Travel Bug: Virus or passion?
Be careful: Our travel “virus” is contagious! Here in Finnish Lapland
You catch it one day, without warning. Restless legs, a lack of something, too long without flying, without new horizons, without jet lag. You’ve always loved to travel, but there is a huge difference between loving to travel and needing to travel.
Wanderlust attack
Like Julien Blanc Gras in his book "Touriste" (which I highly recommend, by the way), you look at your world globe (or better said, one of your 10 world globes) and you realize that you’ve never been to Siberia. Moment of panic, you’ll never be able to visit everything in a lifetime.
Until the next departure, you collect objects related to travel, almost as an addiction. Your loved ones even encourage you by offering you a world map to scratch with the destinations you visit, or a world clock. A world clock!! You can have breakfast at Sydney time and dinner at LA time. Awesome!
Even better, the world shower curtain. Between coconut bubbles, you dream of faraway places, when suddenly, you spot Ellesmere Island. You HAVE to go to Ellesmere Island, it seems inaccessible and super remote, perfect!
Inspiring travel quotes
"We do not travel to escape life but for life not to escape us" - Robyn Yong
"The world is a book, and those who don't travel read only one page." - St Augustin
"Traveling reveals the best part of me". - Unknown author
"Every one of a hundred thousand cities around the world had its own special sunset, and it was worth going there, just once, if only to see the sun go down". - Ryu Murakami
On the picture: Flying to Swedish Lapland. Just loving the name of the plane!
Taking off… Finally
And then finally, you’re about to leave on a new journey. Oh no, a 6-hour stopover in Dubai doesn't leave you enough time to get out of the airport, so it doesn't count: you haven't visited the UAE.
No additional points on your travel map, showing off your adventures around the world and informing you that you’ve only visited 31% of the planet (while a true adventurer doesn’t a travel map, an adventurer doesn’t show off).
But hey, besides this small setback, there you are, at the airport, in your element. You take off your belt to save time at security, your Lonely Planet sits quietly in your backpack and your liquids are perfectly arranged in their plastic bag.
Penguin Trampoline tip:
If you hate limiting and taking out liquids, we have great news: More and more airports are equipped with new scanners, removing amount limits on liquids.
Are you excited? We are, and so is our little penguin!
You get emotional while watching the farewells and reunions of your fellow citizens of the world. There is nothing more beautiful than an airport hall.
Once on board, the usual tasteless cheesecake (why is there always cheesecake on board?) is followed by tomato juice (same question!). And in the middle of the movie, you can't help checking the interactive map that shows your location. No matter how many flights you’ve been on, it's still magical to be up there, above the clouds. Besides, you’re so excited you can’t sleep.
Did you know?
If you’re one of these people who only drink tomato juice when flying, here’s the explanation:
Tomato juice has a strong flavor that can still be tasted at high altitudes, unlike many other foods. And it’s a great source of hydration up there!
The hostess announces the upcoming landing, you fold your table, fasten your seatbelt and stick your face to the window to try to see the new landscapes awaiting you. Around you, the "plane-blasé" passengers keep read as if nothing’s happening... How dare they? Insensitive!
Approaching the Faeroe Islands… Wow!
These are the moments when you ask yourself: Is it just a passion, or a virus, as my mom says? I would rather say a drug. I fly literally and figuratively when I am on a plane — yep, a literal high! —, and I experience a real feeling of deprivation when I don’t go anywhere for several weeks.
Here’s my favorite travel playlist:
Can you relate to this? Let us know in comments!
