There is an
article – which will not be linked here because I do not buy its basic premise
nor many of the points made in it – that claims that “new experiences are the
reason we live.” I find that arrogant for many reasons.
Some might
believe that we live to learn (in whatever form life affords us) and in the
process of learning we are, we become.
I’ve known
many who believe with their very souls that we live to serve others. I am sure
we’ve all met at least one person who believes the reason we live is to serve
God.
To each her
own, I say!
I do agree
that one of the things that bring quality to our lives is learning, and new
experiences. Of course, access and affordability are serious factors to consider.
One of the most
memorable experiences in my life involved traveling. If I had a little cash to
spare, I’d take a trip. That day will come after I start working again.
I miss traveling.
I miss traveling.
Years ago,
you could buy travel books and magazines, or watch PBS National Geographic
specials. Later, videos and even travel programming popped up.
These days,
the Internet can supplement the desire to roam the earth for those who cannot
afford it or be accommodated, or if they are agoraphobic.
I used to do
theme weekends – I’d cook a country’s cuisine, play its music, watch a movie or
see an episode of a travel show.
Fountain at Square St. Louis, Montreal
Every once
in a while, I go to Google maps and I visit some of my favorite cities, some I
have been to and others I wish to visit someday. All this is made easier with
the Internet (before the technology, it would’ve taken hours of research, kids!
And, like, actually going out to get stuff.)
There are
sites that offer an immersive virtual visit to places far and wide. Is it
anything near as exciting as the real thing? Of course not! But you can learn
new things. You can aspire to be there in the future and plan accordingly. The
experience is designed simply to expand your horizons within the limits of the technology.
I see the
technology as a dream aid – it can populate the imagery that you dream about or
it can fuel your passion and your bucket list.
Below are
some sites that you might find worth exploring… Feel free to leave other links
in the comments, if you wish to share your favorites.
A
spectacular virtual experience that covers over 400 miles of 360° of trails at
four national parks (some even include ambient sounds and allow you to take and save snapshots of the vistas): Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Sequoia, and
Yellowstone. This site makes use of street view technology and puts you there. You can explore on your own or
watch videos of the mapped trails. I can’t wait for virtual tech to become readily available (are you listening Oculus Rift folks? Hurry up already!)
Grand Canyon at Sunset
Sequoia National Park at Night
Offers 3D
virtual tours with 360° aerial panoramas from across the globe, including the
Golden Ring of Russia, icebergs in Greenland, Teotihuacan in Mexico, the Taj
Mahal in India, the holy places of Jerusalem in Israel, the Valley of Geysers
in Kamchatka, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, and even a rocket launch!
Aerial view of Paris
Gotta give
props to my home state for a new site that lets you explore the Finger Lakes,
the Adirondacks, Thousand Islands, the beautiful Hudson Valley, and some
spectacular views of Niagara Falls among others.
Stony Brook State Park
You need not
stick to the outdoors. You may take virtual tours of colleges, churches,
museums, caves! Links for more follow, but I want to finish by saying that you
can be happy where you are physically and still find ways to experience new
things that do not require running and wandering, uprooting your life every fifteen minutes or living like a nomad. No matter what
that article that shall remain unspoken here!
You can chase your passion, but know that you make your own happiness; you cannot run to or from it. It is within.
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