# Wanderlust **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 8, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830 "2003-03-08T01:36:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/1 "2003-03-08T01:36:14Z")
I’ve always had a need to find a new horizon. When I pass roads I’ve not yet travelled, I want to find out what lies down them. I love to travel, I enjoy road trips for their own sake (not simply as a means to an end), and I someday plan to take a trip to see all of North America. I have a hard time understanding people who are perfectly happy where they are. Folks who never want to leave the little town where they grew up, or people who figure their home city is the best place anyone could ever be. I have a friend who has absolutely no desire to ever visit anywhere else - he just doesn’t see the point. I don’t see his. Which group do you fall into? What are your thoughts on the issue? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/2 "2003-03-08T01:40:42Z")
I fall into both groups (I think) I do not want to stay where I grew up (probably the most boring small town in England), but I feel homesick for the place. Oh, and my favourite part of a holiday is the traveling part. ---
**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/3 "2003-03-08T02:14:16Z")
I’m with you, **racinchikki**. That’s one of the reasons I chose the job I have–I get to see a lot of the world. I don’t really understand those who don’t either. I guess it’s a comfort thing. ---
**Author:** ![hyperjes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df705f/32.png) [@hyperjes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hyperjes)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/4 "2003-03-08T02:36:58Z")
I move a lot, so I guess I’m kind of still looking for that “perfect home.” I also adore traveling and road trips of any kind. I want to do the meaningless driving-to-see-what-we-can-see thing, too. I was just mentioning that to my husband yesterday, as a matter of fact. There are several countries I’d like to visit as well. Oh, for the time and money… ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/5 "2003-03-08T02:55:27Z")
Well, I also don’t like staying in one place either. Thats why I joined the Navy, its not a job its an adventure… ---
**Author:** ![Mephisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@Mephisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mephisto)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/6 "2003-03-08T04:34:50Z")
I left “home” in my teens and have only been back a couple times in the last fifteen years. So far I’ve never really been homesick. I love to travel, whether that means going overseas for work (which I’ve only done once) or more-or-less aimlessly driving around some new part of the country (which I’ve done numerous times). It’s a big world and I want to see as much of it as possible before I shuffle off. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/7 "2003-03-08T06:03:51Z")
Mark Twain wrote, “…tolerance, or broad wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” ---
**Author:** ![TheFunkySpaceCowboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@TheFunkySpaceCowboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFunkySpaceCowboy)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/8 "2003-03-08T07:23:57Z")
I grew up as an Air Force brat, I grew up travelling, so I really can’t understand the point of view of those that stay in their home towns forever. In fact, now that I’m legally considered an adult (24) I’ve really caught the wanderlust bad. In the past three years I’ve been to the Bahamas, have driven from Anchorage to Las Vegas (and back), toured the eastern US from Chicago to Boston down the coast to Savannah and over to New Orleans (and all stops inbetween,) spent two weeks in Belize and last month moved from Anchorage Alaska to Houston. I’ll probalby be here for three maybe four years before packing kit and moving again. I certianlly plan on many more road trips in out of the country while I’m living here. Soooo I guess that means I’m in the travel camp 🙂 I don’t know about other people but I start to feel uncomfortable and restive when I’ve been living somplace for too long, even as a kid I always started to get anxious after three or four years at one post, I was always happy to leave all my all friends behind for the chance to go someplace new. That’s something I never grew out of, and I don’t think that I will. Even if I do settle down somewhere more or less permantly I’ll still travel whenever I get the chance. When I was living in Alaska I met a fair number people that had never left the state or even really travelled much in the state. No matter how much we discussed it I’ve never been able to convince a person like that, that travelling is fun and worthwhile, likewise they’ve never had any luck explaining to me the virtues of a sedentary lifestyle. I think these two groups of people are destined to remain a mystery to one another for all eternity 🙂 Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![Jberto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@Jberto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jberto)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/9 "2003-03-08T11:33:28Z")
I can be either. Depends on my mood. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/10 "2003-03-08T11:58:19Z")
I’m a wanderer - but what I would like is to find a place that’s “home” and have it to return to. That said, too long without a road trip or plane travel or something of the sort leaves me antsy. Just to be _going_ is the thing - I can always find something to do once I’m there, or I can turn a new direction and head further out. I’ve driven most of the Eastern US and traveled a little outside, though not as much as I’d like. Oh, for the time and money to be able to go wherever I wanted whenever I wanted! ---
**Author:** ![universe.zip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@universe.zip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/universe.zip)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/11 "2003-03-08T13:12:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lsura \* > \*\*I’m a wanderer - but what I would like is to find a place that’s “home” and have it to return to. \*\* Beautifully said. Just what I was thinking while reading this thread. I´ve lived in 4 different countries, and I´m still looking for my “home”. Right now I´m living in the city where I grew up most of the time (except for a gap at age 10-13) - after school, I moved abroad to study for 3 years, then I came back for 2, last year I spent in Barcelona, now I´m back here again - but not to stay. I don´t picture myself spending my life here. I love travelling in my holidays, seeing other places. And I really like living there, too. I felt more at home in Barcelona than I do here, but I doubt I´ll be moving back there next year. I want to go to Finland for half a year first, and to Scotland. I know too many places where I feel at home, not too few. Wherever I am, I always miss people and places somewhere else, even if I´m happy living where I am. And as I go on travelling, this will probably get worse, not better. I envy people who have one single “home”, a place they can return to. I hope I´ll find mine some day. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/12 "2003-03-08T13:26:31Z")
Wanderer here. Born in Ca. Grew up in Oregon and spent most weekends camping and autumns hunting. After graduation took a trip through 39 states in 29 days, went back to Oregon to recover then moved to Connecticut. There for about 6 months, back to Oregon then moved to Wyoming for 5 years. Back to N California, travelled to Canada, Mexico, Japan, France and the UK. Graduated from university and _moved_ to England. Since being here have been to Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Looking forward to more European travel. These shoes were made for walkin’ - Have knapsack will travel 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/13 "2003-03-08T15:56:32Z")
I have horrible wanderlust…and have been in Richmond for 12 years now. This house for almost 4 years; previous house for 7. That’s part of the reason I love going to NYCDope and why I loved Chidope last year and why I want to make it to more 'Fests; they let me feed my travel bug and keep it at bay, since I really don’t have the option of wandering more frequently or permanently. ---
**Author:** ![Leifsmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a698b9/32.png) [@Leifsmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leifsmama)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/14 "2003-03-08T16:21:48Z")
How aptly timed this thread is. Every year about Febuary and March I’m overcome with dibilitating wanderlust. Unfortunately I now have small children and can’t hop the first flight to where ever on a whim. God know’s I’m suffering now. I haven’t been out of the country since I got pregnant the first time. Though I’m trying to talk my husband into saving for a honeymoon in Italy (our actually honeymoon we spent in Chicago the weekend after 9/11. Everything interesting to do had been cancelled, including the Bears ticket we had. Stupid terrorist ruined my honeymoon.) ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/15 "2003-03-08T17:06:57Z")
I like to paddle where few people have ever been. Here’s why: article, photos: > [@](#): > > After a few days of lazily drifting down the river we found ourselves emerging into a shallow lake. It too had a four foot sand bottom, but its diameter was several kilometres. The lake was lined with beautiful white sand beaches. As we entered the lake the winds picked up, raising several water spouts near us, and leaving a magnificent double rainbow in the distance. At camp we lay on the sand with a hot wind blowing across and the sun burning down. Of course Martina spent a great deal of time swimming about, though I preferred to take my exercise running along the shore. This was one of several camps we were to set where time stopped, leaving us with no wish to continue on. Paradise. > [@](#): > > Days merged into each other as Martina and I made our way down the granite and gneiss of the Canadian Shield: Precambrian rock formed a few billion years ago; hard rock as old as life itself. Through the eons it has been eroded by water, wind, glaciation and vegetation, but it remains a formidable terrain. The river had to fight its way through: blind channels, mazes, switchbacks, sudden drops and falls; no clear course to be found. > [@](#): > > What I could not have been prepared for was the sheer intensity of life I was to find on the Kattawagami: coral lichen on the rock; Labrador tea, naked mitrewort and a variety of sphagnum in the bogs; creeping snowberry on rotting logs; velvetleaf blueberry on the exposed hills, sedge and dogwood in the low meadows, northern honeysuckle and goldthread poking up in the margins, endless Schreiber’s moss, and eclipsing above, the over story of black spruce and jack pine. All never touched by resource extraction or development. Seldom visited by first peoples in the past, and today only seen by very few, very fortunate paddlers. The experience was wondrous. Each day by mid-afternoon, when we would set camp, we would be exhausted, partly from the exertion of moving ourselves down the shield, but also from the potency of discovery as we passed through the land. > [@](#): > > As the river widened and joined others, we emptied out one of our barrel packs and filled it with fresh water, for soon we would be tasting salt from the tide pushing up the river. As we approached the river delta, the trees dropped away, replaced first by grasses, and then sea grasses. We could smell the change, and taste the salt on our lips when the wind picked up. We were awed by the ocean as it opened up before us, for upriver there had been no open spaces. To us the water and the sky seemed huge and inviting. The tide was running as we left the Kattawagami, so rather than set camp, we continued out into the sea, cooking our dinner on board, and paddling well into the evening. The slow sunset over the water was a brilliant ending to our day. > [@](#): > > As we made our way along the coast we grew used to the marvellous openness of the ocean. We would take the tide out for kilometre after kilometre, far out of sight of land, and then return on it many hours later. Every hour we would stop to take a fix, set our next bearing, and lie back in the boat, surrounded by nothing but water and sky and each other. Hour after hour, day after day, we paddled and sang and slept under the hot sun on the northern ocean, wanting never to return. ---
**Author:** ![Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/2bfe46/32.png) [@Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xavier)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanderlust/159830/16 "2003-03-08T18:41:28Z")
Sometimes I wanna give myself in to the blue oceans, or the thick luminous grass of the mountains and just ease my car into third… slowing ever so slightly as the shimmering breeze catches my ear and gently pecks at my neck. Other times, I’m in my basement. Happiest place to be. Life’s such a mystery.