Traveling To and From: It’s About Getting There

When we think about travel, we often dread the actual act of getting there. The hassle of planes, trains, cars and sometimes all of the above. We begrudgingly get together our passports, grab a coffee, pull on sweats and give ourselves a pep talk about how the pain of travel will be worth it in the end. We drag ourselves to the airport or out to the car early in the morning along with all of the other travelers, in similar pajamas with miserable looks and dark circles under their eyes. Body parts and belongings are crammed into seats while we snack, read and plug ourselves in with headphones to block the world around us out. This was, however, not always the case. 

Many years ago, travel was the exciting part. As more technology developed, people were ecstatic for their opportunity to experience this new luxurious type of travel. From trains to planes, wealthy individuals prepared for their journey to a trip, caring more about their journey than their destination. Their travel routine differed dramatically from ours today. Not only was avoidance and annoyance of the event not available, but it was also unappealing. Travel was seen as an experience in itself and an opportunity to connect with individuals around the world. 

Air travel specifically, and most notably, has lost its glamour and aesthetic appeal. The 1950s and 1960s, sometimes regarded as the golden age of commercial aviation, led to cultural admiration for employees of the aviation industry. Flight attendants and pilots were respected for their ability to provide a luxury experience and efficient transportation. The ability to enjoy the process of ‘getting there’ made flying the glamorous experience that it was. Nowadays, the flying experience looks and feels dramatically different than this dreamy understanding of a positive travel experience.

Photo by Sourav Mishra from Pexels

As weird as it may sound, we have COVID to thank for bringing this joy and appreciation back into our lives. Over the last year and a half, our inability to travel has given us a newfound appreciation for the journey. We’ve dreamed about boarding planes and boarding passes, fantasized about crossing state lines and beyond. Quarantine has reminded us about the luxury of travel, giving us a newfound sense of appreciation for, not only travel but the process of getting there.