I think I’ve figured out what it is about traveling that I love so much; which is to say that somewhere down the line — a year, 6 months, maybe even next week — it will change and be something else.
But for now, it’s the fact that you can pick up and go somewhere just like that. When all of your possessions roll neatly into an efficiently packed rucksack it really doesn’t take much figuring out what you’re going to bring. But settle down somewhere, accumulate some things — like a dresser, a closet, shelves — and suddenly a weekend trip becomes a monumental journey, even if you’re just going 50 kms down the road.
You have the luxury of bringing things “just in case” you need them and even worse if you have a car (or, again, worse if you have a van, like us). A weekend trip shouldn’t take six trips up and down to load up the vehicle. Why is simplicity so hard to find when you’re not traveling?
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Great question, Carlo. On the flipside, my wife and I find that during extended travel, we miss the options all the accumulated crap represents. We can’t cook as we like without the specialty ingredients/appliances, can’t make and sell art without a photo printer and silkscreen, can’t start new freelance projects without more reliable computer equipment. The key, as in all things, is balance.