There’s a classic question:
Does reading a lot teach you more, or does traveling a lot?
And my classic answer is: both. Because theory and reality are different.
When you meet someone new, the most important thing is the first impression. That first impression shapes the person in your mind, and it becomes difficult to shake that judgment. But over time, as you get to know them, you gain insight into their inner world and begin to see them as a whole person.
Or sometimes, it’s the opposite…
No matter what we feel, think, or how we see things—on the outside, we are the characters that others perceive. Only through time and experience do we get a chance to reveal our true selves and share our deeper inner world with others. Sometimes, we never manage to do this at all.
To me, the relationship between knowing and seeing is the same. Having only one of them means nothing. Knowing without experiencing, or living without knowing, always feels meaningless. To be a good writer, or a good director, you must live. But living fully does not automatically make you a good writer or director.
Types of Travel
Travel, journey, holiday… while they essentially mean the same thing, they evoke different ideas in our minds. I prefer to use the term travel to cover them all.
If we categorize types of travel, we can list them as:
- Business trip
- Solo travel
- Family trip
- Trip with friends
- Guided tour
- Luxury travel
- Adventure
- Weekend getaway
- Package tour
- Road trip
- Volunteer travel
- Long-term slow travel
Similarly, there are differences between terms like traveler, tourist, explorer, vacationer, nomad, etc.
All of these are personal choices. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Maybe I’ll write about that another time. For now, I want to focus on the broader idea of “traveling.”
Let’s return to the basic question:
Why do we travel?
This is probably the first thing we should ask ourselves. Everyone has their reasons. Some travel to see, learn, and discover. Some do it for photography. Some follow trends, while others follow their instincts.
Therefore, it’s impossible to say one type of travel is “correct” and the others are “wrong.” Personally, I lean towards traveling for discovery and experience.
So let’s look at some reasons to travel:
1. Travel Is Easy
We are lucky to live in this era. Everything is within reach. We can go wherever we want (when circumstances allow). We can gather information about a place before we even get there, and plan every step months in advance.
Unlike in the past, we are no longer confined to the communities we were born and raised in. We are far more adaptable to new places, new environments, and the idea of traveling itself.
2. Perspective, Discovery, and Learning
One of the best things about travel is the perspective it gives you. Unlike consuming information visually all at once, you absorb it gradually through experience. Your brain processes it slowly and deeply.
Stories you hear, people you meet, things you see—they stick with you. They become part of your memory and can physically reshape your brain, creating new neural connections. They change you.
This growth improves your empathy. You learn about different lives and viewpoints. You begin to see that many things you take as “normal” in your own life are actually unique. Similarly, you understand that many things can be different—that what you have is not your fate.
As geography changes, you witness how habits, perspectives, tastes, and values also change. It’s an eye-opening experience.
At the same time, you learn: about history, architecture, poetry, literature, languages. You become part of a shared human culture. You grow as a person.
3. Self-Discovery and Self-Actualization
Do you have to learn while traveling? Of course not. You can travel without reading, without any goal of learning. And sometimes, that can be more beneficial than gaining tons of information.
Sometimes going somewhere and “seeing nothing” can still change your life fundamentally. For me, the greatest benefit of travel is the inner mental struggle and the chance to know yourself.
One of the key issues of the 21st century is that we don’t know ourselves. We can’t be alone with ourselves. We don’t know our potential, what we want, or what we can achieve—and we don’t strive to find out.
As a result, we often feel trapped or helpless. And no wonder—most of our time is spent working jobs we’ve sold our lives to. The rest of our time is consumed by basic needs and mindlessly scrolling on social media.
We don’t ask ourselves why—why we have certain feelings, desires, thoughts, ideologies. Even if we do ask, we lack the time or knowledge to answer.
All we want is to possess: products, fame, power, money, knowledge, friends. And to possess, we constantly consume. More and more each time. We expect concrete outcomes from an overwhelming flood of shallow inputs that our brains cannot process.
And when we can’t find satisfaction, we experience psychological issues—but really, we are just running away from ourselves.
This is where travel—especially solo travel—comes in. Each step you take is like completing a piece of a puzzle. Each new thing you see gives you clues to answer your inner why. It prompts deeper questions. Sometimes, even walking alone through an unfamiliar street can profoundly change your life.
4. Challenge and Growth
Humans instinctively want to protect themselves. This primal instinct manifests today as the comfort zone—the desire to protect the place, status, or situation where we feel safe.
In the wild, this instinct ensured survival. But in the modern world, it holds us back. Those who won’t leave their comfort zones don’t succeed.
Travel forces you out of your comfort zone. Leaving the familiar—physically, mentally, emotionally—makes you stronger and more resilient.
This strength carries over into all areas of life. It also helps you appreciate what you have, while showing you how unimportant many things really are.
5. Achievement
The sense of achievement also boosts the self-confidence you gain from traveling.
Think about it: you plan for months. You make the effort to realize those plans. In the end, you visit a place you’ve dreamed of for years. You make your dream come true.
6. Social Development
Travel helps you improve your communication skills by meeting new people and interacting with different cultures.
Beyond that, you make friendships around the world. You learn to see differences as richness. You grow as a person—you become a global citizen. You begin to see the world, and nature, as your home. You feel more connected to global events.
It’s like when you read a news story and it doesn’t affect you—but if someone you know is involved, suddenly it means everything.
I’ll end this article here so it doesn’t get too long.
As with any topic, when it comes to travel, I prefer to examine opposing perspectives before making a decision.
That’s why the second part of this article will cover the modern hype around travel. I’ll critique pop culture and list reasons why you might not want to travel. We’ll discuss the downsides of travel and whether it’s really necessary.
Stay tuned!
bahadirhancicek 
Leave a comment