There are lots of reasons for travel and lots of ways to do it. I have found that one of the most satisfying way to travel is to create a quest, a quest to see the highest mountains, deepest lakes, the oldest inns or the most remote monasteries, whatever you want to make up. It doesn’t have to be significant, just a reason to get out of town, get off the beaten track, be a bit more vulnerable, open, available, and in the end, be a lot more nourished and alive.
My overriding, underlying, undying quest in travel and life is to find beauty, real beauty. Beautiful cultures, beautiful places, people, objects, etc. Like a bloodhound, it’s in my nature to sniff out beauty and return home with it in my heart, soul and suitcase. Lately, it’s been partly in the guise of “adventure collecting” for David Alan Collection.
We all have our quests. Some of them are more likely to be fulfilled when we step out of our routines. Travel is fertile ground for experiencing growth, joy and our own humanity; whether it’s going to a village in Java, up on the Tibetan Plateau or for a weekend in Idyllwild.
It’s all in the intent…
