Opinion: It's the Journey, Not the Destination

By Ryan Call
March 22, 2009

As the words in the Aerosmith's song "Amazing" tells us, "Life's a journey, not a destination." The same can be said about traveling.

At the youthful age of 23 I cannot claim to be an expert on any sort of tourism or world travel. I have only left the country once at the age of 13 when my family took a vacation to Bermuda. I can't recommend staying in this hotel versus that one and I do not have the ability to urge you to try a certain place's unique cuisine.

However, I do have the personal experience to discuss one of the least talked about topics in traveling--the company that comes with you.

I have indeed done just about as much traveling with different varieties of people as someone as young as me could have done. My family has almost religiously taken a summer vacation every year since as long as I can remember, in high school and before I transferred colleges I went through the craziness that is traveling with a cross country or track team,  I've taken a vacation as a half of a duo, and I have journeyed a number of trips solo.

As much as people talk about how the travel experience can differ among one's modes of transportation--trains, planes and automobiles--who you travel with is the real dictator of the experience and each type has its unique benefits and drawbacks.

The family vacation. Filled with fighting in the car, your parents telling you to put the Gameboys down and look out the window at the beautiful billboard filled country, and competing for the "Best Behaved Child Award" for an extra few bucks to spend on souvenirs.

The destination? Usually it's going wherever your parents say so because ultimately the trip is on their dollar. Thanks for your input anyway, we're going to Saugatuck, Mich., so we can share a shower and bathroom the size of "The Chokey" in the movie Matilda. My dad decided to pull us out of that one early.

But again, each type has its plusses and minuses. The family vacation often provides some of the first memories that pop into our heads when we think back on our childhoods. Humorously, the reminiscence of previous vacations is often the most popular topic of conversation while traveling on one's current vacation.  As my sibling and I get older, most likely this coming summer, the routine family vacation will die out but I'm sure when July and August roll around in the future the vacations will pop into our heads as memories in a simpler time.

Then there's traveling with a team or a group of friends. I'm sure many have experienced this special phenomenon either as a team or during college spring break but perhaps a good portion hasn't. May I suggest, do it.

With a team, the destination is determined by wherever the competition is located. I traveled a bit playing AAU, high school, and church league basketball but my most memorable travels came with my high school cross country and track teams. The trips were exciting for a number of reasons--goofing around in the van, goofing around touring the course, goofing around out on the town, and goofing around in the hotel--but probably the main reason being that we were successful and well known so we walked around wherever we were "like we owned the place" as one of my most humble teammates said back then. The races also took me to some of the coolest places I've been to so far in my life at this point--Hawaii, New York, and Tampa to name a few.

The best part however truly was the unique camaraderie. Inside jokes galore! I found that because running was such a bizarre sport that it intrigued the most diverse and unusual cast of characters. Nothing felt better than celebrating on the plane or van ride back from a successful meet and nothing was more comforting than forgetting it all by screwing around with your teammates to forget a disaster race.

The couple vacation lets one enjoy the company of another when wanted but also allows one to venture off on one's own when in the mood. I've traveled both with my grandmother to the Pacific Northwest on a sightseeing tour and traveled to Arizona with an ex-girlfriend for a running camp slash vacation. This type of travel allows for the one-on-one bonding that can't really be achieved when traveling with a whole family or more people in a group. Simply sharing the experience with only that one other person creates a strong bond with nice memories to reflect on months and years in the future.

Lastly, there's solo travel. While it sounds undesirable to many, I find it thought-provoking and refreshing. I would like to note, solo traveling does not count as your three hour trip back home from Virginia Tech--you have to really be going somewhere different.

With the solo trip, it's just you and your thoughts--and your Ipod. Set that baby on shuffle and head out on that seven hour trip to Atlanta. Reflect on your life, smile at your success in breaking its monotony, and when you arrive at wherever you're headed take in the feeling of being all grown up by traveling by yourself--this is the exact opposite of the family vacation.        

However your choose to travel, look forward to the unique opportunities each type provides and be happy knowing that they all create some kind of special memory.