Why Travel? 10 Reasons

by Asako Maruoka /
Asako Maruoka's picture
Nov 29, 2011 / 0 comments

There are undoubtedly varying reasons why people would want to travel the world.  One thing is for sure though - regardless of the reason, there are very few people who would not jump at the opportunity of being able to travel.  

Laying aside the need to book flights, arrange hotel accommodations, and plan your itinerary for the various legs of the trip, there are a number of benefits that any traveller can get when they travel the world.  Let us look at popular reasons why people want to travel the world.

1. Learn different languages

There is no doubt that when you travel the world, you will be exposed to different languages.  There are those that are quite easy to pick up and may be very close to your own language.  Of course, there are also those that can drive you crazy in your attempt to understand.  

Regardless of which type of language it is, there is no denying that learning just a bit of the language will contribute greatly to your skills in communicating with different types of people.  There will always be that fascination with other languages that you can take advantage of.

2. Exposure to various cultures

As you hop from one country to another, you will undeniably find that the cultures can vary distinctly.  The significant differences of the cultures are usually attributed to history and the beginnings of the natives in the country.  

As you travel the world, you will be able to take in various cultures and help you understand its people.  This is an important aspect of humanity that relies mostly on the interaction of one person with another.  One culture may even fascinate you enough to make you consider staying there for life.

3.  Street food

If there is one identifying factor of the culture and history of a particular place, it would have to be food.  There is no denying that through the evolution of a country and the various influences that it has received, food has changed a bit.  However, one of the best ways to look at the true food culture of a country as you travel the world is to get a taste of their street food.  

The street food is the unadulterated sampling of the true food culture of the country and not the high class restaurants or fast foods.  Not to mention that they are significantly cheaper!

4.  Endless possibilities

One of the reasons why people travel the world is to explore possibilities.  Many are just fed up with the way that they have to contend with that 9 to 5 lifestyle and simply want to exercise their own choices in what they want to do.  

With 195 official countries to choose from, anyone who plans to travel the world will have literally endless choices and possibilities to decide where to go and what to do.  Moreover, there are no time constraints that will keep you from enjoying sports, adventure, culture, or simply complete relaxation on your trips.

5.  Celebration of music

Around the world there are a number of festivals that are used to celebrate music.  It is important to realize that when you travel the world you get the chance to appreciate and experience firsthand the local music of the country.  This does not refer to the music industry, but rather the music that the natives use to celebrate fertility, birth, harvest, and other festivities.  

There is no doubt that each country has its own unique blend of local music that you can learn to celebrate and may even give you a certain level of peace and enjoyment.

6.  Personal growth

If you look at the first five reasons on why to travel the world, you will realize that each one of them will help to contribute to your personal growth.  Learning languages, music, and even appreciating street food are factors that will help you to become a well-rounded person.  

The experience will also help you in making life decisions based on what you have seen on the different countries that you have visited during your trips.  Personal growth is one of the reasons to travel the world that you cannot put a dollar value to.

7.  Building friendships

Man is such a unique creation primarily because we thrive on relationships.  When you travel the world this is one of the important benefits that you get; you have the opportunity to build friendships with people from other countries.  

By crossing cultural, religious, and personal boundaries, you will have the chance to create lasting friendships with people living oceans away.  The beauty of building friendships across the seas is that it is now technologically possible to keep in touch over the Internet.

8.  Surprising transportation

If you come from a highly urbanized or developed city or country for that matter, you may be surprised at the different modes of transportation being used in other countries.  As you travel the world, you will get to experience some of the craziest modes of transportation - like a 6-seater motorbike for example, or even animal-driven vehicles.  

Vietnam, on the other hand boasts of one of the biggest population of mopeds that they literally clog intersections and cause humongous traffic jams.  Of course, if you are from the United States, you wouldn’t be surprised to see people getting around on skateboards.


Plus One Reason to Travel the World

Beer, perhaps one of the greatest denominator among those who travel the world is that majority of them enjoy a good cold glass of beer.  You would begin to realize and experience in your travels that there are a number of good tasting and well-brewed beers around the world that are perfect in helping you unwind after a tiring day of travel.  Getting the chance to experience all these different types of beers can truly make your trip worthwhile.

There is no doubt that there are a number of other reasons that can be added to this list.  However, these are ten good reasons to start planning on how to travel the world.  Keep in mind though that your plans to travel the world should focus on what you want to experience.