Window Seats Are The Best

No, where you sit is not irrelevant when traveling

Let me be childish with this one. I woke up with the need to lightly complain about something. And since I want it to be travel related: here you go.

I truly believe there are two types of people in this world:

• Those who love, and NEED a window seat when traveling.
• Those who couldn’t care less, “whatever”.

I don’t fully trust the second ones: and here’s why.

Since I was a child, any trip, no matter how short, has always aroused a strong curiosity in me. I was not born into a family of great travelers: my parents had never been abroad, and family vacations were limited to Italian locations reachable within a few hours’ drive.

Not having much say in the matter, given my young age, I was fine with these out-of-town trips. Fortunately, Italy offers a plethora of destinations without moving that far, and its during these that I learned to observe what was happening outside of the window.

Without much effort, I would memorize the names of towns, streets, and stores. I would learn which province bordered another, which was the main city in each Italian region, and the location of all the buildings I thought were most beautiful and iconic.

By the time I was in primary school, I had memorized the name of every single street in my town and almost every street in the surrounding area. Piazza Roma, Via Manzoni, Corso Garibaldi…the same usual names you would see in any Italian town. People around me did not understand how I could remember all this, at which point I wondered: what’s the big deal?

Growing up, I realized how many individuals are not particularly affected by their surroundings, as long as they can get from point A to point B. In the tedious daily routine, this is something I perfectly understand, coming short of stimulation, due to the incessant repetition.

Over time, however, I have also found this behavior for occasional trips to new destinations that, at least in my opinion, should generate more interest and spirit of observation. How can you not care about places around you? How can you not find it interesting?!

Looking out the window during a train ride is one of life’s little pleasures, possibly listening to music and isolating yourself from the rest of the world for a while, taking a break from it all.

When I travel with people, I always hope to get a window seat, yet I don’t always dare to ask if I can get it, unless I’m really, really close to somebody. Sometimes I even think it can be seen as a childish whim, and I reluctantly agree to sit at the side of the aisle. But my eyes will always tend outward, to pick up any changes in the landscape, observe the architecture, and if I am flying, the ever-changing shape of the clouds.

Could I be more clear? Honestly, window seats are the best, and I can’t wrap my head around the fact that for some people, where they get to sit is something irrelevant.

How do you feel about that? Are you from the “window seat team” or the “wherever is fine team”?

Let me know in the comments!

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Thank you!