Travel is the moving movement of individuals between different geographical locations. Travel can take place by foot, car, bike, plane, train, bus, boat or any other mode of transportation, with or without personal luggage, and is either one way to another or round trip traveling. Travel within a state can involve moving from one point to the next, or it may involve traveling in a different county, state or country than the one the traveler intends to visit. There are also international trips which involve traveling from one country to another. In order to make travel between these points easier, there are many ways of transporting people and their goods, both by land and by sea.
To help us understand travel more clearly let us first define travel. The dictionary definition of travel is, “the act of passing through a country or a region.” This definition helps us to understand travel meaningfully because it implies that travel involves an impersonal act rather than an intimate one. By this definition, we can begin to understand the differences between personal and official travel. We know that an individual travel is different from an official one because he does not involve himself in any specific relation with the country or regions in which he passes through.
On the other hand, official travel means travelling on a specified route or within a fixed time period and usually with the use of a government vehicle. For instance, when a politician goes to Washington, DC, for an official meeting he will have his security detail along with him so that he can arrive at the airport and board the plane which will transport him to his destination. Thus, travelling by means of a vehicle other than one possessed by the government makes no reference to personal relationships with the region in which one is travelling. Official travel is therefore distinguished from non-routine travel by taking into account the various modes of transport used. Non-routine travel tends to be on business trips or holiday trips. In cases like this, personal relationships and social ties are important factors influencing the reasons behind travelling.
The third aspect of travel meaning which relates to different people’s travel is the place of origin. A person’s origin determines where he is headed while travelling. For instance, South Africans travel to Cape Town while Asians go to Hong Kong and others to New York City. Similarly, people going out of their countries to study go to another country other than their usual place of residence but this does not include people travelling on business trips. Thus, the place of origin is an essential ingredient of travel which needs to be considered carefully when people travel across international borders.
The fourth reason why people love to travel is because they want to experience something new. This is also a very crucial aspect of travel which should not be ignored at any cost. When we go abroad we get the opportunity to see new places and cultures which we had never seen before. Thus, travelling opens our eyes to the world and therefore it becomes a unique journey in itself. By exploring a new place and getting to know the people who inhabit that land, travelling creates deeper connections with other people.
The above reasons why people love to travel is very relevant especially when it comes to deciding the type of travel i.e. short vacation or long journey. The decision of the type of travel to be undertaken is ultimately left to the individual. However, if one decides to undertake a long journey then one must ensure that the journey includes various stops in order to experience the new cultures and environments. Hence, one should ensure that his decision to travel involves exploring one place at a time and then exploring another place at another place so as to take in new cultures and visit different places.