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Life is Good Travel

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Josh and Jeanette are a married couple working on a dream to live a lifestyle where they can travel anywhere in the world while working remotely. They started their YouTube channel to document their travel experiences in a couple's travel vlog format. 

While the pandemic has limited their ability to travel, Josh and Jeanette are visiting destinations in their backyard of California and international destinations that are open to US Citizens. The couple hopes to visit various countries as they being to open to tourism to give an inside look at what it's like to travel during the pandemic. 

Life is good when you're traveling and they hope to inspire others to travel more.

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90 Day 's Mike Youngquist Serves Natalie Official Divorce Papers amid His New Relationship

A tearful Natalie was supported by her friend, Josh, as Mike confirmed he's moved on for good

Kelly Wynne has been a TV writer at PEOPLE digital since 2021. Her work has been seen in Newsweek, where she acted as a reality TV and true-crime writer, Atwood Magazine and her mental health blog, The Chronically.

It’s official: Natalie Mordovtseva and Michael Youngquist are getting divorced. 

Mike served Natalie with divorce papers on Sunday’s finale of 90 Day: The Single Life through Debbie Johnson , who acted as the legal third party. The surprise caught a tearful Natalie off guard as she continued to evaluate what — and who — she wanted in her future. 

90 Day cast members slammed Mike for delivering the papers on TV, as well as for involving Debbie, who said she just wanted to support Natalie. “This has been coming for years,” Mike said. “It's not cruel on my part.” Of the backlash, he added, “We got married on national TV.”

Natalie was willing move on, offering to sign the papers on the spot. Her 90 Day costars talked her out of the rash decision, though, and encouraged her to seek legal counsel before signing anything. “I just ask [for] my snowboard and my stuff,” she said of what she wants from the divorce. 

It was far from Natalie’s only moment of tension on the episode. Fans know the Ukraine native broke up with Josh Weinstein during the season because he wasn’t offering a reciprocal level of commitment. During their time apart, Natalie approached Mike again intending to start a family. He reflected on the moment during the tell-all episode. 

“I was just shocked because we're absolutely not together,” he said. “Why am I going to donate my sperm knowing that I have a kid with her and we're not together? Like, that's not what I wanted. I've always just wanted a family.”

At the time, Mike said he wanted the option to pursue someone new — and he did. During the tell-all episode, Mike confirmed he’s in a new relationship. He began showing off his new romance on Instagram last June, though the woman's name has not yet been publicly identified.

“I absolutely love and adore her,” he said of his new relationship. “She just cares about me and wants to be with me for who I am, and I just feel really appreciated and loved by her.”

The episode kept Natalie in the spotlight and in her emotions. As the episode concluded, Josh stepped in to guide Natalie away from the pen. He proved to be more than just legal support, too, as Josh comforted Natalie backstage. 

“Don’t think about the negatives. This year is gonna be great for you,” he told Natalie during a long embrace. “We’re gonna make sure of that.” 

Natalie and Josh left the episode with an uncertain relationship status . He admitted they had some vast improvements in recent months and said he was open to starting a relationship with Natalie again. Only time will tell if the pair reconciles or splits for good — and if Josh is willing to give Natalie the family she dreams of. 

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

90 Day: The Single Life is over for now, but fans can keep up with the drama at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday nights, where 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After is currently airing.

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in Entertainment · Travel

Travel the World on The Voyager with Josh Garcia

I have done a good amount of traveling, but I still like to sit back and enjoy a good travel show. It helps inspire where we want to go next! One of my favorite travel shows that has hit NBC is a new show produced by O·C·E·A·N by Carnival Corporation called  The Voyager with Josh Garcia . It’s about world traveler and Youtuber Josh Garcia, who lives aboard the Carnival Breeze and travels the world and lets us see a portion of his experiences and interactions. You’re probably going to want to book a trip when you’re watching, because each time we watch all of us are talking about when we can go visit Josh’s destination! Thanks to Carnival for inviting us to partner with them to check out The Voyager show and share with our readers for the #SailAwayOcean campaign.

Josh gets to experience food, culture, and people of places like Cozumel, Mexico and even Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. The beauty of the destinations is breathtaking, but the people are also pretty amazing. It’s not every day you get to dive into a new culture, so it is very refreshing to be watching Josh as he travels in this new show. Another really cool thing about Josh’s travels is that he is highlighted traveling on the Carnival Breeze. The Carnival Breeze is located at one of the most popular ports of all in Cozumel (where we spent our honeymoon and visited on our Carnival Magic trip this summer!).

After seeing The Voyager and getting to experience it firsthand, I can see why people are so fascinated with this part of the world. Make sure you turn into The Voyager on Saturday mornings on NBC. You get to watch along as Carnival helps show you the beauty of the world. You’ll feel inspired and like you want to travel the world yourself. We all get inspiration from somewhere and I am definitely getting some travel inspiration from this awesome show. FYI, this Saturday’s episode is all about CHOCOLATE. l

About Brett

I'm a 40 something lifestyle blogger living in Connecticut with my husband and our 3 kids, plus our two rescue pups. We love to hike, travel, play games, watch movies, and just be outside together! Having 3 active kids makes for a hectic schedule and I try to share content, recipes and other things that can help to make today's busy family life simpler, easier, or just plain more fun!

I started working full time at a local middle school in fall 2021 and some of my students are insistent that I am mean.

Matt Edwards says

April 8, 2017 at 11:22 am

I saw a show episode where josh bought a cameo for his mom at a shop in italy, does anyone know the name of the shop. I would like to order my wife a cameo for our anniversary. Thank you.

Ann Bacciaglia says

October 16, 2016 at 7:26 pm

I love to watch shows like this. I like to see different parts of the world I could travel to. I will have to look for the next time it is on.

Amber Killmon says

October 16, 2016 at 6:10 pm

This looks like an awesome show! I’ll have to check it out.

Christy Garrett says

October 16, 2016 at 11:37 am

I don’t know who he is but I would love to go on a cruise. I went on a Carnival cruise for my honeymoon and it was so much fun.

Lynndee says

October 16, 2016 at 10:38 am

I love watching shows like this. I get to see places and learn about different cultures right in the comfort of my own home. 🙂 I would love to travel like him though.

krystal says

October 15, 2016 at 8:29 pm

I would love to follow him along on his adventures. We went to Cozumel on our honeymoon and it was a lot of fun!

Joanne says

October 15, 2016 at 9:18 am

Thank you so much for sharing this post, Brett. I am always looking for new shows to watch, and as an expat blogger myself, a travel show would certainly catch my eyes! Unfortunately, I don’t live in the states at the moment, but I will be looking for it on internet! Thanks again!

Jeanette says

October 14, 2016 at 4:52 pm

I would love to explore the world like this! I can’t wait to see this show! It will be fun to see all the different cultures.

October 14, 2016 at 4:27 pm

That looks like an Amazon show. Unfortunately I don’t have cable, but I am going to try to hit it up on YouTube

Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says

October 14, 2016 at 12:12 pm

This looks like a great show. The only thing I love more than traveling is watching good traveling shows. I’ll have to check this out.

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Help spread the word. You're awesome for doing it!

Do you enjoy exploring the world as much as I do? I believe life is an adventure and here are a few I've experienced around the world: white water rafting on the Futaleufu River in Patagonia; climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania; and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef with a marine biologist. While others were learning cursive I was busy spotting the Big Five on safari 3 times (And you guessed it - I don't like to write in cursive). I've played tag with sea lions in the Galapagos; tried to get the guards at Buckingham Palace to smile; climbed the Eiffel Tower in Paris; sampled gelato in Rome; and survived the hairpin turns on the Amalfi Coast. I saw the remnants of the Holocaust in Poland and celebrated Independence Day in Jerusalem, Israel. Of course, I love our country and have visited many of our 50 US states. So, what do you say? I know you and I will create your adventure filled with priceless memories. Let's get started - where do you want to go next?

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Josh Billings: 'Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.'

Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.

In the realm of life's pursuits, it is often mistakenly believed that success is solely dependent on being dealt a hand full of desirable circumstances. However, American humorist Josh Billings astutely challenges this notion, asserting that life is not merely defined by the quality of the cards we are dealt but rather by the way we skillfully engage with them. This quote encapsulates the idea that true success and fulfillment are not derived from luck but rather from our ability to use the resources and opportunities available to us in the best possible way. Embracing Billings' philosophy urges us to cultivate a mindset of resilience, adaptability, and resourcefulness, showcasing our capabilities to create positive outcomes from even the most challenging circumstances.This conventional interpretation of Billings' quote undoubtedly holds sway, yet it is intriguing to explore a deeper philosophical concept underlying it – the belief in determinism versus the belief in free will. Determinism advocates for the idea that all events, including human actions, are determined by prior causes, meaning that no action or decision made by an individual is truly autonomous. On the other hand, the concept of free will posits that individuals possess the capacity to make choices independently, shaping their own lives and destiny.By examining the quote through the lens of determinism and free will, an intriguing intersection emerges. On one hand, determinism could argue that the cards we are dealt in life are predetermined and beyond our control. The circumstances we find ourselves in, be they favorable or unfavorable, are simply the result of a complex chain of events set in motion long before our existence. In this perspective, Billings' quote could be interpreted as an acceptance of our fate and an encouragement to make the best of it, knowing that we are bound by a predetermined course.On the other hand, proponents of free will would assert that the quote emphasizes the importance of individual agency and the power to shape our own lives. Instead of passively accepting the hand we are dealt, we have the ability to influence the outcome through our actions, choices, and reactions. Free will gives us the liberty to navigate life's challenges and constraints with creativity, determination, and resilience, transcending the mere quality of our initial cards.The profound contrast between determinism and free will adds an intriguing layer of contemplation and introspection to Billings' quote. It compels us to ponder whether our lives are guided purely by predetermined circumstances or if we possess the autonomy to reshape our narratives. By intertwining these philosophical concepts, the quote urges us to consider the interplay between external factors and our own agency as we navigate through the complex tapestry of life.Ultimately, regardless of our leanings towards determinism or free will, Billings' quote serves as a poignant reminder that life's true essence lies not in the quality of our initial hand but in how we play the cards we hold. Each of us faces an array of challenges, opportunities, successes, and setbacks woven into the fabric of our existence. It is inevitable that we encounter difficult circumstances, unforeseen obstacles, and occasionally unfavorable cards. Yet, it is within our power to approach these experiences with determination, resilience, and a willingness to adapt and learn.Rather than resenting the cards we hold, we can view them as stepping stones on our journey towards personal growth, self-discovery, and triumph. Through strategic decision-making, innovation, and a positive mindset, we can transform even the most adverse situations into valuable learning experiences. By focusing on how we play the cards we hold, we develop the resilience and resourcefulness necessary to navigate the complexities of life with grace and wisdom.In essence, Josh Billings' quote encompasses a profound wisdom that transcends the boundaries of luck and chance. It is a reminder to shift our perspective and embrace the power we possess to make the most of any situation. Life is not a passive game where we simply await favorable circumstances; it is an active engagement where our choices and actions shape the outcome. By embodying the mindset espoused by Billings, we unlock our potential to not only navigate life's challenges but also to flourish and prosper in the face of adversity – a testament to our ability to play the cards we hold with skill, wisdom, and unwavering determination.

Henry George: 'What has destroyed every previous civilization has been the tendency to the unequal distribution of wealth and power.'

Theodore bikel: 'i am a universalist, passionately devoted to the cause of equality within the human family.'.

The Joy of Travel – 20 Reasons Why Travelling is Good for Your Career, Personal Growth and Soul

By Author Rossi Thomson

Posted on Last updated: 5th September 2022

Categories Lists , Travel , Travel Experiences

Travelling seems to be the buzzword on everybody’s lips these days.

With cheap flights and options that vary from short city breaks and luxury staycations to round-the-world trips, it has never been easier (or more affordable) to pack a bag and go. For a day, a weekend, a week, a month or even more.

Seeing amazing architecture, admiring centuries-old pieces of art, tasting new foods and accumulating memorable experiences to last you a lifetime becomes a quasi-addiction that you are only too happy to feed.

I call it The Joy of Travel .

In other words, that indescribable feeling you get when you make the first step on a new journey to discover yet another portion of the world. It doesn’t matter if the journey is of a thousand miles or much, much less. What matters is that it makes you feel alive.

Yet, soon the people around you (like parents, employers and close friends) may start questioning your choice to travel.

• Why do you spend so much money on travelling ? Don’t you have a mortgage to pay?
• Why do you need to go there when you have all that you may want at home? Did you know that they don’t sell marmite in shops abroad?!
• Why do you need to go on another city break this year? Haven’t you already been to three?
• Why are you dragging your kids to yet another museum with art by people we have never heard of? Don’t you know that kids simply want to play?
• Why did you take a sabbatical instead of concentrating on your career?
• Why there is a gap in your CV? It seems like you value having fun over working hard.
• What if we hire you and then you leave our company in order to travel more?

These are all difficult questions that everyone who loves travelling has been pressurised with. At least once. Often, countless times.

Yes, on the surface, regular travelling may seem disruptive to an established daily routine which includes family obligations and a good job. It is also draining in terms of money and paid vacation time.

Yet, travelling gives you so much more in return. From the deeply satisfying feeling of being connected to other people and the world to an improved skill set and higher stress threshold.

So, in order to help you deal with those nagging and niggling questions about your travel habits which you may be getting from friends, relatives, colleagues and your (current or potential) boss, here are twenty reasons why travelling is actually good for you.

Read on, enjoy, and use as appropriate!

The Joy of Travel –

20 reasons why travelling is good for your career, personal growth, and soul, 1. travel helps you hone your decision-making skills.

With so many options in terms of travel, you quickly learn to make complex decisions about where to go and when, what accommodation to book and what sights to see. You know that you can’t cram it all into a couple of days, so you precision-pick what you are interested in and what is not your cup of tea. You learn to have at all times several variables in mind. For example:

• money – how much you can afford to spend on accommodation, food and sightseeing;
• distance – how far from your point of interest you can stay; and
• time – how many hours you have at your disposal at each place on your schedule.

The more you travel, the more you hone your decision-making process.

Sooner, you find it easier to make decisions with regards to everything else in your life. At work, this streamlined approach and the ability to juggle several variables and different outcomes is what sets you apart from the rest.

2. Travel Helps You Develop Your Research Skills

Research is a big part of both study and work processes nowadays. The ability to research new ways to do things and having the skills to find out what your competitors are up to can be the decisive factor between failure and success. Both in business and your personal life.

Well, have you noticed how much research you need to do everytime you plan a trip?!

From finding the best tickets in terms of time slots and prices to discovering those hidden gems that all the other tourists miss, a well-conducted research is at the basis of your successful trip.

You can easily transfer your research skills from your travels to your job: monitoring industry leaders’ websites for promotions, discovering blogs and articles by local experts, unearthing little-known bits of information both online and in print.

Research helps save money and find valuable data. Being good at research will take you to the forefront of your field.

3. Travel Helps You Learn to Better Communicate Your Expectations

You can’t be reticent when you travel, especially if you travel as a couple or as a part of a group.

Failing to tell your partner that you really, really want to visit a particular sight may lead to your not seeing it all. People rarely are able to read minds and get tired of always having to ask you what you want to do. Plus, you usually have limited time at each destination. And, once you have left it, you may never have the chance to go back.

So, you quickly learn to communicate exactly what you want to see and do during a particular trip.

Making your expectations clear is a valuable skill in any work environment. It puts everybody on the same page as to what needs to be done and achieved. It also helps prevent conflicts or misunderstandings as no-one likes to have to second-guess what people around them think.

4. Travel Helps You Develop Your Negotiation and Compromise Skills

All this is very good but what happens when you and your travelling partner expect different things from a trip (assuming that you communicated them clearly to one another – see point 3 above).

This is when you soon develop your negotiation skills. You agree to do one thing as long as they agree to something proposed by you. You suggest that you are happy to go to the sea, but it would be nice if next year they come to the mountains with you.

Or, if everything else fails, you both agree to spend a bit of time apart. So, you go to the museum you have always wanted to see and your partner relaxes by the pool all morning book in hand.

It’s all a question of achieving mutually acceptable compromises. Which make travelling so much more enjoyable.

Being a good negotiator can open many professional doors for you. From being able to negotiate the best salary and perks for yourself to being in control during a difficult meeting with a supplier, it all comes down to seeing what the other party is offering, knowing what your limitations are and then marrying both as best as possible without you or the other side losing face.

5. Travel Helps You Fine-Tune Your Organisational and Scheduling Skills

Once you have settled on a destination, it’s time to begin the planning stage. Soon, you become a master of compiling complex schedules. After all, you want to experience the joy of travel to the max. So, even after a strict elimination process, you still pick to do many, many things within one day. In all honesty, back home it would take you weeks to complete the same number of activities.

Still, anything is possible, you reassure yourself. You can definitely:

• arrive early morning;
• drop your stuff at ‘Left Luggage’ at the train station;
• queue (while the queue is still tiny) to climb to the top of Bruneleschi’s dome of the Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore;
• spend a moment in the adjacent Baptistry;
• walk up to Accademia, pick your pre-booked ticket and simply fall in love with Michelangelo’s David;
• then walk down to Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza dei Signori;
• admire the statues in the Loggia della Signoria;
• pick your pre-booked tickets and spend a spellbinding hour and a half in the Uffizi Gallery;
• walk down to Ponte Vecchio to see the views and the goldsmiths’ shops;
• then pop down to Michelangelo’s birth house followed by a quick visit to the Cathedral of Santa Croce in order to see the tombs of some of Italy’s most notable sons;
• have a sit-down meal at a local restaurant tucking into some Tuscan delights;
• pick your luggage and get on the train to Pisa that same evening; and
• book into your hotel for a good night sleep.

Based on a day I planned for myself and spent in Florence, Italy some years ago. It all worked like a charm and was interspersed with lots of gelato-eating, photo-taking, and window-shopping, too.

Even if your travel style slows down with time, this ability to organise your day and schedule activities in an organic manner (taking in consideration local opening times, the influx of tourists and the walkable distances in town) is a valuable skill.

Being organised, efficient and able to set up and follow a schedule is something to be proud of and it certainly helps a lot both in your family and professional lives.

6. Travel Helps You Be More Flexible and Think on the Spot

Things happen when you least expect them. This seems especially valid when you are on the road.

Last summer our flight from Treviso, Italy to Stanstead, England was canceled just past midnight.

What to do? We spent the night at a hotel (paid by the air company) and in the morning we travelled close to four hours to Bergamo where we were placed on another plane. Then, in accordance with the legal framework, we claimed compensation and, after several phone calls and emails, were paid a small amount for our troubles.

It was inconvenient, unpleasant, and very, very hot. We were travelling with a small child and some rather heavy luggage. But there was nothing we could do to make the plane come pick us up from Treviso airport. Instead, we adjusted ourselves to the situation and managed to reach England after all.

The ability to be flexible is highly valued. Knowing that in spite of your best efforts and adherence to plan, things can still go wrong, will free up space in your mind to think on your feet. This way you are able to react according to the actual circumstances rather than in line with what you want to be happening right now.

7. Travel Helps You Understand the Power of Money and Budgets

Two euros (or pounds) for a coffee doesn’t sound that much. A new top and a new bag are the order of the day when you need a little bit of cheering up. Unfortunately, these spontaneous expenses quickly add up and then you wonder why you are always short of cash towards the end of the month.

When you really want to travel and have amazing experiences, you soon realise that the only thing that stops you from doing it is not having enough money. After all, transport, insurance, accommodation, and food are not free.

Hence, you soon start not only to save any spare euro that you have but also to judge the necessity of each purchase through the prism of your travel plans. A new pair of earrings for 10 euros?! This equals your food budget for a day in a far-flung place.  A night out on the town costing you at least 50 euros?! This may buy you a slightly more comfortable hotel room rather than having to stay at a hostel again.

In other words, you quickly learn to prioritise your purchases and to meticulously budget for your time abroad.

On the other hand, once you are at your destination, you are only too aware that not sticking to your daily budget can be the difference between having a great time and finding yourself in financial trouble far away from home. With no immediate support network to help you along, spending above budget 20 euros frivolously every day may be the difference between eating the last few days of your trip or not.

Being good with money and being able to stick to budgets are highly valuable skills both in personal and professional plans. At a time of overconsumption and of companies cutting corners only too willingly, being able to show that you are a dab hand at prioritising expenses and saving money may be your strongest feat.

8. Travel Helps You Sharpen Your Eye for Bargains

In this financial line of thought, travel can also help you develop an uncanny ability to spot a bargain from a hundred feet.

Buying a combined ticket for three sights will save you one third of their individual prices? Done! Waiting for the sales in order to get a new cabin-size suitcase and save 50% off its original price? Excellent!

At the same time, you soon start to differentiate between a real bargain and a false one.

Buying something in a package may not always translate into financial savings. Especially, if due to lack of time, you only end up doing one of the pre-paid things.

Real bargains are great not only for the money you save but also for giving you that fabulous feeling that you have gotten extra value against a portion of the full price.

Knowing the shortcuts and the techniques for achieving bargainous prices will help the budgets of both your family and your company. This will earn you praise and more available money to spend on other (hopefully travel-related) stuff.

9. Travel Helps You Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

People tend to stick to what they know. Be it other people, fashion styles, and even places.

This is why being the newcomer in a tight-knit group can be such a daunting prospect. And why some people tend to spend their every holiday over thirty years at the same resort.

When you embrace the joy of travel for what it really is, i.e. exploring the world and its many different faces, rather sooner than later you need to get out of your comfort zone.

• You may need to get up really early in order to catch a plane. Even though you may not be an early riser at all.
• You may need to approach people and ask in a foreign language (and mainly with your hands) how to get from point A to point B. Even though you are anxious just thinking about talking to strangers.
• You may need to get your point across when you are unhappy about a service. Even though you are non-confrontational to a fault.

Travelling gets you places and most of them are beyond the confines of what you know. Being able to navigate the unknown is a valuable skill and state of mind.

It makes you more self-assured, more confident, more open to the world.

Well-based confidence can give you a competitive edge and get you far ahead on your career path.

10. Travel Helps You Find Creative Ways to Overcome Obstacles

Obstacles may present themselves at any time when you travel.

It could be:

• luggage not arriving at the same time as you;
• weather that is not as nice as the forecast promised;
• large crowds visiting the same sights as you even though the travel guidebook that you read promised that they were off-the-beaten-track.

It could be anything, really. For example, many people come to Italy expecting it to be always sunny and nice outside. But here (especially in Northern Italy) it rains and even snows. So, what to do when you imagined sun-soaked walks, gelato in hand, but instead you are faced with a downpour.

Well, instead of locking yourself in your hotel room and complain on social media about the injustice of it all, you put your creative hat on. You capitalise on things that the country is famous for and which are weather-impervious. Like Italy has lots of thermal baths and spas, large expos, cooking classes, great indoor places for children to play, and so much more that can be done inside (see the full list here , in fact).

This ability to come up with creative solutions to obstacles which may threaten to derail your plans will come in handy in your professional endevours, too. Capitalising on your travel experiences, you may be the person to come up with an out-of-the-box suggestion as to how to overcome a problem your company is facing.

11. Travel Helps You Learn How to Mediate Between People

When you travel with other people (family, colleagues or friends), sooner or later there will be a situation which will make everyone jump against everybody else.

One of your group wants to go to the beach and another wants to shop?! Cue an argument that can spoil the whole day.

Stepping in with a calm head and mediating between people can dissipate the stress. Allowing everyone to express how they feel and setting up firm but fair rules for a respectful exchange is a difficult task but someone has to do it. If you accept the challenge and don’t let emotions rule, everyone will be thankful and much happier at the end of it all.

Mediation is a valuable skill. Knowing when to let people talk and helping them express themselves in a constructive manner will earn you kudos at work and at home.

12. Travel Helps You Expand Your Horizons

Have you ever thought that your country has the best art, the most interesting history and the best looking and most hospitable people?

Well, travel can change your set ideas about the world.

You may come to realise that people have different ways to do the same thing. That certain foods taste better abroad. That every country has unique nature, beautiful art, and lovely people. Just like yours.

This enriches your soul and makes you more appreciative of things which before you might have easily dismissed.

Travel helps you expand your expectations of the world. Hence, you are better prepared to work in a multicultural environment and have a stronger foundation to deal with a team with diverse cultural norms.

13. Travel Helps You Experience a Sense of Purpose and Achievement

In a world overloaded with information which makes us question how happy we are with what we have, travel can bring us closer to that elusive feeling of feeling content.

There is nothing better than the sense of achievement after a long day of exciting sightseeing when, in a short amount of time, you have seen so much.

Be it a visit to an art gallery to enjoy the company of the Old Masters. Be it a hike through a gorgeous place. Be it a food tour savouring your way through the flavours of a nation.

Travel can really make you feel purposeful and full of energy. After all, travelling for most people equals achieving their dreams of seeing certain fabled places and experiencing them for themselves. There is nothing better than having your dreams become reality.

Having this sense of purpose and achievement makes you a happier, calmer person, too. And it propagates into all of the different spheres of your life.

14. Travel Helps You Develop Your Interests

Chances are you travel to places that interest you in order to see things that interest you, too.

Often, lost in the stress of daily life, the first thing we forget to take care of is our hobbies and our personal interests. We may not notice it at first, but making time for them becomes more and more difficult when faced with a demanding family and job.

Travel may be the only chance we get to reconnect with what is important to us.

I used to have a very stressful, high-power job that kept me chained to the computer up to 12 hours a day. Monday to Friday with the weekends often taken over, too. Going on short breaks to Italy to experience its art, food and sun helped me stay sane. Just knowing that Venice was only two hours away from London and that I could easily get there and see all that artistic beauty was enough to give me a bit of respite.

Other people travel in order to practice their photography, to eat new foods, to develop their artistic skills.

When we are too caught in our daily lives, travel opens a little bracket allowing us to re-centre on ourselves, to think about what we want to do with our lives. It also gives us the impetus to start making the changes we need in order to focus more on our own interests (both creative and purely personal).

15. Travel Helps You Awaken Your Creativity

Faced with the exuberance of the world, your heart and your soul soon begin to need to be surrounded by colour and excitement every waking moment.

It could be something as simple as buying colourful fabrics and authentic souvenirs abroad in order to give your home a touch of happiness and creativity.

Or, it could be that after a while you may begin to feel a desire to replicate on home turf the wonderful things that you’ve seen on your travels abroad.

For example, many people are inspired to start a business after falling in love with a particular destination. From importing its food to organising trips to it – the sky is the limit when you feel the creative sparkle in your soul.

I started my blog Rossi Writes led by my excitement of having just moved to live in Italy . Three years later I am still at it and writing has been a great outlet for me during moments of feeling bleak and down.

16. Travel Helps You Get Physically Active

In a world where spending all your time in front of a computer is an acceptable way to lead your life, travel gets us moving.

Getting from point A to point B requires that we leave the house and get on a plane (or train, car, boat). Then, once at our destination, we use our feet to get to know it.

By walking around we see the most exciting, most beautiful things. It could be a walk through a museum; it could be a hike through a stunning landscape. The important thing is that we use not just our mind, but also our body in order to experience the world.

17. Travel Helps You Test Your Resilience to Stress

Being able to work under pressure is a basic job requirement these days. We are supposed to be able to juggle several things at once both at work and home. Obviously, without breaking a sweat.

Travel is the perfect school to test and increase our resilience to stress.

Starting with expecting the unexpected and learning to deal with it, and ending with mastering the communication process with people from different cultures and with different attitudes, travel throws at us many curveballs at any one time.

It may feel scary at the start, but you soon adapt yourself to it all. From learning that eating on your own at a restaurant is not an insurmountable task to not expecting that everything and everyone has to stop to tend to your needs. Travel is character-shaping and -strengthening.

18. Travel Helps You Become More Aware of Health and Safety

At home you may be living in a safety bubble guaranteed first by your parents and then by your partner and/or community. Travel can shift your perspective about the world.

Soon you learn to read people and situations better and to make decisions based not on emotions and fleeting wants but on how safe the experience will be. You learn to keep your guard up. You realise that you are in charge of your decisions and your belongings.

You stop seeing yourself as a fragile flower that needs constant supervision and help. Instead, you act as a grown-up person who can stand up for herself and judge a situation based on observed and perceived dangers.

From simple things like deciding where to eat based on hygiene to much more complicated situations when you need to decide in a split second how to extricate yourself from some potentially unpleasant circumstances, you learn to trust your sixth sense. To appreciate how safe the environment is and to take only measured risks.

19. Travel Helps You Appreciate What You Have

At the end of a trip (be it of several weeks or a day-long) there is nothing better than getting back to your own bed. At least for me.

Having witnessed what the world has to offer – from its most beautiful, most inspiring offerings to its (sometimes) darker side – you begin to look at home with different eyes.

You may have been unsatisfied with your lot in life, but having seen how other people live (and still smile no matter what), you learn to value so much more what you, yourself, have achieved.

What you have may not be loads, but suddenly just it being there, waiting for you to return, becomes a driving force.

Travelling is great! Having something or someone to return to is what gives you roots.

20. Travel Helps You Feel More Connected

Travelling – actively exploring new places and learning about them – makes you feel more connected with the world as a whole. You observe and learn how other people, other cultures live. And through the contact with them, you connect better both with your inner self and those around you.

Through the different experiences you have abroad you learn more about yourself – what makes you tick, what makes you happy and what makes you sad. Through this knowledge, you feel more committed to yourself as a person, more willing to stand up and fight for your dreams.

Through the positive experiences you accumulate when you travel, you feel more engaged with humanity. More open to other people, their stories and their point of view.

And this connection, this feeling of being alive, of belonging is what gives us the strength to continue forward.

Thank you for reading! Please, leave me a comment, pin the image below or use the buttons right at the end to share it on social media.

For more stories like this you can follow me on  Facebook  and  subscribe  to my weekly strictly no-spam newsletter.

angeladowdy

Friday 22nd of January 2021

Hi Rossi, I am so impressed with this article! Would you possibly allow me to use some quotes from this ...I'm writing an article about The Joy of Discovery through Travel ! I would certainly give you the credit. Also you can have a look at my website https://embracesouthernstates.com/ (focus on Southern USA). Exciting to find a soul who shares my JOY !!

Dear Angela,

Thank you for your comment and for your kind words about my blog post. You are very welcome to place a link to my article in your writing. Unfortunately, I don't allow direct quotes in line with the advice of the copyright attorney who helped me after a large number of my blog posts and photos were stolen. Thank you for your understanding.

Best wishes,

Sunday 24th of February 2019

Wow....amazing article, Rossi! Absolutely loved it! Spot on, insightful, so well written - I’d always thought travel was good for the soul and fostered personal growth (not to mention aiding in understanding people of other cultures which in turn promotes PEACE), but until reading your article I didn’t realize in just how many ways it can make you a better, stronger, smarter, more self reliant person! Travel rocks! And it’s sooo much more fun than sitting in a classroom... Also, I agree with all your “20 Reasons” and found myself thinking several times, “...that is SO true! I never thought of it that way...” when thinking about my own experiences with travel. Travel is a marvelous teacher. I’m so glad I found your blog.

Monday 25th of February 2019

Thank you for your very kind words, Lisa! I am glad that my blog post resonated with you. I wrote it very spontaneously and had a lot of fun putting it together. It's nice to know that somebody else finds it interesting. Best wishes,

Sonia M Checchia

Friday 27th of April 2018

I can't tell you how much I love this article. Thank you.

Saturday 5th of May 2018

Thank you very much for your very kind words. I really enjoyed writing this blog post. :) Best wishes, Rossi

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The True Story Behind ‘Baby Reindeer’: Comedian Richard Gadd Escaped His Stalker

By Lexi Carson

Lexi Carson

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Netflix ‘s “Baby Reindeer” is a new miniseries with a twist.

“Baby Reindeer,” released April 11, is based on Scottish comedian, actor and writer Richard Gadd ‘s own experience with a stalker and sexual predator in his 20s. Gadd stars as Donny Dunn, who is stalked by a woman named Martha he met in a bar he worked at.

The official Netflix synopsis reads, “When a struggling comedian shows one act of kindness to a vulnerable woman, it sparks a suffocating obsession which threatens to wreck both their lives.”

Popular on Variety

Gadd told The Guardian he did some things wrong and could have handled the situation better.

“I wasn’t a perfect person [back then], so there’s no point saying I was,” Gadd admitted. “And I know as I’m doing those sections that people are thinking I’m not a nice person – which make them difficult to perform.”

Gadd wanted to paint a clear picture of what stalking is with “Baby Reindeer” and not glamorize this behavior.

“Stalking on television tends to be very sexed-up. It has a mystique. It’s somebody in a dark alleyway. It’s somebody who’s really sexy, who’s very normal, but then they go strange bit by bit,” Gadd told Netflix’s Tudum . “But stalking is a mental illness. I really wanted to show the layers of stalking with a human quality I hadn’t seen on television before. It’s a stalker story turned on its head. It takes a trope and turns it on its head.”

“Baby Reindeer” stars Gadd, Nava Mau and Jessica Gunning. The seven-episode miniseries is directed by Weronika Tofilska and produced by Matthew Mulot.

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'Conan O'Brien Must Go' is side-splitting evidence of life beyond late night TV

Eric Deggans

Conan O'Brien dresses as a Viking in Norway. Conaco/Max hide caption

Conan O'Brien dresses as a Viking in Norway.

To be honest, when I first heard Conan O'Brien was ending his TV talk show in 2021, I assumed news that he might turn to variety shows and online programs to continue his career was some combination of face-saving and wishful thinking.

But after watching the four episodes of his new Max series Conan O'Brien Must Go , it's now obvious — even to a thickheaded critic like me — that leaving late night TV really was liberating for O'Brien. He's leveraged his unique sensibility into several different podcasts, a deal with Sirius XM , specials featuring other stand-up comics and now this travel series for Max — which resembles jokey specials he did for cable channel TBS back in the day.

And as the late night TV genre crumbles under sagging viewership and the decline of traditional media, O'Brien's renaissance also provides an example for the future — where fertile comedy minds and talented performers can spread their work over a much larger canvas.

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Is conan o'brien the best 'hot ones' guest ever discuss., learning a lesson from 'hot ones'.

O'Brien already made a splash recently with his brilliantly maniacal appearance on the interview-while-eating-hot-wings show Hot Ones , slobbering over hot sauces while claiming, as he was checked over by a fake doctor, that "I'm fine! I'm perfectly f*****g fine!"

This is the place where O'Brien shines — he's called it "this strange phantom intersection between smart and stupid" — and it's on full, freakish, super silly display in every episode of Conan O'Brien Must Go .

The conceit of the show is pretty simple. O'Brien heads overseas to visit average folks in Norway, Argentina, Thailand and Ireland who had once Zoomed in to speak with him on the podcast Conan O'Brien Needs a Fan . Sometimes the visits seem like a surprise — he catches one aspiring Norwegian rapper in shorts and Crocs after popping up on his doorstep — and others seem a bit more planned, including his visit to a radio show with about four listeners in Buenos Aires.

Each episode begins with a solemn monologue which sounds like it is delivered by the film world's most eccentric voice, German filmmaker and actor Werner Herzog (he's not credited in the show and when asked, a publicist at Max shared a quote from O'Brien: "I can neither confirm nor deny the voice in question.")

The torturous accent by "Herzog" makes every line sound absurdly hilarious, describing O'Brien as "the defiler ... with dull, tiny eyes ... the eyes of a crudely painted doll ... he scavenges in distant lands, uninvited, fueled by a bottomless hunger for recognition and the occasional selfie."

Now that's smart. And oh so stupid.

A funhouse mirror version of a travel show

O'Brien performs onstage with a fan in Norway Conaco/Max hide caption

O'Brien performs onstage with a fan in Norway

Fans of O'Brien's Conan Without Borders specials on TBS already know what his style is when he tackles a travel show — throwing himself into outrageous reactions and situations while working his quirky brand of improvised conversations with hapless bystanders.

In the Max series Conan O'Brien Must Go , that includes O'Brien offering screechy vocals onstage during a performance of a Norwegian emo/rap band. Or asking provocative questions of a couple therapist/sex expert. Or getting beat up in a "fight" with a 10-year-old boy in a bar.

It's all an excuse for O'Brien to unleash his energetic wit, taste for silly absurdity and skill at drawing laughs from sympathetic — if often befuddled — strangers. Whether you enjoy this special will depend on how you feel about O'Brien's style, which can feel a bit like the world's best class clown doing everything possible to make you crack a smile.

(Rent a family in Norway so they can say goodbye when he gets on a SeaCraft? Check. Get local artists to paint a mural of O'Brien, a soccer star and The Pope on the side of a building in Argentina? Double check.)

'Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend' Is A Joke Name For A Podcast — Sort Of

But what amazes in a larger sense is how O'Brien has turned his sensibility into a comedy brand to fuel work on many different platforms. And, at age 60, with more than 30 years as a comedy star, he's been released from the shackles of any genre to shine wherever he chooses — whether it's an episode of Hot Ones or a streaming service which sometimes looks like a collision between True Detective and 90 Day Fiancé .

Leaving late night TV as late night left him

I'm old enough that I started covering TV not long after O'Brien made his first move from the shadows of life as a comedy writer – he worked on Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons — to succeed David Letterman in 1993 as host of NBC's show Late Night (now hosted by Seth Meyers). Back then, NBC gave O'Brien years to figure out the show, honing his smartly serious comedy in a way that would inspire then-teenage fans like Seth Rogen and Bill Hader .

O'Brien left NBC after a disastrous deal where the network tried to make him host of its venerated late night program The Tonight Show and also keep its former host Jay Leno at the network. He moved to a late night show on TBS in 2010, but even then, there was a sense that his creativity was a bit hemmed in by the format.

After 28 Quirky Years, Conan O'Brien Is Leaving Late Night

By the time he left his TBS show Conan for good, it seemed O'Brien was already caught in a trend which would hobble other late night shows — as young viewers consumed his content online and ratings on cable dropped.

Now, with a podcast and digital media company worth many millions and growing status as a TV comedy legend still willing to do almost anything for a laugh, O'Brien is proving there is a successful life beyond late night.

Particularly, if you have the talent to play the fool while leaving little doubt you're also the smartest person in the room.