‘Stories’ are the fabric that life comprises. Our lives are all about the stories lived, told, shared, and sometimes hidden. The most relevant one in this process of storytelling is Travelling. Easily Travelling takes us on trips and turns us into storytellers. Thus making it inevitable to celebrate this special criterion of life and we do with ‘World Travel & Tourism day. Hit by an avalanche named Covid19 our lives are not what they used to be once. The simple things like booking a flight, taking a train, or hopping onto a bus have become tasks that take excruciating painful processes to achieve.
World Tourism Day is commemorated each year on 27 September. Its purpose is to foster awareness among the global community of tourism’s social, cultural, political, and economic value and the contribution the sector can make in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals. The aim of the day is to raise awareness about the role of tourism and to focus on the fact that travelling has a major social, cultural, political and economic effect on all of our lives.
Travel- ‘It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller!’
On this World Tourism Day, we reflect upon what Travel means to us?!
All that we could think about and put together are experiences that added life to our days, and they go like this…
1. The calm atop Mountains, or conquering those unachievable heights
‘Mountains calling’, a kind of calling or longing most of us experience time and again. The enchantment Mountain tops have got is pulled to calm and serenity they provide. They cover 22 per cent of the planet’s land surface and provide habitat for plants, animals and about 1 billion human beings.
Be it the Mighty Himalayas, Mont Blanc or Victoria peak, they never fail to enchant us. The mountaineers have found immense pleasure and satisfaction in conquering heights and observing and studying the life atop these giant structures which are also considered as pegs keeping mother Earth stable. It’s nothing less than Paradise of green and white. The higher you get the more undiscovered Vistas they offer you but hey! You gotta make your own pizza, Domino’s doesn’t have delivery there.
2. The shores, the waves, the breeze, what’s there not to love about beaches? Did we miss mentioning Sunsets?
‘Beach lovers’ anyone? Or everyone? We love everything about beaches. Thailand, Miami or our very own Goa. Beaches are celebrations. The waves, the shores. Be it a party, a get-together or just a quiet me-time, beaches answer it all. Scientific studies have proved that spending time by the beaches are good for both physical & mental well being. The reason exactly why Hawaii is the happiest state in the US.
The color blue has a direct impact on your mind and is associated with calm and serenity. The smell of the ocean breeze has the power to calm the negative vibes in your system and turn them positive. The perpetual ebbing and flowing of the waves and the sound of it have a positive effect on your brain so much so that you are a totally rejuvenated person after all the deep reflection you go through at a beachside. We can go on about beaches but hey a Traveller doesn’t stop at that!
3. The wanderlust we are, we seek Paradise on Earth!
‘Jannat’ the breathtakingly beautiful Kashmir is fondly known as ‘heaven on Earth’ . We won’t deny that one bit. Kashmir region is predominantly mountainous, with deep, narrow valleys and high, barren plateaus.
The stunning valleys and the enchanting Mountains and breathtaking scenery has earned Kashmir the title of ‘Paradise on Earth’. The long ongoing debates, wars, conflicts to make this heaven their own had been continuing since forever. But even the terrorists and bombs haven’t been able to stop Tourists and Travellers from flocking into this heaven.
4. Haven’t the wonders always made you wonder?!
The Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Giza, The Colosseum, Taj Mahal. The wonders of the world. Rightly so because they have made us wonder and have had us awestruck, to say the least.
These structures have withstood the test of time and they continue to leave many awestruck with their brilliance. There are many in the world, but only seven are selected, which are deemed to be the best. Who wouldn’t travel all the miles to take a glimpse of them and marvel at their magnanimity? We sure would. The Seven Wonders of the World are the Taj Mahal, the Colosseum, the Chichen Itza, Machu Picchu, Christ the Redeemer, Petra, and the Great Wall of China. Added to the list is the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Known for its architectural brilliance Taj Mahal has been very close to us. The Colosseum is known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. Much famed artwork of Brazil is Christ the Redeemer. Petra is often referred to as ‘Rose city’ owing to the color of stone it is carved out of. The wonders will have us wonderstruck for life but the journey doesn’t end there it’s just the beginning!
5. Cuisines, where do we start? Is there an end? To love food?!
Would it be wrong if we quote ‘Food is an emotion?’ well it won’t be. Travelling and Travellers are incomplete without a fervent love for cuisines. The regional, The global, The historical, The religious & ethnical cuisines.
The reasons are many, the cause one, ‘love!’
Love for food and this emotion has bonded humans for years now. Even if not on anything we meet, agree and relish the food.
Tacos, tamales, tortillas and various salsas of Latin America. The Pizzas & Pastas of Italy. The Shawarma, the quboos, tandoor and Baklava of Arabia. The Samosas, the jalebi, the pani puris, the Biryani of India. Where do we start and where do we end?
Well, this is an indefinite search and path. But travellers can travel in search of this gastronomic treasure worldwide.
6. Myriad, mystical Travel has always been profound, tracing us back to the roots
‘Pyramids’ what occurs to your mind when you hear or imagine about these mystical, historical structures?! Intriguing, mystical, mysterious, well isn’t travelling all that combined together?
The Egyptian pyramids are ancient pyramid-shaped masonry structures located in Egypt. Most were built as tombs for the country’s pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods. Pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure built their massive tombs to last. For more than 4,000 years, the Pyramids of Giza continue to amaze while holding on to their many secrets. The mystical and the intriguing quality of the Pyramids is best described in the book ‘A Thousand Miles Up the Nile’ by Amelia Blanford Edwards, she writes of the hot drive to the edge of the desert, until “the Great Pyramid, in all its unexpected bulk and majesty, towers close above one’s head … The effect is as sudden as it is overwhelming. It shuts out the sky and the horizon. It shuts out all the other Pyramids. It shuts out everything but the sense of awe and wonder.”
Pyramids have the capacity to intrigue you for life but Travellers can’t afford to do that.
7. Man-made colossal structures
Man-made colossal structures has also been a source of wonderment, futuristic, Travel has also been looking towards the future perpetually!
‘The Burj Khalifa’ being the tallest, The Empire state building of New York deriving its name from “Empire State”, the nickname of the state of New York. The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre at Sydney Harbour in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Which easily is one of the 20th century’s most famous and distinctive buildings. The leaning tower of Pisa or simply the Tower of Pisa is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa, known worldwide for its nearly four-degree lean, the result of an unstable foundation.
This colossal man-made structure is a promise towards the future. A promise of better, brighter, developing things to come and a Traveller has enough reasons to travel, discover and marvel at these man-made wonders.
Listing the reasons for Travelling is never-ending as the roads, the valleys, the treks, the shores, the waves. There is never an end to the joy, to the stories, to the memories. There is never an end to the pursuit of happiness & life. And travelling should go on. We’ll go on as well figuring out the new NORMAL!
