What Draws Us to New Places?

August 29, 2007

I traveled a lot as I grew up in a military family, and continued to travel out of habit after leaving the nest. The question of where to go was easy as a child; I had no say. Uncle Sam picked my father’s next port of call, and we moved there.

As an adult, I had a bit more say in the matter. Just a bit. National monuments, historical sites, cities of reputation, stomping grounds of relatives, and favourite places of my past filled my dance card. I always tried to incorporate walking and biking, my preferred modes of personal transportation, and always took a camera.

But there were attractions that eluded me. Budget, work schedules, and personal entanglements seemed to keep me in North America. I traveled the Pacific Rim as a child, and now yearn to cross an ocean again. The UK, land of Emma Peel and home of Monty Python, beckon. As does Australia, the British version of the American West.

But New Zealand shines the brightest beacon. Partly nostalgic for my youth in Hawaii, partly enticed by that darling Kiwi accent, but mostly enthralled by the stunning beauty of the land, New Zealand was always number one on my life’s To Do list. And now I’ve married a woman who shares my passion for Kiwi. The time is near!

What draws us to certain places? The adventure they offer? The sky full of new stars? The unique cultural aspects? The bragging rights? Was our favourite movie shot there? Is it our ancestral homeland? Does the local music call to us? Is it a physical extension of an ongoing interest in a certain art, culture, or ideology? Do our hearts beat stronger and our minds race faster when we visit new worlds?

I’ve met people in San Diego who have never been to the beach. Not everyone yearns to be somewhere else, but some of us simply must get up and go. Maybe it’s our poor attention spans. Maybe we put a little extra effort into our curiosity. Maybe we have to see it / taste it / feel it / hear it / smell it to believe it. What drives you?

I’ll be in New Zealand next Spring to watch the autumnal leaves change. My wife and I have dared each other to a week’s drive around the Northern Island behind a rented right-hand steering wheel. Then a few weeks of tramping through the most varied and beautiful landscape in the Solar System. We may even return home. For a while.

About the Author: Barely passing French II in high school, I’m now an avowed Anglophone. While cultural and physical aspects of every part of the world are attractive to me, the ability to swap jokes with the natives has put all English-speaking countries toward the top of my travel itinerary. At my current English-speaking stop, Vancouver, BC, I create websites, write songs and stories, and produce videos for a living.