Off We Go!!

Travel has always been a passion of my family.

Whenever we found a little time, our minds would start wondering about where our next adventure should be. Our travel has never been limited to the boundaries of this country; we were always ready to explore faraway places on other continents. In the words of Oscar Wilde, “Live with no excuses and travel with no regrets.”

The pandemic of 2020 gave a pause to this wanderlust mind of ours. The vision of spreading our wings again seemed very far off. During those long months being homebound, I was able to ponder and revisit the places which were fading away.

I woke up one fine morning and decided to start a travel journal. To my utmost surprise, a journal I bought from the library book sale had been just sitting on my desk all this time. I found myself engrossed in this new project of mine, detailing every place we visited, whether it was in the USA, in Europe, or Asia. I used the National Geographic Traveler books and travel guides, which I’ve collected over the years, to fill in my memory for the places we had visited.

Within minutes, I covered almost twenty places. I felt like a time traveler,

my heart was overjoyed and I hugged my book. Memories are all that are left.

I realized while writing my travel journal - it is not the destination we reach; rather it’s the journey along the way. After all, as John Steinbeck wrote, “People don’t take trips, trips take people.” So always write it down to treasure your memories forever. When you need to revisit, you can always travel down memory lane. It brings you back to life. The words and images are powerful, and help us to dream about our future.

Travel does not even have to take you somewhere far. It can be anywhere, even a lakeside, a garden, or a museum. Never give up the desire to explore. It is the desire that will take you to different places. Fast forward to 2024. Since the world opened back up, I have taken many more wonderful trips with my family and have new memories to add to the travel journal. I am grateful that I was able to document my small travel explorations from the past. I look forward for our wandering minds to choose a new exciting destination. In the words of Dr Seuss, “Oh the places you’ll go.”

Some good travel quotes:

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.”- St.Augustine

“Take only memories, leave only footprints.”- Chief Seattle

“Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”-Gustave Flaubert

Mercer County Library System(www.mcl.org) has great resources to plan and organize your future travel. If you are looking for your next exciting destination, near or far, check out these books:

50 Hikes in New Jersey by Daniel D. Chazin

"A treasury of trails that takes you to the best wild places in the Garden State Known more for its urban areas than its green spaces, the Garden State is actually a crossroads for major interstate trails including the Maine-to-Georgia Appalachian Trail, the 150-mile Highlands Trail, and the 60-mile Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail."

Best of the World: 1,000 Destinations of a Lifetime edited by Karen Carmichael

"Discover your next great adventure in this beautifully illustrated guide to the world's best travel destinations"

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel

"This annual list ranks the planet's must-visit countries, cities and regions for 2022. As we re-engage with the world with a new appreciation for what a privilege and responsibility travel is, Lonely Planet has drawn on the knowledge of our global community of experts to curate a collection of experiences that will inspire you to reconnect with the world."

Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips by the National Geographic Society

"A collection of the 500 most alluring travel experiences on the planet! The perfect resource for travelers who crave adventurous trips, or those searching for specific experiences, this title has been fully revised and updated just in time for its 10th anniversary."

100 Drives, 5,000 Ideas: Where to Go, When to Go, What to See, What to Do by Joseph R. Yogerst

"From a vineyard route through Northwest wine country to a winter wonderland on Alberta's Icefields Parkway, this informative travel guide offers epic sights, good bites, and pure fun. Pack your car and hit the road to experience 100 drives--both classic and off the beaten track--across the United States and Canada."

- by Tanusree, Robbinsville Branch