The Meaning of Travel in My Eyes
Midway through summer vacation, have you set off on a spontaneous trip in this sweltering heat?
Regrettably, I haven’t.
In this exceptionally scorching summer vacation, a season when I almost always head out to wander, in this summer filled with the scent of sweat and a tinge of melancholy, I had no time off, no travel, no photos of me laughing heartily, no sight of pale blue seas, no smell of that distinct briny scent by the shore, no touch of hot yet soft sand beneath my feet, no skin tanned dark with little red spots, no taste of exotic local delicacies, no glimpse of scenery different from my usual world—so in the end, I had no decent travel diary to share with you all. I’ve missed the chance, in this beautiful season.
Maybe it was because of the mask, maybe work, maybe some other reason—anyway, I didn’t make it.
You know, I once had a particularly beautiful dream: to travel non-stop, to see scenery, to savor food, to enjoy freedom, and to write travelogues. I always felt the world out there was vast and beautiful, worth recording, something I wanted to experience with my heart. Casting aside worries, closing my eyes, not caring about speed, just slowing down to truly feel—I think that is the meaning of travel.
I want to wear a white dress and walk barefoot on light-brown sand. I want to become the beautiful Zhuoma, standing before the Potala Palace, sprinkling a splash of clear water to take a mirrored photograph. I want to don Dai ethnic attire and go to Xishuangbanna with my best friend, carefree and at ease. I also want to face Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake, watching clouds rise and surge, sunrises and sunsets, people coming and going, to feel the gentle embrace of that land. And I think of many, many more—so many you could never imagine.
Planning itineraries, looking up information, packing luggage, bringing snacks—all these little things to me are bits and pieces of happiness.
What is the meaning of travel? The greatest meaning is that it can greatly boost one's happiness, I suppose!
Scenery found online comes from someone else’s perspective; what you admire is a beautiful view through their eyes. While you can get the most immediate impression of that beauty, it will never be a genuine memory from your own heart. For every journey is a cleansing of the soul. Traveling continuously can make your inner self clearer; you will respect the joy travel itself brings, and then overlook the inevitable fatigue that comes with it. Through travel, your horizons broaden, your heart becomes purer, more detached from worldly strife. Those vast skies, those endless grasslands, those ebbing and flowing seas, those lush, verdant forests, the bustle of big cities, the simplicity of ancient villages—the magic that lets you forget all your worries is a trip experienced wholeheartedly.
This is the meaning of travel—words that suddenly came to me last night. Today, I happen to have time to record my mood at this moment, and I think this too is a journey of my own soul!
From this very moment, I look forward to my next trip, the next summer, the next moment I encounter you, and a better version of myself.
