baggage checks, and customs lines and forms. It has also meant multiple travel nightmare stories, but perhaps those will be for another time. Despite all of this, traveling is one of my favorite things to do, whether it be the privilege of being able to travel, my love-hate relationship with airports, or the feeling of taking off and realizing how small we all truly are.

You see, when you do something often, it becomes a regular part of your life and you hardly think of it as anything special. It's a privilege, really, to be able to travel. Even if it is simply to see family and sleep the entire time because the jet lag is just so awful. So many people will spend their lives never ever leaving their hometowns, let alone flying halfway across the world. Arguably, my situation is a bit different because when I travel, more often than not, I'm going back to my hometown, as many immigrant families will do, but I digress. To be able to go back is a novelty, and though people talk of it in such a light manner, there's something very privileged about being able to hop between two continents every few years and still be home. Travel is expensive, it's time-consuming, energy-consuming, and most people will find themselves unable to afford to do so until they are either in university, or, as is for most, are completely on their own. I personally have considered myself a traveler since the age of two. To be able to say so is the ultimate privilege.

The second main reason why I love traveling is airports. Coincidentally, airports are also probably one of the reasons why I hate travel. They can be loud, oftentimes are crowded, and going through security is just a pain. However, they're also hubs for all sorts of people who are either running to or from something. Everyone is so tired all the time, because as much as everyone tries, we all know people don't really sleep on planes. Unless you're in one of those pods, in which case, you have no excuse to not sleep and fix your jet lag before it becomes a problem. To be in an airport is to be around a bunch of people who are just as lost and just as determined as any other human being. All barriers break, just for a second, and you're all just people trying to get places. Another great thing about airports is that slowly, airports have become mini shopping centers, and in duty free lines, you can find all sorts of little treasures from souvenirs to makeup to perfumes to some actually pretty good food. It's these little additions that make all the things that make the airport miserable a little less awful, and the effort is highly appreciated.

Finally, I love the feeling of taking off. Whenever I'm in a plane, I do my very best to get a window seat, because there's something exhilarating about watching as you rise tens of thousands of feet into the atmosphere from the ground, all in the matter of minutes. Everything becomes tiny- cars, buildings, even whole cities are like little toys. It's interesting to see how much humans have impacted the structure of the land, but also to see how little of a difference it makes. Highways follow along rivers and mountains. Patches of fields with different flowers and trees and grasses and farms with different crops can be seen from far up above. Big cities are dots while surrounding areas sprawl around.

And in all of this, though the impact of people can be seen everywhere, individuals are all but invisible. It begs to the question of how much our pure existence can really matter. From far up above, all you can see are the subtle ways our collective actions have impacted our world, and though not every individual person can be seen, each human being placed on this earth has contributed to something by existing. Whether it be by helping build a sky scraper or a highway. Or if it's by being a farmer and deciding to plant an orchard versus corn versus greens or livestock. It's a reminder that when it's all said and done, we don't matter that much because compared to the rest of the world, we're oh so tiny, so everything will be okay. Eyeliner wasn't on point? Didn't do so hot on a test? Boy/Girl/Non-binary date friend broke up with you? It's all okay. It's okay because the sun will rise and the world will turn and in the end, even though we're all so small, our actions and hopes and dreams are so big- big enough to change the world.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70917
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132495
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments