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!

Take a vacation already!

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” Saint Augustine

I came across this article awhile ago: Why Americans need to take more vacation time, and it got me to thinking …

Immediately this stream of words came floating into mind. I so agree. Americans need to take more vacation time and travel more. And not only travel more abroad but also in their own state, region and country. It discourages me that people don’t make time for vacation. I immediately logged into my blog and started to write about how people need to take a vacation and see and learn something new. And I mean a real vacation. A trip where you actually go out and see and do things and learn something new. Then, I stopped writing. I started worrying that I might offend people. Maybe they’ll say they can’t get away. They have too many commitments, not enough time or not enough money. But then I started to think again. One doesn’t have to spend a lot of money to travel. Sometimes all you need are a couple tanks of gas and a drive to learn, explore and see something new. I’ll never forget the time Tim and I drove out to Western Nebraska to see Chimney Rock, Scotts Bluff National Monument and Carhenge. It was great! I thought I was in another state. I had no idea the western part of my state was so beautiful!

As for time, there never is a good time to take a vacation. If one waits, they’ll never take it. You just need to set a date and do it!

And then, I started to thinking even more about traveling. I think it is our duty as Americans to at least try to visit all 50 of this country’s magnificent states! Every time I visit another one I gain a better appreciation for the state I live in and its people. But yet I also gain an understanding of other people, places and states. I think it helps us to understand one another and understand this country.

So, some of you know this, but I have made it a goal of mine to visit all 50 states before I turn 40. I have 37 so far, and five more years to visit the rest. I also am starting a new project that you can read about in this blog. Starting soon, I am going to start on my 50 blog posts about all 50 states. I am excited to write about each one and hope you’ll at least read along.

“To travel is to take a journey into yourself.” Danny Kaye

So, in conclusion — take a vacation! Whether you travel abroad, around the United States or spend a week (or two) exploring your own city or just staying at home spending quality time with yourself and/or your family, you owe it to yourself to have some time off. Just do it!