by Jennifer Lim

Created on: February 12, 2009

There are lots of benefits in traveling. I didn't start traveling till I was in my 20s. Perhaps it was the fear of the unknown and even fear of flying but since I went for my first holiday to Australia, I have never looked back.

I am sure there are people with genuine reasons for not travelling. Some people may be afraid of flying on a plane, some believe in the horror stories told about the locals and some people just don't see any benefits in travelling.

So, what's good about travelling?

- Traveling opens our eyes to different culture and customs. It makes us less insular and more accepting of people who are different to us.

- Traveling exposes us to the different wonders of the world, keeps us in awe and admiration of the natural beauty of earth. Travelling also makes us appreciate and respect nature. We will become more aware of taking care of nature and not destroying them.

- Traveling makes us respect the difference practices and way of life of other people and places.

- Traveling takes away the stress of work and momentarily takes us away from reality.

- Traveling enables us to try new things like participating in a local recreation, learning a new craft and even trying new cuisines.

- Traveling builds our confidence. Going to new places and meeting different kind of people builds our confidence and take away our fears.

-Traveling brings to reality the things we have read and heard. Seeing and knowing the truths for ourselves so as to not be led by rumours. For example if I have followed other people's fear about safety in South Africa, I would not have discovered the friendliness of the locals and the beauty of the place.

- Traveling could inspire us in terms of home decoration such as decorating our home and garden in Mexican theme, Thai designs or Balinese furniture and handicraft.

- Traveling enables us not to depend only on common hearsay; things like associating fish and chips to UK and the political unrest in certain countries in which the truth is the unrest is only confined in certain places.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

Mark Twain was right. Travelling opens our minds and our perspective of life. Travelling enhances our life experiences; make us more tolerant and accepting of other people's culture and religion.

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