Longing to Travel

Summary

The website content reflects on the emotional impact of travel restrictions during the lockdown, emphasizing the importance of travel planning for personal well-being and cultural understanding.

Abstract

The author of the web content expresses a deep sense of loss due to the inability to travel and plan trips, which has been a significant source of joy and mental escape. The absence of travelers at airports and the uncertainty of future travel plans have contributed to a sense of sadness and depression. The text underscores the belief that travel enriches the soul, broadens perspectives, and fosters a sense of global unity by exposing individuals to diverse cultures and realities. The author also acknowledges the issue of overtourism and suggests that the pandemic may lead to a rethinking of tourism practices, potentially resulting in a more sustainable and intimate travel experience post-lockdown.

Opinions

Travel restrictions have a profound emotional impact, affecting not just the ability to explore but also the anticipatory joy of planning a trip.
The inability to travel is seen as detrimental to personal growth and cultural exchange, which are considered essential for human connection and understanding.
The author views the act of travel as a means to expand one's mind, challenge personal biases, and foster empathy among people from different backgrounds.
There is an optimistic outlook that the pandemic might lead to a positive transformation in tourism, with a potential decrease in overtourism and a more conscious approach to travel.
The author expresses a personal connection between reading and travel, appreciating the combination of literary escapism with actual journeys.
The current lockdown is perceived as a hindrance to humanity's ability to interact and learn from each other in person, which is an integral part of the human experience.

Longing to Travel

Airports are sad. Airplanes, static so long ago, cannot understand what happens. Where is everybody? Where are the people who came and went daily, full of bags, packages, dreams and longings? Not only not travelling can affect us. Not being able to plan a trip is really dire. Planning a trip, -where ever it was- was always my way of changing the air, although I didn’t know if I was going to do it, but seeing the flights, the combinations I should do to reach my destination; In which hotels, cabins or B&B could I stay. And of course: the places that would know, what attractions, how is the best way to get around that place …

All that we had become accustomed to, traveling at least virtually, even that was taken from us.

Yes, we can see the places we would like to visit, know, but NOT knowing when we can go, it depresses me. I will not know when the flights will be available again to leave my country, when I will be able to circulate freely wherever I want …

I miss going online to plan my next imaginary trip. I am passionate about travel, a firm believer who travels makes us better people, opens our heads, makes us continually replace our way of life. Traveling makes us more human. Knowing other realities, customs and cultures, makes us understand that deep down, we all want the same, and we are the same, anywhere in the world. So I think this lockdown hurts our humanity by not being able to exchange in person with people from other realities.

Yes, some will tell me that we always have books to travel. And yes, it’ss true, during all this time they were my great allies. But I like to travel, reading! You wait at the airport with a book. Eternal air travel, devouring a novel. The two things together is the best combination.

It´s true also that Overtourism had become an complicated issue. Maybe next time we travel will be less people eveywhere, so we can experience much better the destination…So many thing has to be re thinking about tourism… and everything else.

I hope soon we will re-plan our trips to remote places, plan a trip two hours from home, and we will again explore this beautiful and wonderful world.