Are we Travel Spoiled?

Traveling has always been second nature to me, something I feel fortunate to be able to do, but not something I've considered out of the ordinary.  As I travel more areas of the world and even different areas of the United States, I've come to realize that traveling, experiencing different cultures and adventures is not what every person gets to do or chooses to do in life.

Staying Put
Not everyone wants to fly in an airplane across the ocean or even hop in the car across the state for that matter.  My parents are a great example of a couple who just love being home (the term Homebodies describes them well), feeling safe and staying put. The farthest they've traveled is Florida, for a trip to Disneyworld. My first and only major trip with my parents as a teen.

Some families just don't consider traveling as a necessity, and that is ok. Everyone is different and has their important hobby's or what they consider important to their family.

It's sometimes hard for me to imagine that people don't step outside their comfort zone.  Maybe a fear of flying has held them back, or financial burdens that can come with traveling.  For me this is a priority for my family and we make sure it falls into our budget somewhere, even if that means a weekend at the ocean which is an hour drive from our house, or a camping trip at the state park.

That FIRST experience
Once you become an avid traveler, sometimes it's hard not to have that "been there, done that" attitude. Your always on the search for something bigger and better. It seems to be our nature as humans to want and need more. 

How do you step back and remember to enjoy the moment, no matter how big or small? It reminds me of my first time seeing a deer while camping several years ago. I was so excited I jumped up, grabbed my  camera and caught what were blurry distance shots of this beautiful creature. I had my film processed (pre-digital) and showed it to all of my family.  My husband laughed at me, as he had seen many deer in his life growing up in Washington State.  Now fast forward several years, 6 acres later and deer sightings are almost daily in my backyard.  Something so common to me now, but yet I still grab the camera often when I see them.  I haven't lost that luster for them and try to do the same when I travel.

Think of all the things you've done in your life and in your travels. Do you take them for granted? Something as simple to me now as a deer, could just make a City Dwellers day, while taking a ride on the Subway is an amazing thing to me and not something I do often.

I am often thrown back when talking to locals on my travels and finding out they've never flown in a plane or left their own State or traveled to a different country.  Something so simple to me now, but yet something that I shouldn't take for granted.

Can you think of something you do often or have done that may seem "Simple" to yourself, but a dream or adventure to someone else?

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