😵💫 This harsh travel reality took me years to accept
Something all travelers must face plus: A town under one roof, the Ganges, and a random thing to do in Scotland
Welcome back, my friend.
This is Itchy Feet, a mini road snack of travel inspiration.
Before we get rolling, here’s last week’s post in case you missed it:
This week let’s talk about the hardest truth all travelers must face.
Reading time: 5ish minutes
Traveling is like a smoothie full of life nutrients. 🧋
The International Society of Travel Medicine, NBC, and WebMD all have similar views about the health benefits of travel:
Travel can reduce stress, strengthen bonds between loved ones, and makes you healthier.
I can say firsthand that traveling is one of the best investments in time and resources.
But there’s a cold side of the pillow. ⛄️
All travelers need to face a stark reality. I've faced it and I’m if you’re a travel fan you have also.
You can’t see everything.
No matter how hard you try, there’s always another:
mountain
hostel
sunset
passport stamp
(insert cool buzz word here)
It’s physically impossible to do it all.
We could dedicate every single penny and second of our lives to travel and still have things left over.
I interviewed Darlene, an incredible woman who’s been to 170 countries. Even she’s still got a bucket list.
🔵 Translation: There’s more. A lot more. No matter how hard you try.
I didn’t want to accept this harsh reality, but it’s true.
This post is not meant to burst your bubble, but an invitation to change how we view travel.
As I’ve gotten older, gotten married, and (sort of) settled down, I realized that the quality of a trip beats how much we’ve seen.
This is why slow travel is becoming so popular.
Traveling should be more about the intention behind it, the laughs you share, and the memories you create.
If you see XYZ, that’s great. If not, that’s fine too.
It’s important to be present and fully enjoy as much as possible.
As my mom says, “Be where your feet are.”
Also, I’m trying to show more gratitude than think about what places I haven’t visited.
What do you think?
Let me know in the comments! ✌️
🤲 Did You Know?
It’s very easy to meet people in Whittier, Alaska. This is because nearly the entire population lives in one building!
Nicknamed the “Town Under One Roof,” Whittier’s small number of residents (272 as of 2020) reside mostly in the Belgich Towers Condominium.
Whittier is one of the wettest cities in the US, with an average of 16 feet of annual rainfall and 20 feet of snowfall each year.
Thank you to my wife Yesi for finding this! ❤️
🎏 Culture Corner
According to the Times of India, the nearly 1,600-mile-long Ganges river is the only freshwater river on Earth with 1,100 kinds of bacteriophages. This bacteria in its waters rapidly kills germs and eliminates pollution.
This natural security shield acts as a self-purification system.
India is predominately Hindu. In their faith, the Ganges River is home to the goddess Ganga. The river is considered sacred, so the act of bathing in the river is a way to wash away sin.
In fact, every 12 years millions of Hindus make a pilgrimage to the Ganges and three other cleansing rivers of India to restore their karma. This festival is called Kumbh Mela (recently celebrated on January 13) and is considered the largest religious gathering on Earth.
Another common practice is to offer food, flowers, and other items to Ganga by setting them free in the river.
Spreading the ashes of fallen loved ones is also viewed as a way to improve karma and lead to salvation.
Despite its self-purification powers and spiritual significance, the Ganges River is unfortunately still heavily polluted.
India TV News says that there are high levels of toxic chemicals due to industrial waste, sewage, and agricultural runoff.
Even so, millions of people bathe in the Ganges each day.
Numerous efforts such as the government-led Namami Ganga are working to restore the ecosystem of the Ganges River. Better sewage treatment, afforestation, and river-surface cleaning are some of the steps taken to fight pollution.
This multilayered issue is as complex as the river itself.
Since the Ganges is also a lifeline for 40% of India’s population and 40% of the country’s GDP there are more than spiritual reasons to keep it protected.
🌆 A random thing to do in Scotland..
Fingal’s Cave is located on the island of Staffa, six miles off the west coast of mainland Scotland. The island is only half a mile wide with zero inhabitants.
Its unique geological features consist of uniform hexagonal basalt rock columns. These columns form from lava flow 60 million years ago. Protruding out of the sea, the cave looks a like massive organ carved into a cliff.
For that reason, in Gaelic Fingal’s Cave is An Uamh Binn, meaning the Cave of Music.
You can take a tour of Staffa from different ports in Oban, Mull, and Iona.
Thank you so much for reading. This post was written with love and some coffee. Your time and support mean a lot. 🎸
Happy Sunday and see you next week!
Much love,
-Daniel
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• ✍️ See the world one housesit at a time
• 🌍 10 passengers you meet on planes
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Yes, I want to see everything. But we spent 6 months in Perú and probably won't go back. We passed by lots of stuff, but we also saw things and had experiences that most people don't have.
There is so much stuff to see, do, and experience all over the world, if I miss one thing, there is something else amazing right down the road.
When I really enjoy a place, and I didn't see everything that was on the "must see" list, I am secretly relieved. I have a reason to come back!