Borders

One of the borders that I believe Kapuscinski crosses and speaks upon is the feelings and thoughts a person goes through when crossing a border.  Kapuscinski says on page 8, “I wonder what one experiences when one crosses the border. What does one feel? What does one think? It must be a moment of great emotion, agitation, tension.” I think this is a border that isn’t often thought of as a border.

Personally, I think that this border is one of the most influential borders a person can cross. The feeling a person goes through when crossing a border often times foreshadows the coming journey. The immense rush of emotions that I encounter on every border I cross are feelings that I will never forget, and it is these feelings that empower me to continue travel.

I will never forget the first time I flew and traveled alone. Those feelings of the unknown were great. The nerves ran high, but I was being fueled on this high. The near future was unforeseen. I wasn’t following a guidebook or a tour guide. I was solely following my gut and intuition.

When I first landed, after already crossing the border of flying alone, I had internationally crossed a border. The adrenaline and excitement of the unknown was so great. I felt alive with every step I made off the plane. When I inhaled the fresh air of the foreign land, it all felt so surreal. I had made it.

I believe crossing of borders are to be embraced in all aspects, physically, mentally, emotionally. 

Travel Openly

Twain says in Roughing It, “So we flew along all day. At 2 P.M. the belt of timber that fringes the North Platte and marks its windings through the vast level floor of the Plains came in sight. At 4 P.M. we crossed a branch of the river, and at 5 P.M. we crossed the Platte itself, and landed at Fort Kearny, fifty-six hours out from St. Joe- THREE HUNDRED MILES!” I find this passage so relatable to my form of travel because I interpreted this as my time spent in an airplane. I enjoy the time I spend flying across the nation or world. It’s a time for self-reflection and time to adjust the mindset for the journey that is to come once the plane lands.

This may seem obvious, but the further the flight, the further disconnect from the reality one finds him or herself use to. I think this is an essential component to the travel experience. Even if the trip is only 3 hours from where you find yourself geographically, take that travel time to distant yourself mentally from the normality you find yourself accustomed to.

Herodotus says, “…I do not think any one nation knows much more about such things than any other.” I think this speaks volume with the mindset that a traveler should journey with. Regardless the destination you find yourself arriving at, one should always arrive with a clear mind, free of judgment or assumption. Even if you study about the place you are traveling to, it is key to go in with a blank slate. You cannot speak fully on a place until you find yourself walking the land and absorbing the culture yourself. This is how I try to go into any situation or travel destination. Failure to be open and experience culture through your own eyes, and not solely form the pages of a book, can be detrimental to the overall travel experience.

Developmental Traveler

I can relate to many of things that Pico Iyer is able to put into words regarding travel. I think many could learn a thing of two, not only about travel, but also to the openness of life from Iyer. The fluidity of his writing really draws the reader in. It also calls time for self-reflection of one’s self and his or her travels. I believe it is safe to say that Iyer views himself as a traveler.

However, what is wrong with being a tourist? The definition is, "a person who is traveling or visiting a place for pleasure." Although, there is a negative condemnation of the word and it’s meaning, I believe that we are all, at some point, a tourist of the world.

No matter where we travel to the locals of any destination will be viewing any outsider as a tourist. That doesn’t necessarily mean anything horrible, but it is up to us to break that stereotype. In my eyes, a tourist is someone who doesn’t stray far from the beaten path. This person is someone who only visits the popular, top travel lists of the world. There is nothing wrong with that. It becomes an issue when someone is unable to look elsewhere for knowledge and excitement other than what’s outside their own windows.

A traveler in my opinion is someone who is able to just submerse him or herself in a culture. These individuals don’t need a five star resort or accommodations to get the most out of an experience. I think it is important to note that these individuals are traveling for an experience, not just a feeling of a vacation. I also believe these individuals tend to do a lot of self-reflection along the journey.

Although, tourist and traveler may seem like there are vast differences, there are similarities that link the two together. I believe both come with the want or need for escape from everyday life. Both of these types of people have a yearning for something new and exciting. Even if the experiences differ greatly, the root of needing escape is clearly relevant.

I believe the most important difference to note is, a traveler views the journey as a developmental agent in life. Thus, shaping the views and actions of said person for future experiences. Rather than just escaping to vacation to prop one’s feet up and drink a piña colada to forget about the responsibilities of life.  These individuals take nothing back to help better their lives, other than the knowledge and need to escape the stress again.