There's a good chance what I’m
about to say is neither new nor true, but it’s a thought which has come to me
recently and I need to try to express it. I’m also guessing it’s not something
many of you would have spent any amount of time thinking about so it could be
interesting.
Travel destinations are a
balancing act. Each and every place in the world sits somewhere on a line
between accessibility and unique experience. Between traveller comfort and genuine
adventure. Risk and safety.
I’ll try to explain. At one end of this line
is Brisbane, my home. Almost everyone I know lives here (or the Sunshine
Coast), I have almost infinite connections to a huge variety of familiar things
and perhaps most of all, it’s where all my stuff is. The other side of this line
is a random spot in the middle of the Amazon, the Sahara, Antarctica. Some of
the last true wildernesses on earth. In a place like this the risks and rewards
are exponentially greater. Will you discover ancient artifacts, be accepted by
a previously undiscovered tribe and live off nothing but wild berries and
animals you’ve caught with your bare hands? Or more likely, die starving,
miserable and alone and have your carcass eaten by (/coyotes/penguins)? The
vast majority of us will never know. and of course this isn’t necessarily a bad
thing.
Travel is all about finding your
own spot on the line. The destination with the perfect mix of comfort and
excitement for you. Those last two
words are absolutely integral because every single person is different. For
some people the perfect destination might be home. And there’s absolutely
nothing wrong with that. For some it might be Melbourne or Sydney and I’m sure
for a lot of people it’s Phuket.
Where you fit on the line doesn’t
really matter. But the sad thing is many people don’t get the chance to find
out, for whatever reason. The thought of travelling to other countries, mixing
with other cultures might not appeal to you in the slightest. But if it does,
you owe it to yourself to give it a go. I’m still searching for my spot on the
line, and it might sound corny but this is one journey which is at least as
rewarding as the destination.
You missed Gold Coast.
ReplyDeleteNot an error :p
ReplyDeleteVery good point my friend! It all comes down to personal preference in the end. The ability to feel comfortable in a foreign (or even very familiar) setting is a hard one to capture. Only because it's dependant of different situations and differet culutral values and norms. See I especially loved Bangkok (and could easily live there) for the big city, great nightlife, busy atmosphere and all round good times, although in saying that, the beaches of Koh Samui were breath taking and asolutely amazing.
ReplyDeleteThe realisation of travelling to Bangkok and thinking, "Hey, I could live here" was surprising.. Especially when I live 300m from the beach at home. I think in the experience of travel I've opened up my opinion and attitude to the different lifestyles and cultures, which I hope can only be a good thing.
I'm sure you'll easily find your place on the line. Maybe it is in Antartica, Sahara, or back in your heritage land of Portugal. But, in the end, I know with your open mind and a keen sense for travel, you'll find it in now time.