“Why We Travel”

I travel because I want to see new sites and see new places. I want to see how different it is there compared to where I live now. When Iyer says, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new places, but in seeing with new eyes.” he is saying that it is not about where you go, but about who you meet there. I would like to at least make 5 new friends on this trip. Iyer says, “What gives value to travel is fear.” This means it is exciting to go to a place that you may be unsure of or even afraid of, but that is what makes it an adventure. China can be a very different place, though that is why we are going there. I believe that travelers have a responsibility to share their knowledge and experience with all of those they visit and those they return to. My favorite quote from “Why We Travel” by Pico Iyer is “And precisely because we are clarified in this way, and freed of inessential labels, we have the opportunity to come into contact with more essential parts of ourselves (which may begin to explain why we may feel most alive when far from home).” I choose this quote because it’s about how traveling allows you to get in touch with your inner self and remove labels.