Jew-Lee’s Answer:

I travel because like most people, I need something to look forward to in life. Also, I love to learn new things. Taking a trip is a constant learning process, new languages, new foods, new facts, new places, and new people. There’s never a dull moment when you travel. Even planning for a trip is exciting and fun. Finding the cheapest ticket on my favorite airline (Continental) and booking the best budget rooms is a quirky thrill for me.

Even though travel is expensive and exhausting, the benefits far outweigh the costs. I always seem to bring back a different perspective on life. I love to see what other people value, what they enjoy, and what they detest. Did you know that the French prefer a quite café for a leisurely lunch where conversation with friends is the dish of the day rather than our artery clogging, fast-food-drive-by gut bombs? Crazy though it may seem, when I experience a new culture, even temporarily, my life seems to have more texture and color. It’s like seeing life with a new pair of glasses; each new culture highlights different aspects about life that I might not see if I never left home.

Travel also helps me see with my own eyes that people, regardless of culture, race or religion, have the same basic needs. Mommas fuss over their babies in China, just as they do in Italy. Children love to play games and laugh with their friends. Senior citizens everywhere want security in their old age and a promise that things aren’t going to change too quickly. And young people fall in love as easily in Paris as they do in Mexico. People are basically the same and yet, not exactly. That’s what I love about traveling; I can experience first hand the similarities and differences in our cultures. And if a fabulous pastry or decadent chocolate comes home in my backpack, then so be it. Most of all I love how I change as a result of travel. I find my tastes change as well as my perspective. It is an excellent way to get a total makeover!

Dennis’ Answer:

Travel is educational for me. I always return from a trip with a new perspective and outlook on the world. By visiting a country and understanding its past, I better understand their viewpoints and culture. While I don't alway agree with them, I can appreciate issues such as why the Dutch legalized pot and why that works for them. The parts of our own culture that we export abroad also stick out, and while I often feel the need to apologize for them (i.e. MTV), it at least makes me appreciate the other aspects of our culture which are not so shameful.

The other aspect of travel is that it is fun. I enjoy the whole process as well, from finding the best deal on airfare to putting together the web page at the end. Whenever I have vacation time, people ask where we're going this time. We have been very fortunate over the last few years that we have been able to travel as much as we have. It boils down to making travel a priority. People like to envy me for traveling, but I think if anyone really wants to go, it is not out of their reach. A week in Europe for us can be very inexpensive. It's just a matter of knowing how to travel right and where to save money. We've taken our vacations in the "Off-Season" for European travel. While sites are not open for as long in the winter, there are no lines and prices are much cheaper. Our trip to Rome last year was based on the fact that the ticket to Rome was cheaper than flying to Seattle, our other destination of choice. So why not go? Accommodations in Europe are cheap, if you know the budget options. Food is cheap, as long as you know how to eat like a local. And with great public transportation systems, getting around is easy. While to most people European travel sounds expensive, I would guess that we spend significantly less in a week in Europe than most people do on a ski trip in the U.S. Most importantly, when travel is a priority, it's easy to save enough to go whenever you like.

Packing Right

People also ask us, “how do you travel like you do?” What they are really asking is how do you live out of a ¾ full backpack for 1-2 weeks? Well, it is a learned skill, nothing more. It certainly isn’t in our nature to pack light, Dennis being a boy- scout and all (Motto: Be Prepared). First, we are devoted RS fans, so we follow his lead on what to take ect. We also read A LOT about the places we want to go. We find out what to pack by checking weather charts, and learning from others by visiting websites and bulletin boards.

You could literally write a book on how to pack, in fact, I think there actually may BE a book about how to pack. But it really takes a few trips to figure out works for you and your style of travel. We are still refining our packing list based on our itinerary. For example, this trip included a conference and Dennis needed a suit and dress shoes. That took up beaucoup de luggage space and it directed how he packed for the rest of the trip. So while there isn’t a perfect packing list out there, you can always start with Rick Steve's packing list on his website and then refine it for your needs and tastes.

One of the best things about traveling light is that you have no idea what you can live without until you try it. I love that in a 3 week trip I don’t miss TV one bit. I enjoy not having to worry about what to wear the next day (answer: whatever is still clean). It is a luxury for me to know that all that is important in the world is with me on my person and next to me on the train (answer: my money belt and my husband). Packing light allows me to focus on my trip and my travel partner, not my worldly possessions. That is a wonderful vacation for me.