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Travel in person... or with your mind?

What's your preferred way of traveling?

Would you rather travel to places in person, or in your head?

For certain people, the latter seems more up their alley. The reasons for this are varied. It may be that they're:

  • Afraid of airplanes
  • Hesistant to deal with the stress that comes from travel
  • Strapped for cash
  • Uncomfortable with the thought of being away from home for days in an unfamiliar place
  • Perfectly content traveling vicariously -- through videos, books, documentaries, and other sources
I think I can be a little of both. It all depends on the mood I'm in.

Sometimes I would rather spend the weekend at home learning about a city -- say, Paris or Honolulu --- via travel books or videos than by actually traveling there. 

Every once in a while, though, I do get the itch to venture beyond the comfy confines of my condo and explore museums, mountains, and other attractions that glossy magazine photos don't do justice to.

Some people might argue that you can't fully experience a city or renowned attraction unless you're there in person.

That may be the case, but it also depends on how rich of a mind you have. For example, let's say I'm reading a book or watching a documentary on London. If vivid photos and/or video is accompanied by descriptive, thorough text and/or narration, I might actually feel like I'm in London. The only thing missing is the ability to touch things and take pictures of my own, as well as being able to say, "I was in London."

I understand that for people who want to scratch another destination off their bucket list, there's no room for compromise here. 

While there are certainly places I intend on experiencing firsthand, there are others I don't care as much to visit in person, but still wish to learn about. That's when those travel books and videos come in handy.

What's your take on this?  Would you rather travel to places in person, with your mind, or both--depending on your mood?
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