What’s the best part of traveling?

Visiting new places and meeting new people and cultures

I love everything about it - including the planning - but it’s the transience I love, the constant feeling of being in flux. The feeling of being totally removed from the responsibilities of normal life. Also, lakes and mountains - that’s a great combo.

Planning

Food... food .... food

When you see all your planning work out to an awesome trip, and then something spontaneous happens while there that makes it even better (a kind local, a great visit to a local spot you didn't know about prior, etc)

Waking up in the morning and wondering," what the hell is gonna blow my mind today?"

Nature

Planning, not working

1. Dreaming
2. Planning
3. Travelling
4. Thinking back of the trip (and starting to dream again)

The realization that, while people from around the world can be vastly different in terms of culture and traditions, we are all sort of the same and enjoy much of the same stuff- laughing, casually spending time with family and friends, a cold drink or delicious meal after work, watching a sunset with someone you love, being treated well, friendly interactions with strangers, etc

the flights lolll - as an avgeek trying new airlines and getting flights on a380s and 787s r always so fun

I travel to slow down time and appreciate individual days as they come.

In regular life, it’s amazing how quickly time goes when you’re in the routine of life. But when you’re traveling you make a point to value each day and do something unique with it. Even small decisions like figuring out what to eat or how to get somewhere require you to be present when you’re traveling. And I love long trips because you can spend a full day doing nothing but resting and it still feels productive, it feels like a choice made for a reason in a way vegging out on your own couch at home doesn’t.

Everything is so intentional when traveling.

Meeting new people from around the world and sharing stories

I love the end of day debrief where we go over our favorite parts of the day

Not the best part, but we all travel with just one carry on per person for a family of 5.  I enjoy my mid trip laundry run.  It's a couple of hours in the middle of town.  I'll relax for a couple of hours, grab a drink, while things get cleaned and dried.  It's just a good time/feeling.   

I also love the unexpected, cool special moments with the family.  Nothing planned just something that seeks up on us as memorable. 

I also like flying back home and landing. 

Maybe I'm crazy, but 'People Watching'.

I love to sit back and watch people - especially people of diverse and varying cultures. Their clothing, the way they walk, the way they talk and interact with each other - it all fascinates me.

The spontaneous stuff. That stuff which is least expected that gives that shiver down your spine. In my opinion

I LOVE planning. And I love exploring and eating and taking photos and seeing something new.

But on a deeper level for me the best part is a moment that I’m sitting in this new-to-me world watching life go by and remembering that I’m just a tiny insignificant part of the universe.

Not having to deal with daily work (home and office).

Solving the problems when things go awry. We never talk about the trips that basically included flights, hotels, and a beach. Our constant discussion is about something that went wrong and our response, to include last minute itinerary changes, accepting the hardship of some strange connection like a cross border bus ride we didn’t plan, or finding out our dream trip actually sucked and we needed to bail, pivoting to something different. It’s kind of like “no good story ever started with ordering a salad”. No good trip went exactly as planned. The good ones have adversity.

An upscale clean comfortable hotel room to crash in after a long day of touristing.

Being far far away from your job.

Experiencing different cultures and trying out new foods are definitely the highlights of travelling for me!

I love to travel and experience new things. That said my favorite part of traveling is getting to have new experiences with my travel companions who invariably are people I love or am at least fond of.

Wineries, bars, pubs, cafes. Great places to people watch and meet locals!

Love exploring local wineries and supporting family-run places. We had such a great time in Crete and learned so much about the delicious white wine they make on the island.

Not working 😂 just vibing, eating and partying

Exploring. Food, places, what malls and supermarkets are like in that country etc.

Sampling local cuisine.

Vast landscapes and beautiful scenery!

Taking off work.

The best part of travelling is the memories you make and people you meet with a completely new culture and world. That, no text book can teach you.

Getting out of my routine!

Coming home

Being present in the moment & feeling like you lived a lifetime in your few days in a new country. Scientifically, I think when you do & experience new things, it feels like time has slowed down - I forgot the name of this but it’s real! Hence why a 7 day vacation in a new country feels like longer!

Seeing new things and normal life being on hold

“Leaving home…….and coming home” -Josh Homme

Looking forward to it. Eating and drinking. Being in a different place. No work responsibilities.

Food and personally buying tickets

Food

A body in motion tends to remain in motion, right? I like the whole 'movement' part, that I'm actively changing my surroundings, experiencing new and different foods, landscapes, languages, ideas, etc. The planning can be fun as part of the exploration but you have got to be able to roll with the inevitable punches. The fact is: someday your boat just doesn't so up but its ok.

Leaving the UK.

Got a few.

1. Not working/break from your daily life

2. Flying (especially take off and landing. Note TSA lines and small seats suck)

3. Experiencing new places for the first time, especially if they are iconic

4. Eating local food

5. Sharing stories with other travelers

6. Seeing/experiencing nature

7. Unexpected (good) things. (For example in NYC on a random day in June, I was on the Staten Island ferry heading away from Manhattan and there were fireworks).

8. Experiencing the metro systems of new places

Nature, a new sunset, trying one staple dish of the area.

Seeing what snacks and drinks are available in small shops or gas stations. I love matça mini-waffles from Natural Lawson in Japan, chocolate-dipped mini-waffles from 7-11 in Korea, pearl sugar mini-waffles in BeNeLux, and sour cherry PopKeks in Turkey. I still miss basic Resse's cups from the US.

I like other foods, too, but snack foods are my in-road to the roots of a culture.

Not working and food

Meeting other travelers! I love comparing our daily lives and cultures. It is just so fun. I’ve even made friends from my solo travels and met up with them/stayed at their house when I came to their country!! Quite an experience

Upon returning

walking around and watching locals live their lives and seeing how we are all similar in terms of what we want in life.

Learning about new places and things and trying new foods. Meeting other people in your travels

• food for sure!
• meeting new people
• checking out grocery stores in other countries lol 😭
• the freedom to do whatever especially if ur traveling alone
  • just the memories and experiences u get out of it

also sometimes, while wandering around, I think to myself ‘huh nobody knows I‘m here, walking down this exact street, doing whatever I’m doing and nobody will ever know if I don’t tell them.’ You’re off doing your thing, completely cut off from your normal everyday life. Kinda lifts some of the weight life puts on u off of your shoulders if that makes sense. I leave all my responsibilities behind and all I have to take care of now is myself. That can be kinda scary at times but to me it’s also very liberating thought.

Anyways, hope that makes sense tho I’m not quite sure I was able to convey what I’m feeling.

I agree. I love to eat the local food and drink the local beer and wine and learn the local language.

Being a stranger.

Arriving at the destination

There's a special feeling waking up in a new city or country, after a good night's sleep, knowing you'll have a great breakfast and get to explore new things/go on new aventures.

Feeling at home wherever I go ♥️

The random conversations you strike up with people you’d never have met otherwise.

Observing how people in other parts of the world live. I love watching how others dress, eat, travel, carry their things, interact with others. Going into shops/markets, seeing how houses are built, etc. It’s fascinating to me and absolutely never gets old!

Just being in a different city/area!

Realizing what great diverse cultures and life we’ve made on this little planet and wonder what else exists out there in the vast Universe. We are unique!

break the 9-5 monotony and the delicious food. I live in an area where we get every type of food but none of it is to call home about. when I'm in Japan, I go to eat great Yakiniku, Gyu Katsu, and excellent cuts of sushi, as well as the richest creamiest tonkotsu ramen. In Hong Kong, I am eating Michelin gourmand dim sum and roast Goose as well as the most tender Beef Brisket or Shrimp wonton noodle soups. In Italy, the best carbonara, best truffle risottos, and traditional Italian wood baked pizzas. Best of all, no need to tip and usually 35%-50% cheaper than in the states.

1. The anticipation of the trip. I love getting excited about it as much as I love the trip itself haha and 2. Meeting new people. Yes, there are rude ppl everywhere but I have overwhelming had good experiences making new friends and learning about others cultures in every place I’ve visited. Those conversations and learning different perspectives are priceless.

I LOVE traveling but often the best part is coming home.

The friends I make along the way

the fact that every day can be, or, it is different

Freedom and new experiences

Spontaneously meeting people! My girlfriends and I took a pasta cooking class in Rome and met a lovely Belgium couple. We all hit it off pretty great with them and ended up at a random festival in front of the Roman colosseum drinking and dancing the night away. We intend to meet up with them at Oktoberfest this year :)

For me, it's definitely the way to the airport. I love that feeling of an adventure beginning. And also the moment after check in when I look for my gate 😅

For me, the best part of traveling is the unexpected connections you make with people from different cultures. It's amazing how sharing a meal or a conversation can create lasting memories and broaden your perspective. Plus, the thrill of discovering new places and experiences that you never even knew existed is unbeatable!

Leaving a good portion of random walks in your plans. Also, always having a plan B if something goes wrong, e. g. places too crowded, locations closed etc

Finding new places or seeing old friends.

The anticipation building up to the actual trip. Peaks around the time you actually land at your destination. Once the taxi drivers at the airport departures try to rip you off it’s a downward slope

To see something new and unknown that is different from my home country

That moment when you get the confirmation email just after booking

Embracing a new place

The coming home part

Food and considering I only really travel with my significant other I love it that it’s just us with no distractions for a while

People watching with a bottle of wine. Have started booking rooms with balconies so we can just sit there and watch the world go by at sunset.

For me mainly all the diffirent architecture that you just dont get in my home country and how big everything is, also mountains since my home country has no mountains. I come from a small country and capital that all the people in the city overwhelme for a few days. Last trip I took to Budapest had more people than I have in my whole country lol 😀 For me it takes getting use to all those people

Coming back to home sweet home!

Being out in the world, immersed in other cultures, eating new foods and learning new outlooks on life and how to infuse them into my own. Nothing else compares to that freedom. 

Airport scoops

Snacks...

Going to a new city and wandering aimlessly. I always stumble across something/someplace cool or unexpected!

Freedom to do what you want when you want it

Getting out of your comfort zone!

Learning new things.

Not having to cook, or clean, or do household chores.

Traveling

Unpredictably of the adventure and … my two whiskeys neat on international flights, after which I snuggle inside my cocoon I built, with the good movie I miraculously find in the list of inflight junk

The first shower after getting to your first destination, the first bite of new food, and the first swig of a cold local beer.

I haven’t seen this one mentioned yet, but I really enjoy seeing new wildlife in the wild! I went to Yellowstone most recently and it was so cool to see the bison, black bears, brown bears, and more. In the past, I’ve done more of the beaten path for this, like to Svalbard to see the walruses, Kenya for a safari, or the Galápagos Islands for, well, all of it. I’ve always liked animals, but I never used to be this into it until other trips pulled me in!

Girls

Experiencing something different than your normally scheduled routine that you do in the same place everyday. Gives you (me) a break from your daily life and makes you really remember there’s more to the world than just what you go through at home everyday

Not working, having nothing to actually do except things you planned because you actually want to do them, and last but certainly not least, the food (and drinks)!!

New perspectives. Learning about myself.

I always feel more human when I travel. I connect more to those I meet, I’m taking in all the views, smells etc around me. All in all, I’m more present in the moment and appreciative of everything around me.

To see you can find people with similar mindsets everywhere

cultural immersion and chatting with the locals. i was recently in greece and i learned so much just from the taxi drivers and tour guides i talked to

using priority pass

Travel is my stress relief. If I take a PTO day to decompress at home, I end up working. If I take a PTO day to get on a plane and go somewhere else, the external sensory stimulus takes over and I forget about work. It’s how I recharge my batteries and really the only reason I have a job anymore.

Memories. That’s what will matter in the end.

Exploring

Food, the nature, the people (sometimes.) Doing whatever the fuck you want and that freedom you feel. The addictive ecstasy of laughing until it hurts with tears running down your face with people you met just days prior but feel like you’ve known for years.

Two days ago I woke up on the summit of a mountain, yesterday I woke up near the rocky cliffs beside the ocean. The feeling of triumph overcoming fears and anxieties. Restoring my faith in people seeing how lovely they can be.

I can’t pick one but if I had to, I guess “freedom” about covers it.

Sipping on a coffee at a cafe and watching the world go by from another part of the world.

Biggest thing is to break the repetition of normal life, but also to appreciate the good things in the world. In normal life I always feel like I am surrounded by bad news while travelling you can reflect on the wonders of humanity and all the stuff that makes the world amazing.

Sex

No responsibilities except being fed.

Shopping, food, new sights. Atmosphere of the places.

Being free! I want to chill? I chill! I want action? I find a small adventure! I want great food? I look for a nice restaurant. I want beach? There sure is a beach within a reasonable distance.

I really love traveling. My goal is being able to travel any where without financial Boundries. I like the first Day when i arrive at the place. it's that feeling, yes i made it.

Exploring the country. Experiencing their culture. Tasting their foods.

100% pure novelty. Everything you see, touch, hear, smell, taste is novel. Total 3-D immersion of novelty

Planning and getting out of the US way of life. Don’t get me wrong, I immigrated and became a citizen of this country for reasons. But I still can’t adapt to the fact that people can’t just relax. Like, just chill.

1. The flights (especially if in J rather than Y). I am known to be that one guy that says "I'm really looking forward to flying from X to Y for 14 hours and going to the lounge and everything else". Having been fortunate enough to use miles to redeem J seats has been the single biggest game changer in terms of travel that I've ever experienced, period.

2. The food (eating authentic local food and trying cuisines I never normally would).

3. Learning few local words in the language (Google Translate helps with this).

4. The flight back home, and being able to sleep on it in a lie flat bed and wake up at my home airport rested up ready to get back to the day to day grind.

Different perspective!

Traveling.