It's 7:45pm on November 9th and I am about to board a flight from Ahmedabad, India to Mumbai. Everyone around me is mingling with their loved ones donning bright smiles and sharing laughs. Children are chasing each other, giggling, and spirits generally are high.
It's almost my turn to board so I reach for my passport and boarding pass, as I have done one thousand times before, and notice myself placing my left palm over the front cover of my passport bearing the Great Seal of the United States with "United States of America" embossed in gold lettering, shielding it so no one can see. My eyes start to well up and I try to hold back tears, but a few find a way to trickle down my cheek. This feeling is so foreign and uncomfortable and I become paralyzed with emotion, but I continue my walk down the gangway, ashamed and confused.
7 Reasons Why Travelers Are Happier People
Imagine the open road. An endless stretch of highway just waiting to be traversed. You don’t know where you’re going. But, you don’t really mind. Adventure is your middle name, and you’re open to travel anywhere. Whether it’s another state, another country or just a neighboring county, you’re willing to have new experiences. This describes the life of a traveler. You know what other word would describe a traveler? Happy.
Happiness is a fleeting feeling in society. With 7 out of 10 people reporting physical or emotional symptoms of stress, it seems as if happiness isn’t within reach. We all want to be happy. And it seems travelers are some of the happiest people on the planet. But, why? Why are the ones who constantly change their surroundings and embark on adventures the happiest? Before we can answer that question, we first have to understand what causes the unhappiness.
Stress is a major factor in building up unhappiness. It’s one of those things that is ever present in our lives and never seems to go away. So, if it’s so bad, how do you get rid of it? Technically, you can never get rid of stress. It’s always going to be there. However, there are ways in which you can manage it. And, once you learn how to deal with stress, you’ll realize that the people who can handle unfortunate events and stressful situations are generally happier people. So, with all that in mind, let’s delve into why travelers seem to have the distant treasure of happiness that most people desperately seek.
Read more3 things we learned at OKTOBERFEST this year
AND IT'S NOT WHAT YOU'D EXPECT!
This year's Oktoberfest + Bavaria adventure was beyond words. The group, the weather, the adventures...There's enough goodness to talk about for days! Instead of reminiscing in full detail, we thought you'd like to hear three of the best things we learned from this year's Oktoberfest!
Read moreSix Secrets of Machu Picchu + the Legacy of the Incas
Six Secrets about Machu Picchu and the Legacy of the Incas, find out now!
Read more7 Incredible Facts About Women Owned Businesses
Creating your own business requires a unique idea, sincere passion, and a clear vision to making that dream a reality. However, this can not be achieved alone, as our WHOA co-founders Danielle Thornton and Allison Fleece have figured out themselves. This dynamic duo met on Kilimanjaro and turned their dream to travel the world into a career. Together, they created a strong network of incredible adventurers that continue to support and encourage women to travel the world and reach their highest aspirations.
Read more3 Years Ago We Had a Dream...
IT ALL STARTED THREE YEARS AGO THIS WEEK......with two girls and a crazy dream. 3 years and 13 adventures later, WHOA has become an unstoppable community of over 200 kick ass women from around the world who are changing what it means to travel!
Read moreCan You Name All 7 Summits?
This actually may be a more difficult task than you expected! The “official” Seven Summits are a highly debated topic in the world of mountaineering. There are actually a two schools of thought and it depends on whether you include all of Oceania or only mainland Australia as a continent, which it results in either Puncak Jaya or Mount Kosciusko, respectively. As of June 2016, 409 people have climbed seven of the eight peaks on either of the two lists, the youngest being 15, and the oldest 75! Here are all the contenders on the “Seven” Summits list, from lowest to highest. Some of these mountains take months and rigorous training to summit while others can be done in a week or even a few hours!
SO, Which ones do you want to climb?
(If it’s Kilimanjaro or Elbrus you’re in the right place!)
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