Before I settled down in Pasadena, I used to spend a lot of time travelling. It is a great education - visiting other places and learning firsthand about the area. I lived in England for several summers, visited the South Pacific, Europe, traveled by Greyhound bus around Canada and the United States and finally in 1991 realized my dream of travelling around the world. (Perhaps I'll get my journal on-line one day.) While I have been travelling for over half my life, I would happily return to most places I have visited and there are hundreds of other places I would like to see. Even during my lifetime, I am shocked at how many countries I have visited that no longer exist! The world is a rapidly changing place - get out there and explore it!
When I was in university, I discovered a program that allowed American University students to get a work permit that allowed you to work in other countries. I decided to try working in England, since my command of other languages was limited (and I naively thought I spoke "English".) So I went off at the tender age of 18 to spend a summer in England, working on a farm. It was a turning point in my life. That summer stretched into 9 months before I returned home. After that it was just a matter of when my next trip would be. I spent many, many months in Europe, travelled around the U.S. and Canada by Greyhound Bus and visited Australia and New Zealand.
Now I tend to use bicycles as my motivation to see new places. But it looks like the motorcycle will be coming into serious contention here quickly. And for those trips close to home, I take my truck and use it as a base while I travel by bicycle or foot.
I think the best aspect of travel is that you learn there are different ways to do things. What works well in one country may not be optimal in another. I discovered that there are wonderful fruits and vegetables that are uncommon in the U.S. One of my favorite dishes is goat curry, not an easy thing to find in L.A. Travel allows me to sample yam ice cream, mangosteins, uni and a huge assortment of desserts.
I usually start off on my trips alone and meet people to travel with along the way. Even though I've settled, I still manage to get some trips in now and then. However, I do miss those days of unbridled freedom.