Editor's Weekly Ramblings 135

April 21st 2006

Travel psychology

Photo courtesy of Sandrine Ceurstemont Wish you were back on holiday? Being there is one thing, but you also have to be in the right frame of mind.

Easter holidays are over and for most of us, it's back to our daily routine. Did the break live up to your expectations? For those of us who have been away, travelling and coming back home can evoke mixed and unexpected feelings. Perhaps you enjoyed yourself so much that you are wondering why you don't move to the coast of Spain, or perhaps, on the contrary, the hotel you booked online wasn't quite as luxurious as the photos claimed? Fortunately, I came back relaxed and refreshed, but travelling is not always without its share of anxieties.

I recently watched a not-so-typical travel documentary based on Alain de Botton's book The Art of Travel. De Botton is a British writer who looks at everyday life from a philosophical point of view, incorporating his own experiences with the thoughts of well-known thinkers. His perspective is often cynical: in The Art of Travel, he compares the anticipation and planning of a holiday with the fact that the actual trip may not live up to those expectations...

A lot of it, he claims, has to do with psychology and our frame of mind. Holidays are often considered to be a means of escaping from the worries and burdens of everyday life, but often when staring at idyllic photos in travel brochures, we forget that we may take those same thoughts with us on holiday. It may sound unnecessarily pessimistic, but the reverse is also true: we can incorporate the traveller's mentality of discovery and wonder into our everyday lives when back at home.

Recently, it's what I've been trying to do. Although I've lived in London for a few years now, I've started doing some touristy things like going on guided walks of the city. It may sound cheesy, but it's actually a great way to learn more about the city's history, and to take a closer look at things you would normally just pass by. Also, as someone who is slightly scared of flying, it's nice to experience being a tourist without having to set foot on a plane?