The Philosopher’s Mail, a recent enterprise by Alain de Botton, recently asked an interesting question which got me thinking about my trips:
An outer answer to an inner puzzle: what is there in the outer world that satisfies something in my inner world?
The article asks us to consider how travelling can fulfil some of our inner needs – the idea is that people should think about what is lacking in their lives and help fill that need through their travels.
I think that makes sense.
My favourite destinations used to be the big European cities, especially Paris.
Nowadays, maybe because I live in London, I tend to look for something else. I like going to places which offer something new, different from what I have at home. I am more interested in the souks of Marrakech than in the shopping centres of Western Europe.
I haven’t shifted to off-the-beaten-track destinations by design, it just happened over time. It seems that I’ve started to feel comfortable in more different settings, actively looking for them when I’m planning my next adventure.
The view from the harbour in Reykjavik
Julia's European Adventures 