"The World is a book, and those who don't travel read only a page"

Saint Augustine was a ingenious man. His quote certainly speaks to me on many levels, two of my greatest loves are to read and to travel. Something I often hear people say when I talk about travel, is "yes, but whats wrong with ... *insert place of choice* ?"

My thoughts when someone say's this? Well nothing, it is a great place as far as places go, will always have its little quirks, things that you love about it, things about it that always frustrate you. But that's the point. There is a whole big world out there, so full of amazing things to see, people to meet and experiences to be had. Why NOT travel is what I ask?

I believe that everyone should take a trip every now and again- the more the better in my opinion! But I realise that not everyone is as travel crazy as I may be. However, there are things I love about travel that relate to your development as a person, in mind, body and soul. I think it opens our eyes and hearts and minds. Makes us more accepting of others and different beliefs and religions. I mean think about it- if we were all the same, thought the same, spoke the same, worshiped the same...how BORING would that be? we have SO much to learn from each other! So I can only encourage you to look around you, and try to see things from another's point of view rather than trying to railroad them with your own thoughts and opinions!

Travel also has this amazing way of reseting our priorities and setting them straight. Especially travel through developing countries. How can you complain that your meal at a fancy restaurant wasn't quite up to par when you still have images on hungry children begging on the streets? Children who have to fight for survival every single day, and may never live to grow old, fat and happy? Parents who have to watch their children starve to death, or die from curable diseases? Or remain caught in the cycle of poverty as they can't afford to go to school?

If a book is good, you can't put it down, or if you have to you come back to it as often as you can, grasping at each word with a greedy hunger barely satisfied with each passing word. The world is not a good book- it is an amazing and incredible book, filled with laughter and tears and exciting adventures. It is a book where once you have flipped the page you don't want to stop- and why should you? There is so much more to be read!

So get out of your house and GO somewhere, ANYwhere! doesn't matter for how long, just do it. It will change your life, that I promise. The change you may wonder? The change is that you will start to LIVE your life- rather than letting it sit on the shelf gathering dust.