Future Technology May Not Really Be The Best For Us

When I consider the promise of future technology from movies and TV shows from when I was a kid, I think about flying cars in Blade Runner and tricorders in Star Trek. But most of all, I've always wanted a teleporter like they used in The Fly (with less horrifying results), Duck Dodgers, and sure, Star Trek. 

Bus Rides heading into the city center for a Beer Event

As much as I love to travel, the action of travel -- the time spent getting from one place to another -- is something I hate. It seems like such a waste, when all I want to do I just get where I'm going. Up until we adopted this crazy travel lifestyle, my time to travel had been limited, and any time being in transit was eating into time I could be there. My vacations always seemed way to short, whether they were spent sitting on a beach or visiting with friends and family. Hours -- minutes, even -- spent in transit chewed into that time. And I resented them. The lost time. Not the friends and family. Or the beaches. 

Waiting for the bus Proved to be a great spot to meet people

We're all aware of the cliché "It's not the destination, but the journey". Honestly? I always thought that was crap. Oh sure, it has merit as a metaphor on enjoying life. But as a metaphor for actual travel enjoyment, it kinda sucks. I mean, isn't the whole idea getting there and getting on with the vacation at hand?

Well, maybe not. Don't get me wrong, getting there is still key. But I'm starting to see great value -- and having some great experiences -- in these natural "breaks" that occur during the mechanics of travel as well. Looking back on our journey the last five months, the stops in our travel have provided me some of the best by-chance encounters. I've met wonderful people while waiting for a bus, chatting in the snack car on a train ride, or getting to know the person I just delighted by taking the middle seat and giving them the aisle on a plane. I think the time I've spent with those people have been important -- just as much as the destination or the journey. And if my dreams of having a teleporter would have been realized, I would have missed out on all of these wonderful opportunities and experiences.

I realize now that it's the pauses in the journey that truly make it memorable. And I'm looking forward to who I might meet next!