„Travelling, learning and exploring will actually teach you to find out your true self and define the meaning of your own name and it will encourage you to pass on the learning tactics to the next generation with pride, hence creating a focused and eagerly exploring and enthusiastic generation.
All places that share with us all the importance and the essence of our country, the only step needed is to lift our heads high up by looking for the right travelling and tourism services that deal with genuine practical experiences and that also teach our brains to steer ourselves forward.“
(Sojila, Thangami: Qiqa-Be wise, 2019)
The world is too small for a dreamer, a friend once said to me. Yes, travelling, places itself generously and diversely in my life. To be always somewhere, nowhere always is a regularly appearing desire, it creates moments that later become stories and intensify life even more.
One thing is clear – whoever knows me knows how much I enjoy travelling.
But to whom do you owe this intense feeling of life while travelling? Who makes this overall experience possible? To whom do we thank in an appreciative way?
It is people who make all this possible. So many contribute to the fact that your journey takes a good flow and that this time leaves you what you hope and wish for.
- Respect the travel habitat to the same extent as you would like to find your own habitat.
- Before and during your booking, find out which agencies, staff pools and accommodations are selected and preferred by your travel agent/agency.
- Respect the diversity of cultures, rites and privacy of people.
- Question your previous knowledge, the image of your destination country and the generalized opinion about the people who live there.
- Do your best to get in contact with the people, to develop a conversation and to listen to them attentively.
- Try to learn some words in the local language – thank you, please, excuse me, greetings, … every pronunciation mistake will be forgiven, but every effort will be rewarded!
- Learn from your stay, expand your horizon and open your senses!
This does not mean that always and everthing runs according to your travel plan. No matter where we are, we can always meet courteous and unfriendly people. The tourism industry is happy when you pay – no question about that – but it does not entitle them or us to unreflective actions and behaviour. It is also not my intention to beat around the bush and tell people how they should travel. Many of the issues I have raised can be implemented in small travel groups, it does not have to be an individual trip, although it has many advantages.
In any case, we need to be even more considerate in our travel future – everywhere in the world!
A journey is a drink from the source of life, said Friedrich Hebbel.
Life is a journey.
August 2020