Independent Travel

Independent travel is a way of life with a rich tradition– a tradition that includes sufi wanderers, zen monks, pilgrims, explorers, and nomads.

We travel not just for vacation (though we do that too   but for knowledge, wisdom, and growth.  Independent travel is a process of never-ending learning.  It is almost impossible not to learn when you are immersed in a new culture– awash in new customs, new beliefs, new sights, new smells.

One of the greatest benefits of foreign travel is that it breaks patterns.   Suddenly, your whole routine is destroyed.   This creates tremendous freedom–  an open space for new ways of living.

Another power of travel– it frees your identity.  At home, people expect you to thinking a certain way, talk a certain way, and do certain things.  On the road, there are fewer expectations.   No one knows you.  You are free to choose, or to experiment with, completely new ways of talking, thinking, and doing.

I have always come back from my trips transformed– a new person.  My political beliefs, my spiritual practices, my understanding of the world– have all been completely transformed by travel.

In fact, if you are unhappy with your life…    if you feel depressed and powerless…  if you feel stuck..  there is not better medicine than a long trip in a completely foreign land.

Several months abroad will cure much of what ails you…  and will open you to profound insights.

This is why Independent Travel is a core practice here at Hobopoet.