Travel, Curiosity and State 43

I was listening to NPR one morning this week on my drive to work. A story came on which grabbed my attention right away.

The opening line: “There is great comfort in the familiar. But turns out the familiar may not be the best place to cultivate creativity.”

I thought, well, yes. And, this is my kind of story.

The story went on to focus on how allowing yourself to be influenced by another culture can spark increases in your own creativity. Definitely worth a listen.

However, it got me to thinking about travel. I have always regarded travel as an important aspect of my life. Not just a vacation. But traveling to see and do and learn new things. Travel not only sparks creativity, but travel also makes you happier, boosts your confidence and increases awareness. You’ll meet new people, learn new things and try new foods. The benefits are endless. You don’t need to travel around the world, either. There are adventures awaiting in everyone’s backyard. And if you can’t travel? Try to meet and talk to people more from other places, countries and cultures.

One of my travel goals has been to visit all 50 U.S. states. An ambitious goal, but not unattainable. And, I am excited to announce that I finally crossed off North Dakota (state 43) this last weekend!

We decided to take a little side trip from Okoboji last week and make the trek up to Fargo, N.D. We were really impressed with the city. It reminded us a lot of our own hometown of Lincoln. It had a wonderful downtown area, and we were able to visit the Woodchipper! (Yes, we are fans of the movie “Fargo.”)

On the way back to Okoboji, we took a drive through Minnesota, seeing the world’s largest dilly bar and pelican (I kid you, not!) And, what is more fun than a roadside attraction on a road trip? It’s a community’s representation of something they find important. They can be weird and wacky, but usually fun and a well-needed break along the way to stretch your legs.

And with that, I’ll leave you with some pictures of our most recent adventure. Happy travels!