The idea and experience of travel can mean many things: it involves movement of some kind, sometimes through unknown places, at other times just between home and the world. Journeys can also be inward, marking rites of passage or a growth into a new dimension. We travel in search of profit, pleasure or curiosity, to labour and survive, to flee from tyranny or sorrow, and into real and imagined utopias.
[Drawing from the City]
Travel, in all its forms, embodies a fundamental aspect of human existence — the pursuit of understanding, growth, and escape. The quote beautifully encapsulates how travel extends beyond mere physical movement to include journeys into the self, symbolizing transformations, explorations, and ambitions that shape our lives. When we venture into the unknown, whether it’s new places or uncharted territories within our inner worlds, we undergo rites of passage that define and redefine us. These inward journeys are often more profound than physical ones, stirring introspection, growth, and sometimes even suffering, which ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of who we are.
The mention of traveling for profit, pleasure, curiosity, or necessity reveals the multifaceted nature of travel. Each motive reflects different aspects of the human condition—survival, ambition, desire, and curiosity—all fueling our desire to move beyond our current boundaries. The pursuit of utopias, both real and imagined, highlights how travel serves as an aspirational act, driven by hope and the longing for a better place or state of being.
Furthermore, the quote invites reflection on how travel is interwoven with societal and personal narratives. It underscores the importance of movement in shaping identities, communities, and histories. As we navigate through known and unknown, outward and inward journeys, we are continuously constructing our understanding and experiences of the world around us. Ultimately, travel becomes an essential part of human life — a perpetual quest for meaning, connection, and transcendence.
- (Drawing from the City)
- ---Teju Behan---
