Travel tidbits and tribulations

I know the past few posts have strayed from my usual car crazy obsessions (save for the magnificent Miami mags, which just had to be blogged about, wouldn’t you say?), and you’ll have to put up with one more I’m afraid.

Travel has always piqued my interest. Even my insane fear of heights didn’t discourage me from hopping aboard planes and helicopters whenever I could. Luckily, growing up I did my fair share of travelling; living on the West Coast (Beautiful British Columbia) and visiting family in Quebec twice a year ensured I spent a great deal of time in the sky over my great nation. Besides that, I had an incredible journey at the age of 6 all the way down the west coast from Vancouver to Mexico City with my grandmother, and was even shipped off to England at the age of 14 to “learn my family roots” (so my parents said; I think they just wanted 7 weeks sans a teenager in the house).

Over the years as a journalist/writer/editor I’ve had the pleasure of participating in varied press trips that have taken me from Hawaii’s Big Island to Scranton, PA [insert Office joke here], and I can’t adequately describe to you, my faithful readers, how very lucky I feel to do what I do.

For those who think travelling isn’t necessary and is just too much of a hassle or too expensive; shame on you. Seeing the world — even seeing your neighbouring province or the country right below us — changes you. It changes you in a good way; in a way you’d never imagine.

Opening your eyes to different cultures, languages, customs, foods and surroundings is just phenomenal. When my husband and I found ourselves walking the Kenyan planes with the Maasai it took our breaths away and had us both shaking our head in disbelieve that we were even there, but oh so grateful that we were. Exploring Cuban villages, road-tripping through the countryside of Vermont; no matter what I’ve done or what I will do around the globe, I’ll take it all in as a moment in my life that will make me a better person overall.

Not to mention the people you meet along the way.

People are, perhaps, the most interesting part about exploring the globe. Trying new cuisine comes in at a close second, but making new friends and learning about the world through those you meet is just amazing.

Case in point: My latest press adventure in Miami, Florida. While not the most exotic of locations, I was amongst an extremely exotic group of people. From Germany to Brazil to Mexico to bustling NYC, our group was diverse and yet we became this melting pot of knowledge, jokes and general good times. Maybe because we were all writers and journalists at heart we all felt a connection; but of all the press trips I’ve gone on, I think this might be the one I remember as being the best.

Although, sharing a bottle of wine with a PR rep and his boyfriend in their hotel room in Monterey, CA, the night before we were due to be at the track around 8 a.m. will always remain a close second. And so too will the Bloody Marys we all shared in the Mazda box at Leguna Seca the next morning.

People are diverse beings and if you can take the time to really talk to someone, really get to know them, you can turn a stranger into a life-long acquaintance in seconds. Trust me, it’s been done.

For all the sites I’ve seen, hotel rooms I’ve been in, restaurants I’ve had some of the best food at, alcohol I’ve sampled (and had too much of) around the world, it’s the people I remember the most (yes, each and every one of you).

So thank you all for making my job that much cooler and for making all of my travels happy memories and amazing, life-changing experiences.

Drive (and travel) on,
– M.

~ by drivingmsmiranda on May 18, 2010.