The importance of International Travel

 The Importance of International Travel

Because of Covid, we currently can’t go abroad and with the subsequent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions this is viewed by many as good thing. However, having been lucky enough to have lived at a time when for the first time in history it was cheap and easy to travel to all parts of the globe when ever I wanted, I think it is important that international travel be resumed as soon as possible. The principal reason is that it opens your mind to new ideas and perspectives, that when experienced personally, become unshakably embedded into your character and world view.

The first personal experience to tell of, is an encounter with a young Dutchman, who I got chatting to when we were both backpacking the Cornish Coastal path. Talking of his experiences in England he said he had tried fish and chips and found the meal to be disgusting. “A soggy, greasy mess” was his description! I was taken aback, offended even, that our national dish had not been eaten with relish and delight, followed only by the eager anticipation of a future portion to be eaten on the next seafront with the wind, waves and hungry seagulls for company. Well, perhaps he had been to the wrong chippy and got a bad meal, or perhaps, on reflection he has a point. It not exactly a healthy meal is it? Maybe I should eat more salads……

The second tale takes place whilst back packing in one of the drier parts of the world during a period of drought. I had run out of water but my next watering point was due that day so I wasn’t concerned. However when I arrived at what was supposed to be a  spring, I found only a damp patch and the odd drip. Not having drunk that day, I set up my cup to catch the valuable drops. After 3 hours of waiting in the sun, I had enough for one swallow, but I’d probably sweated out more than that waiting. I had to press on. The next day I awoke to sky full of dark clouds. Great it was going to rain, so my water bottle would soon be full.

Well it did rain, it poured down in sheets. The thunder roared and the lightning cracked closer than I would have liked. There was water, too much water actually and just opening my mouth skywards gave relief to my thirst and immediate concerns. My map showed a stream ahead, one that flowed off the nearby mountain. I imaged it to be in full flow now, gushing with clear, cool pure water. Ah heaven. I pressed on.

Well it was in full flow, and gushing and cool,  but it wasn’t clear. It was a brown, thick with muddy sediment and broken vegetation and who knows what else. Despite my thirst, there was no way I was going to drink that and so I pushed on. It was the only option.

Later that day I diverted off my planned route to a farmstead and at the gate the occupants had left out containers of drinking water for travelers. What nice people. What kind people. I looked for them so I could thank them but no one was about, perhaps they were a bit shy. But now every day I turn on a tap at home I’m thankful and remember that farm that taught me the true value of water to life. Now I avoid flushing the toilet with drinking water, and use bath water, washing up water or rain water when possible.  
 
There are other many other stories I could tell, about being picked up and carried by Sherpa's over a Himalayan pass and being humbled by their effort for me: about being shocked when invited to diner by a man in Kathmandu only to find he and his family of 4 lived in a room the size of my spare bed room; about the young hitch hikers I’d picked up and got me out of a jam with Police in Patagonia. But these would distract from my point. And that is that I think it is very important that others should experience the world and obtain their own stories to tell, so they too wont be fooled when politicians or religious leaders tell that the other people, the foreigners, the non believers, the people across the boarder, the people of different appearance or customs or outlooks are any different, or inferior, or dangerous, from any group of people you may happen to meet in your own country or city.

Because that’s the most important thing I have learnt from international travel. We are all basically the same, kind, trustful and peaceful. We just live in different places with different ideas and we are all working daily to improve our situations for the better.

Hopefully we will soon have a way of traveling carbon free as well as cheaply. Until then “tread lightly on the earth“, but don‘t stop treading entirely. I wonder if the chippy’s open yet?