When you make a stop at a tourist destination, it may take anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour and a half. There may be a famous statue or landmark, waterfalls, a volcano, a flower garden etc. When you are just starting to enjoy it, the tour guide will usually say, "Okay guys you got five minutes." Once you take the individual photos and tourist shots, you only have about five minutes to actually take in the beauty of the site and surroundings. You may be in a beautiful Rose garden and there are butterflies in that area you overlooked or did not get time to see. You are at a waterfall and you just take a shot of the waterfall and some silly photo in front. You missed the beautiful path that lead to the waterfall. You had no time to truly explore behind it, around, and what's next to it.
With those tourist stops, I find myself wondering behind and wanting so much more. "Priscilla, come on the bus is leaving." I hear that often if I do take a tour. It's just not enough to stop at a volcano for 20 minutes at a volcano when I want that time to sit near it and take in my surroundings. It always feels like just when you are starting to enjoy it, you have to leave. This is problematic towards getting to the real part of traveling. You are missing out on the real beauty of that site or landmark listening to the tour guides words, taking pictures, and then leaving.
Where is the connection to the site, where is the time spent reading the excerpts, where is the time spent with the nature, and where is the imagination? While this is not true all the time, it is true a majority of the time. There is something that is missing and that missing component is spiritual exploration- truly allowing your body and five senses to take in a site.
People are getting the talk from the guide, the photos with the site, the time to see what was recommended, but where is the spiritual exploration time? It's there to leave an impact on a human being. That experience can improve their being as it resonates with them. It's not happening enough with short tourist stops at significant sites.
With those tourist stops, I find myself wondering behind and wanting so much more. "Priscilla, come on the bus is leaving." I hear that often if I do take a tour. It's just not enough to stop at a volcano for 20 minutes at a volcano when I want that time to sit near it and take in my surroundings. It always feels like just when you are starting to enjoy it, you have to leave. This is problematic towards getting to the real part of traveling. You are missing out on the real beauty of that site or landmark listening to the tour guides words, taking pictures, and then leaving.
Where is the connection to the site, where is the time spent reading the excerpts, where is the time spent with the nature, and where is the imagination? While this is not true all the time, it is true a majority of the time. There is something that is missing and that missing component is spiritual exploration- truly allowing your body and five senses to take in a site.
People are getting the talk from the guide, the photos with the site, the time to see what was recommended, but where is the spiritual exploration time? It's there to leave an impact on a human being. That experience can improve their being as it resonates with them. It's not happening enough with short tourist stops at significant sites.
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