In modern life Travel has been imbued
With great significance, the prevalent attitude
Is that travel is an achievement, a way to acquire
A well-rounded personality, travel is supposed to inspire
One to connect with the world in a more meaningful way
In a gathering have something interesting to say
Being well-traveled is a badge of honor self-proclaimed
Recounting experiences in tourist attractions famed
And showcasing photographs of breathtaking sights
Gives one the illusion of being erudite..
We delude ourselves into thinking we are a shade
Better than our not-so-well-traveled comrade..
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The truth is that Travel as a tourist is not
The transformative experience that it is thought
To be- you do not change by visiting a new place
You may not be awed when you come face to face
With a famous site, a painting, a monument
It may differ from your expectation to a great extent
You may not have something profound
Revealed to you as you take in the vistas around
You may have experienced something completely new
But it is unlikely to have a lasting influence on you..
*
Travel as a tourist to popular destinations
Is definitely a great way to spend a vacation
Available to those with some degree of privilege
Merely visiting places does not give you over others an edge..
Passion...unbridled 
‘It may differ from your expectation’…so true. I am not going to name the place to save myself embarrassment, but when we arrived at the destination we had read so much about, my husband and I looked at each other and said, “Oh, it looked bigger in the ads.” How awful, right?! It turned out to be quite wonderful, but that first impression…🙄
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