Key Messages
How To Enjoy Your Travels And Appreciate The Journey
Traveling can be an exciting and enriching experience, but it can also be disappointing if you’re unprepared or don’t know how to maximize the enjoyment during your adventure.
The Art of Travel book is here to help you make sure that your journey is as fulfilling and pleasurable as possible.
Through sections detailing how to appreciate the details of the world around you, offering useful tips on taking greater pleasure in little things while traveling, and filling you in with stories of past travelers’ adventures — good and bad — this book will give readers a philosophical perspective on an activity often taken for granted.
You’ll also learn about Britain’s transformation into a premier destination, how one famous art critic recommends “word painting” as a way to engage with nature, and why admiring clouds can help you get the most out of your next travel adventure.
Get ready for maximum enjoyment!
The Disillusionment Of Travel: Learning To Appreciate Reality In An Age Of Fantasies
Dreams of travel can often be quite different from actual trips, in large part because you can’t completely escape yourself no matter how far you journey.
This is perfectly illustrated by Joris-Karl Huysmans’ A Rebours, in which the protagonist, the Duke of Esseintes, longs to escape his local village and immerse himself in the exciting atmosphere of London.
His purchase of a guidebook and visit to an English tavern whetted his appetite for the journey ahead—but ultimately he embarks on it only in his imagination.
The same ultimately true for many modern-day travellers as well.
You may have dreamed up a fantasy vacation spot in which all your worries and anxieties magically went away.
But when you arrive at your destination, those worries follow along with you like an inseparable companion; and consequently, your enjoyment of the getaway may be diminished instead of enhanced.
The author once went to Barbados expecting it to be a complete escape–only to find that all his anxieties had traveled with him!
So no matter how much we dream about going on faraway journeys or even how much money we spend on them—realizing true happiness requires awareness and acceptance of our feelings no matter where we are.
It is only then that we can truly appreciate all that travel has to offer us.
The Transformation Of Perspective Achieved Through Air Travel Brings Us To Appreciate Nature And Our Own Lives
Air travel can amaze and astound us, as well as offer a new perspective on the world around us.
Charles Baudelaire, the 19th century French poet, was in awe of large ships and the swiftness with which they could move from continent to continent.
If he were here to witness a modern-day aircraft take off, one can only imagine how much more impressed he would have been!
Taking off in an airplane isn’t just amazing; it’s also an opportunity to take in a whole new view of the world.
From within the plane, you’ll get to see factories, houses and cars decrease in size until they’re nothing but tiny specs on the ground.
When we’re this high up, it’s easy to realize our own insignificance and understand that all of our human problems and ambitions are equally insignificant too.
Once you’ve reached the clouds, you will experience a view so unique even the painters of past centuries had probably never seen something like it before – painters such as Leonardo da Vinci or Nicolas Poussin.
Just imagine what Baudelaire would have thought!
He wrote fondly about clouds himself: “I love the clouds / The clouds that pass by / Over there / Over there / Those lovely clouds!” Even though these were Earthly views he wrote about, his appreciation for clouds is undeniable.
Air travel can truly amaze us and teach us to appreciate not only wonders of nature such as majestic clouds but also regular moments such as takeoff that can offer a chance for uniqueness and inspiration.
The Allure Of Escape: How Europe Embraced Exoticism In The Nineteenth Century
The lure of distant lands has long enticed travelers with the promise of escape from their everyday lives.
This idea, known as exoticism, is a concept which draws people to explore places they may have only dreamed of visiting before.
Many popular works in the 19th century hinted at this notion, such as Lord Bryon’s poem “The Giaour” and Victor Hugo’s series of poems “Les Orientales”.
Exoticism promised an escape from drudgery and boredom, something that was evidenced by author Gustave Flaubert himself, who often complained about the pettiness of his home life in Rouen France in his personal diaries.
With the help of some inherited family funds he was able to travel to Egypt and satisfy his hunger for foreign cultures and tempting women.
This allurement still exists today.
No matter where you live there is likely somewhere else on earth which holds an overwhelming appeal based simply on familiarity.
People can always find a place close by or far away which allows them to step into a world completely different than their own and one that offers possibilities not available anywhere else at home.
Exoticism therefore makes travel appealing even more than ever before in history -for those seeking a reprieve from their mundane routine- with its enticing promise of freedom and adventure.
The Power Of Curiosity: Alexander Von Humboldt’S Exploration As Inspiration For Today’S Travelers
Traveling used to be about exploration and discovery, but the world has already been explored, so modern travelers must find a new way to make their trips meaningful.
One way of doing this is by asking questions instead of just passively relying on guidebooks for facts.
Alexander von Humboldt serves as an example of this philosophy; during his travels, he was never content with what the guidebooks told him – he was always seeking out new information and looking to challenge existing facts.
The author in The Art of Travel experienced a bout of lethargy while visiting Madrid, likely due to the fact that there weren’t any unfamiliar facts left for him to discover.
But when he visited the Royal Basilica of San Francisco el Grande, he realized that by asking his own questions about why and how the place came about, he could reignite his curiosity and make his visit more meaningful.
This goes to show that modern travelers don’t necessarily have to travel far away from home or explore unfamiliar places in order to have fulfilling experiences; rather, digging deeper into knowledge that’s already available can also reveal exciting insights.
So if you’re planning your next trip, approach it with an explorer’s sense of curiosity and ask some thoughtful questions – you might be surprised by how much more interesting it makes your adventure!
Nature Can Help Us Recharge And Escape The Stress Of City Life
When it comes to vacationing, many of us yearn for a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.
And our vacations often involve nature, which can have a soothing and calming effect on us.
That’s what William Wordsworth, the British Romantic poet asserted centuries ago – that nature has beneficial effects on both body and mind.
The author experienced these effects first-hand while visiting England’s Lake District, which had an oak forest he could hike through.
Even though it was raining, the author still felt at ease and was amazed by how patient the oaks seemed to be and how they continued to absorb nutrients and water season after season despite the weather conditions.
All of this taught him that humans can learn patience and endurance from nature.
But when it came time to leave the forest and return to city life, Wordsworth found a way to extend these benefits for months and even years into the future by storing up “spots in time” – memorable moments from his trips that he would reflect back on whenever stress or sadness crept into his life.
It’s this same technique we should employ today as well: taking time out of our vacations to really soak up that beautiful view or have a special moment with loved ones so we can relive them in moments of distress in our daily lives.
That would be truly valuable!
Nature’s Divine Purpose: Contemplating The Natural World To Feel God’s Presence
It’s no surprise that nature has an incredible power to inspire spiritual feelings – its stunning natural landscapes can often appear as if they were designed by some higher power.
This is certainly what the author experienced while traveling in Egypt and exploring the mountains of southern Sinai; the deep canyons, valleys and 400 million-year-old granite mountains were a truly awe-inspiring site.
The men who wrote the Bible surely must have had a similar experience, for many of the events in this holy book are set against this landscape.
The Book of Exodus, for example, tells of God watching over a group of frustrated Israelites who fall prey to worshipping foreign gods amidst their food shortage in Sinai.
In fact, many great scholars like Ralph Waldo Emerson have argued that nature itself serves as testimony to God’s presence.
In The Book of Job, after suffering great hardships at no fault of his own, Job turns to God and asks why it happened.
In response, God encourages Job to contemplate its beauty – reminding him that nature holds laws which are greater than any individual could ever fathom – like God Himself.
It is clear from passages such as these that the Bible encourages us all to consider our relationship with nature and its ability to spark spiritual thoughts and emotions in us.
After Britain Got A Makeover From Artists, Tourists Started Thronging To Its Landscapes
The art of travel is not just about visiting physically distant places, but also appreciating landscapes, both foreign and domestic.
When we take a closer look at the stories, landscapes and artwork of other cultures or even our own, it can give us a greater appreciation for the beauty of the world around us.
Take Britain for example.
For centuries, people preferred travelling to Mediterranean countries instead due to the romanticized views in poems and paintings.
However, by the eighteenth century artists began championing their homeland in poems like “The Seasons” by James Thomson and artwork from British painters such as Thomas Gainsborough and Richard Wilson.
This encouraged people to explore the country’s countryside for themselves – sparking enthusiasm for its rolling hills, lake district and Scottish Highlands.
Art can also help us appreciate other cultures better – like how Vincent van Gogh’s art deepen our understanding of Provence in France or Andreas Gursky’s photography that opened up many people’s eyes to the beauty of highway overpasses.
We have such vast, diverse places all over this world – all waiting to be explored through firsthand experience – but through cleverly created works of art we gain a unique insight into these locations that would otherwise stay hidden from us if not for skilled creators like Almodovar or Poussin who are able to share their inspired visions with everyone else.
The Power Of Drawing And Writing To Enhance Our Appreciation Of The World Around Us
When we travel, we often take out our cameras and phones to snap a few mandatory shots before moving on quickly.
But if we don’t take the time to observe our surroundings, the entire experience can be a bit pointless and dissatisfying.
To sharpen our focus and deepen our appreciation of what we see on our travels, John Ruskin recommended drawing the things that you encounter.
Drawing something requires contemplation; you’ve got to ask yourself questions like why that leaf is a different shade of green than others, or how its trunk connects with its roots? Doing this encourages us to pay attention to even the finer details and truly appreciate what’s around us.
Likewise, writing – which Ruskin sometimes referred to as “word painting” – can help us take in the beauty of where we are in a more meaningful way.
Rather than simply writing home about pretty landscapes or chilly weather, it’s better to ask tougher questions and focus on discoveries that go beyond their size.
In short, focusing on drawing and writing while traveling can yield immense rewards in terms of an enhanced appreciation for what you find!
Wrap Up
The Art of Travel is all about delighting in our surroundings, wherever those may be.
Whether it’s at home or far away, looking at art or being in nature – we need to be ready to explore and look afresh at the world around us.
If we do that, with a readiness for surprises and an eagerness for adventure, then every new experience can bring joy and pleasure.
So, the ultimate key message of The Art of Travel is to take an opportunity to appreciate life in new ways.
Even if it means travelling through your own bedroom, there’s always potential for discovery if you keep your eyes open.
That’s what this book wants readers to know: seize the chance to tap into life’s limitless opportunities by engaging yourself with curiosity, receptiveness – and yes, on occasion a little bit of travel.
