For most of us, travel or a road trip is actually not about travelling at all. Rather, it’s about the destination – the place at the end of the journey. And that journey is often seen as something that must be endured. But the journey can be its own adventure and, in some ways, just as rewarding as the destination. From epic road trips to small moments in traffic jams.
I’ve been fortunate to see and experience some really incredible or simple places here in Japan. Travelling itself doesn’t get much of a look in and I suppose that’s mostly because the actual travelling – the journey from A to B – isn’t typically seen as something that’s enjoyable. It’s often just considered a means to an end or a necessary wicked that must be endured in order to experience the rewards of the destination. In some ways, it’s not difficult at all to see why this is.
There’s a lot about road trip that can be deeply unpleasant or at least uncomfortable. But not all trips are like these and it’s easy to forget that sometimes the journey itself can be an absolute joy. There are obvious examples here: a scenic train ride or a drive through the mountains or beaches immediately to mind, but I think there’s more to this than might seem immediately obvious.
A road trip can be about much more than a practical journey; it can be its own adventure and its own reward. The more I’ve travelled and the more I’ve seen, the more stories I can tell and I have come to believe that there’s a lot to be discovered on the road and in-between places.
I do think that there’s something special that can be found on the road, sometimes in small moments and other times in epic perspective. The journey is something I have certainly learned to love.
JOHN
