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Jewish World Review Sept. 6, 2010 / 27 Elul, 5770 Paris, Antarctica and Shopping By Alan Douglas
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Human beings wander around. Even when they are in a perfectly safe and lovely place, our species goes somewhere else. Ants exhibit more rational travel behavior than humans. Ants seek food so all their travel is essentially a shopping trip. We go forth in search of something "better" or "different" so we can return and tell our neighbors.
My wife and I describe our Antarctica trip to others as a litmus test. Some listeners are immediately enthusiastic, while others react with instantaneous repulsion. The majority are perplexed. Those who question our sanity for visiting the icy continent cannot understand what there is to see. They ask why we would we subject ourselves to inclement weather. They fail to comprehend the motivation for going to a destination where there is no shopping. People have limited views of life, and travel challenges those limits. Here are some categories to assist you in clarifying your own travel objectives and decisions.
Extinction travel. Seeing the Eiffel Tower is wonderful, and it is probably on your checklist. But is there an event, land, species, or culture that you can see now that will not exist later in your lifetime? Eco tourism by definition ultimately means that the number of tourists is limited. In the old days, a few rich tourists went on a safari in Africa to shoot animals. Too much killing destroyed the very animals the hunters/tourists sought. As the safari weapons converted from guns to cameras the crowds of tourists needed to get close enough to see and photograph the wildlife. Guides in vehicles took you ever closer to the animals. As automotive vehicle traffic increases, it is changing the sleeping, hunting and migration patterns of the animals. Now the tourists with cameras are killing the wildlife. The future of African safaris depends on either reducing the number of tourists (not much chance of that) or keeping their vehicles on established paths. Ultimately, there will be no difference between a visit to Disney's Wild Kingdom where you watch the animals from your cart, and Kenya's Masai Mara Plains where you watch the animals from your truck. Ancient customs, gene pools, architectural wonders and natural attractions are vanishing. Did you visit a Communist nation under the oppressive rule of a hard-line regime? The developing countries of the world are no longer as unique as they once were. Technology gives all people some glimpse into the rest of the world's bedrooms. The ice is melting, Hard Rock Cafes are replacing quaint cuisine, and time is running out. Go, see, and experience what is disappearing.
Age/Ability travel. James Madison, American president and father of the United States constitution, was fluent in five languages but never left the United States because he was afraid of foreign doctors. Don't squander your physical, mental, and monetary advantages by waiting. At an older age you may not be able to climb steps, wade ashore from rubber Zodiac boats, or tolerate the thin air of higher altitudes. No matter what your age or ability, you can go to Iceland to see the birthplace of democracy and discover it isn't Greenland. Take the cruise on a floating resort hotel that features shopping when you can't do anything else.
Opportunity travel. Your friend with a temporary assignment in Hong Kong poses an opportunity for only a limited time. Those relatives of yours in Italy are all going to forget you or move someday. Often, long after natural disasters or upheavals, the locations have recovered, but they are in need of tourists. Tourists scare easy. These cities, countries, and regions offer incredible opportunities for you. If you have read "The Travels of Marco Polo," probably the most famous travel tale in the world, you realize the whole thing started when young Marco went on a business trip with his father, and was written when Marco was temporarily detained. Should you be unemployed or depressed (or both), grasp the opportunity to take a day trip and visit a mine, tour a historic site or museum. Find out about working on at an event in another city, serve as a courier or teach overseas. Do what you never could do when you lead a normal life.
Quest travel. A significant part of at least one trip you take should be part of a mission that serves others. If you are Jewish, go to work on a kibbutz in Israel. If you are Catholic, take a sick person to Lourdes for the healing waters and prayers. If you are not religious, participate in an archeological dig, assist in teaching, or volunteer for other activities. Take an elderly relative on at trip to a place they have always dreamed of going. Go visit an elderly relative that has not seen any family in years. You need not conquer other lands or slay dragons; good works come in many sizes and shapes. Take a trip that serves others.
Travel is as much about the before and the after as it is the experience. Polymath Kai Krause in his book "What We Believe But Cannot Prove" rejects the Zen concept of living in the moment and urges, "Spend your life in the eternal bliss of always having something to hope for, something to wait for, plans not realized, dreams not yet come true. Make sure you have new points on the horizon, that you deliberately create. And at the same time relive your memories, uphold and cherish them, keep them alive, and share them, talk about them. Make plans and take pictures." Whether you are considering Paris or Antarctica, go there. Travel affords you the chance to get a new lease on life. You can "try on" different beliefs and live differently. A "new" life, or lots of memories, the choice is yours.
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JWR contributor Alan Douglas, an author, media executive, speaker, and attorney, lives con brio- except when he is grumpy.
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© 2010 Alan Douglas
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