Travel Broadens the Mind – or Does It?

I do agree, but I also disagree with this axiom, this self-evident truth. What is “broadening one’s mind”? What is “traveling”? “Travel broadens the mind”, at least according to an axiom that is very well known, as well as used. I am not quite sure that this particular axiom still holds true. At least not for me. But then again, maybe it does. And this, exactly, is my point. First of all, the ever-expanding international tourism makes the world smaller. Not in actual size as a planet, of course, but people (and peoples) get ever closer to ACH other, and have now, more than ever, probably, an amazing ability and opportunity to go and see new places; distant and exciting destinations are suddenly “available” to them, places people only dreamed about and was “out of their reach” only a few decades ago. Now, It’s all there – cheap, fast, exciting… Nearly everyone Is “golf abroad” these days. Going abroad can, and does, broaden your mind. I; m sometimes Just not sure about the traveler’s awareness, or “motivation”, If you will, for his or her or their traveling.
So, why do we travel? To get away from home. To get that perfect tan we missed because of the rainy Norwegian summer of 2011. To visit a friend. To see the Seven Wonders Of The 10 go snooping canapé, expensive stun. 10 see Tanat Tavern Dana AT ours Tanat dint come to Norway because they only toured Canada this year. L could go on and on, and on… There are as many reasons for traveling as there are travelers, I suppose. Or even more. In one way or the other, traveling around is bound to have at least a minimum of effect on the “mind-broadening”. Even though, in some cases, you aloud ‘t necessarily be aware of this – you Just (at least) feel some kind of satisfaction from the fact that you really have “done something for yourself”. Well done! Traveling exposes us to a huge variety of NEW sensations; there are sights to be seen, sounds to be heard, food to taste, and wine, and there are smells and beliefs and cultures and rituals… All of which are, or can be, new to us. It’s right there.
One-click away. If, or rather when, I go to a place where I have or haven’t been before, I always look forward to these things, these new sensations. SST of all, the food, I must admit, but every single discovery and new experience is heartily welcomed. One of the very best memories I have from traveling around the world is one from Mexico around ten years ago….. L sat all the way out on the tip of the YuccaГn Peninsula, all by myself, with my left foot in the see-through blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and my right foot in the Caribbean Sea. In that particular situation, I know for a self-established fact, that my mind was broadened. Not intellectually, I’d say, rather more in a spiritual way. It was awesome. This brings me to a point where I’d like to stress something quite important, more or less my topic sentences for this essay: What exactly does “broadening one’s mind” mean? .. And what exactly is “traveling”? I dare say that this could, and probably will be, discussed, forever. Talking with other people, surfing the internet, reading books, cartoons, texts, watching TV-shows about The Great White Sharks in the Pacific Ocean… This is also part of the whole aspect of traveling, and it also hopefully does, broaden peoples ‘ minds. You can maybe even learn a few new words!

So, the mission of your (or my) traveling is an aspect that is quite interesting… Why do we do it? What do we want to achieve? What’s out there that’s not here? Let’s face it. Some, or many of us, are lazy. We sit at home, right in the midst of summer, watching “Characterize”. We laugh at, not with, the television personalities that at least actually got their bottoms out of their couches, to go on vacation. To have fun. And we feel that we are better people than them. I know at least I do. And a few toners. I guess It always apneas on ten traveler s “mission”, or goal, Tort ten trap. Is It tan? Is it to learn Hieroglyphs? To walk the mountains around Everest? Or is it something completely different? Is Charter-tourism broadening one’s mind? Going “All Inclusive”, with everything paid for and made out for you beforehand. You don ‘t actually do anything but follow the orders that you ordered online? It can be. But you could also stay at home, get a housekeeper for a few weeks, go to the tanning studio and maybe save a couple of pennies for the piggy-bank… And rent some movies, and surf the internet and listen to good music.
That probably would be cheaper, and as I see it, much more mind-broadening. But then again, if you chose the charter-way, you would have the opportunity to see Grand Canadian ‘s beautiful countryside, the mountains, the small towns, the local fishermen. Outside of Lass palms and all the other tourist-traps. You would ‘t have that opportunity if you stayed home, obviously. Conclusion: “Travel broadens the mind”. Yes, it does, and no, it doses. But then again, it does. And so it goes. It all depends on the “Whoso”, the “What’s”, the “Whereas” – the definition f “broadening one’s mind” and “traveling”. Also, it depends on the purpose of traveling, if there is one. But, I presume that one can say that there always is. And, of course, the WAY you re traveling. Are you actually, physically on Flight 943 to New York, sitting in seat F in row 34? Or are you perhaps reading a book about it? Or are you dreaming about doing so? Maybe you’re already in Lass Palms, physically, in the Magnolias desert, rambling around having the time of your life in a dune-buggy… Or, as the flogger “Kanata” insightfully states: “l am reminded of E. M. Forester’s A Room with a View.