Psychology of travel
 

Does anyone know of a good book or research related to the "why" of traveling? Why does the drive to travel run your life while it does nothing for the guy next door? Why do we have this urge? I'd like to find out if there's a scientific explanation for it.

There is a joy in being mad that none but madmen know.

So there.

John http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Adventurous spirit maybe,
You know like Columbus, the guy who discovered the american continent..
Yes he was mad, he called them indians !

Matt

The Vikings were there first.....

I would suggest you pick up a few books by Bruce Chatwin. He was an English author who wrote a lot on what he called the 'nomadic imperative' a feeling that some of us have that forces us to keep on moving.

Nicely, Chatwin says that this is, in some cases, actually a healthier way of living than standing still.

I think that he quotes an indian proverb as saying something like "life is a bridge, cross over it but build no house on it" in what is probably the best book of his to start with - The Songlines.

Heartily recommended for anyone who has ever wondered 'what is wrong with me that I just can't sit still?'

Yeah, Bruce Chatwin is fun to read, because it's more than just a travelogue. I reckon it's the hunger for life. Instead of staying at home and waiting for life to pass by, the traveller seeks the beauty in life.

The only book I came across offering a "psycological" view of this "hunger for life" is unfortunately only in German written by Ulrich Aufmuth. The title is "Lebenshunger".

Robert M. Pirsig briefly deals with it in his book “Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance”
I remember very little from the book, which I read about 10 years ago. What I do remember is that he touches on many feelings common to travelers and motorcyclists. It has very little to do with motorcycle maintenance and perhaps more with relationships, but that is the essence of what sets us apart from non-travelers isn’t it? There’s very little science in his book but it’s very enlightening all the same.

Don’t worry though… I’m sure scientists will isolate the wanderlust gene sooner or later and then you can request to have it switched on or off in either yourself or your children! Me… I’m just hoping they can make my hair grow back!

I agree with Steve. Mind, the Irish (St. Brendan) and also the Welsh (Madog) were also there first.
I'm sure that helps.
John

Typical western mentality... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/wink.gif

Actually the Inuit were first when they walked accross the ice thousands of years ago and later became the tribes that today are the "american indians"

Quite right, I stand corrected, it was pretty arrogant when I think about it.

John

Yes "Erik the red" was one of the first european vikings, after inuits, they were adventurous too.
Though Eriks purpose wasn't to discover but to find a new land..as he was researched for murder.
I spoke more about "spirit" than right or wrong of history.

Luckystriker; "zen the art of motorcycle maintenance", an old man gave me a bunch of books before moving out of his house and I have the book you mention.
I thougt it was a book on maintenance, so I didn't read it.
I'll give it a try, maybe it will improve my skills!

Matt




[This message has been edited by Matt595 (edited 17 March 2005).]

I am not totally sure about this, but I think that they have found evidence off the West Coast that Chinese explorers pre-dated any Europeans...

But as you say, the Inuit were there way before everyone else.

I enjoyed 'Zen and the Art of MM' when I read it about 10 years ago, but it was panned in another thread on this site a while ago. It is a bit of a slog, but well worth getting through in my view.

Enjoy all the reading.

Mike

All books of Heinrich Harrer are immensely recommend.

And there is a book calles 'snowchild' by a french guy about a year long trip with his wife and kid. Took them on horses and sledge through North Canada. Temps as low as -30° and this late seventies.

Question why people do this, how they do it, how they feel / work with it...
Gets attention in any good travel book. I just try to avoid commercialised things.

The long hunt. I think there is something in the human makeup that causes a few to take off on a out of the norm journey. Even among nomadics someone had to find the new hunting grounds. And just as sweet berries have vitamin C so people crave the sweet but end up keeping up the intake of vitain C. Long journeys to see what is over the next hill also finds better hunting grounds. Since not too many of us need better hunting grounds now perhaps this traveling about enriches our lives and those around us in many other ways.

You need to read this to figure out some of the things that set us apart from the rest

http://list.gpz1100.com/themotorcyclist.htm

Norm

[This message has been edited by Namron (edited 23 March 2005).]

I bought the "Songlines" book. Thanks for the suggestion. It's very good.

Looks like a prime candidate for Pseuds Corner to me.

Kevin,

I was going to say "don't blame me if once you read the book you never stop traveling" but having checked out your site I can see that you are already incurable.

There are a few compilations of Chatwin's essays that contain more theoretical pieces on nomadism which I would recommend after you finish the Songlines.

Enjoy, and happy travels.

Mike

HI,
This is really one of the best pieces on motorcycling ever written. Really worth reading over and over again.
Thanks a lot for sharing the link, I seriously doubt if I would have found this on my own.

Please read the article on "The Motorcyclist" Here >>> http://list.gpz1100.com/themotorcyclist.htm
Thanks,
Bye
Red Bull




------------------
Ride far, ride safe , ride often,,,...

Paul Theroux said something in his book, Dark Star Safari, that might explain a little why some people hunger to travel.

He said something to the effect that "routine makes time go by faster", and that he travels to break the routine and thus to get more out of life.

For those of you in a 9-5 Mon-Fri job, have you ever wondered where the year has gone to?
I know for sure that that is one of the main reasons why I travel!

Sorry I'm late to the party, but check out "The Art of Travel" by Alain de Botton

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/037...lance&n=283155

Why People Travel
 

I came across your question several years after you posted. As a travel psychologist who is currently working with other psychologists who are trying to answer this question, I would like to do two things. One is to note that there has been some research in the field of psychology that is supported by travel industry. The motivation is how to get people to travel using tourist services (e.g. airplane, trains, cruise ships etc.). There has been travel by engineering professionals who want to enhance the travel experience using different types of modes of transportation. Other social scientists (e.g. sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists) have examined the question from a variety of perspectives. In sum, the answers vary depending on the agenda of the research sponsors, the type, length and mode of travel and ultimate objective of the traveler. So there is no simple answer. The group with which I am associated, International Travel Psychology Consultants is building a web site now to address this question (along with commonly asked questions in the realm of travel psychology) for both consumers and psychologists. I will post the URL later this year when it has been published.

In the meantime you might want to look at some opinions published by Dr. Michael Brein. Just put Michael Brein in the search engine. While his responses are not empirically based he has been looking at this issue for a long period of time.