The primary goal of this blog is to help travellers make better decisions when planning holidays: You’ve a journey in mind and you want practical information.
But I’m also keen to show how travel can help us thrive as people by cultivating what National Geographic and adventurer Levison Wood call the explorer’s mindset, and this is what I call the Journey in Mind.
We thrive when we strive to know ourselves and the world better. Travel is the global classroom and Mark Twain said it best when he stated that travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. This is why I’ve created this Journey in Mind page.
Travel positively transforms a person and I have elaborated on this in my Transformative Travel post. I highly recommend you read that post to get a detailed explanation on how travel and positive personal growth are connected.
Travel encourages you to become the linchpin of your own life. Seth Godin describes a linchpin as an individual who can walk into chaos and create order, someone who can invent, connect, create, and make things happen.
It is no coincidence that mental health professionals use words such as journey, explore and discovery in their work. For me, many aspects of travel are a form of self-care.
I recognise that everyone needs to find their own outlet and passion that helps them thrive. Travel happens to be one of mine and I’m using my experience to guide you in exploring travel as an outlet for personal growth.
And in true thriving mode, this page will grow and expand over time. So check back at regular intervals for updates.
So why be a passenger in someone else’s plan when you can become the driver in your own life. Your quest for the best starts here.
Inspiring Travellers
These are people who travel/travelled on their own terms. My list consists of present-day explorers and historical figures.
Hilary Bradt: Co-founder and former CEO of Bradt travel guides.
Lillian Bland: The Northern Irish aviation pioneer who was the first woman in the world to build and fly her own plane.
Mike O’Shea: The Irish adventurer who pushes physical limits in some of the most inhospitable places in the world, and coordinates stunts for Hollywood stars.
Rosemary Smith: A pioneer of women’s motorsport in a time of conservative attitudes towards women.
Lady Mary Heath: This Limerick lady set a lot of aviation firsts for women. But she was the first person (male or female) to fly solo from Cape Town to London.
Lady Mary Bailey: This Anglo-Irish aviator broke the world altitude record, was the first woman to fly across the Irish sea, and was the first woman to fly from London to Cape Town.
Henk van der Klok: The brave Dutchman who walked across Europe with no money.
Gertrude Bell: A Victorian explorer who drew the borders of modern day Iraq in the aftermath of World War I.
Journey in Mind
These posts are a pot-pourri of how travel and journeys can transform our minds. Some spur reflection. Some look at broadened perspective. Others alert us to the possibility of travelling in different ways.
Transformative Travel: Exhibit A in the case for travel.
Benefits of Travelling: Why travel is good for people and places.
How travel builds resilience: Develop the skill of bouncing back from adversity through travel experiences.
10 signs you need a vacation: Recognize when it’s time to pack the bags.
Travelling alone for the first time: My experience of solo travel (how not to do it properly).
First time travelling abroad: Planning Tips (how to do it properly).
The Kindness of Strangers: Some examples of kindness on the road that have somewhat restored my faith in humanity.
Wanderlust Quotes that Inspire: Travel-themed quotes that describe the Journey in Mind experience.
Dark Tourism Destinations: A selection of destinations known more for death, disaster or the macabre that will challenge or enlighten travellers.
Solo Female Travel Destinations: 49.58% of the world’s population is female. But yet women are not universally treated as equals. This is a list of countries that I believe are the best countries for women to travel in and a small list of my destinations that are not.
How to enjoy winter: Discover the physical and mental strategies to get you through the year’s most difficult season.
Celebrations around the world: Sometimes joining in the local celebrations are the best way of getting to know your destination.
Why is tourism important? This looks at travel from an economic and social perspective.
What does it mean to be Irish? Writer Brendan Behan said the Irish have a psychosis rather than a nationality. Is he right?
Culture
Culture is the shared practices of a community, thus reflecting that community and its identity. Exploring the creative art offerings of a destination is an excellent way of gaining insight into a people and its past.
Summary of the Renaissance: One of the most influential eras in history and its legacy.
Famous Opera Songs that Uplift and Delight: My love affair with opera began during Italia ’90 and is the perfect antidote to life stresses.
30 Movies about Europe: A mix of English language and European language films that both inspire wanderlust and educate viewers on the cultural melting pot that is Europe.
Best European TV series: A list of highly entertaining television series in different genres.
Armchair Travel: How to broaden perspective when stuck at home.
Best fiction books to read: Travel the world through escapism.
Understand the world: A list of non-fiction books that are essential for expanding your understanding of you and the world.
Arrivals Hall 