22 Aug Why Travel Will Make You Smarter
January 14, 2010. 3:30 PM. Kuching, Malaysia – Missy and I just boarded a local flight bound for the rainforests near Kota Kinabalu, Borneo. Our plane took off in the sheets of torrential rainfall that typify the monsoon season in this part of the world. It seems like a good, sturdy vessel, so we recline our seats a bit and relax. Now, gently floating above the clouds together, warm coffee in our hands, we turn our attention to one of our favorite subjects of all time; exploring the world in which we live.
We begin by reflecting on how excited we are to finally experience Borneo. It’s been on our “travel hit-list” for a very long time. We’ve spent a great deal of time in Indonesia; Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumba… But Borneo is different than the other islands. It’s one of the least explored places on earth.
The world’s second largest island, it is mostly virgin rain forest and a great deal of it is uncharted. We’ve heard mysterious stories about the virtually impenetrable interior, where the ancient tribes live. Plants with leaves the size of busses, wildlife that can be found no where else on earth, virgin rain forests with insects so formidable that staying overnight is nearly impossible…
We have no idea what to expect, but one thing we know with 100% certainty; when we leave Borneo a week from now, we will be smarter and more knowledgeable than we were before.
Travel is our number one intellectual strategy and our favorite way to educate ourselves. Each and every new destination is an opportunity to learn more about world history, religion, art, music, architecture, cultural values, politics – even food.
And it’s an education of a kind that simply cannot be taught in school. It’s learning in 3-D. There’s a BIG difference between reading about the great Pyramids of Giza and standing at the base of them, after spending the afternoon experiencing the sights, smells and sounds of ancient Cairo. You get to know a place, it’s people, it’s history and it’s traditions at a cellular level. It becomes a part of your life-experience, making you more knowledgeable, more interesting and more intelligent than you were before.
With this thought in mind (and after some fairly deep discussion), Missy and I have decided to share something very personal with you; a detailed photo-blog of one of our greatest adventures ever. In the summer of 2008/2009, we spent 5 months in SE Asia with our children. It’s difficult to put into words how life changing this trip was for our little family. We shared, saw, experienced and LEARNED so much together.
We were very hesitant to make this blog public at first, because it’s highly personal, containing hundreds of pictures of our family, friends and experiences. But, as Lifebook Members, you are our family of a different kind. We’re all on the same journey of personal development together. It is a privilege and maybe even a responsibility for all of us to share our growth, our breakthroughs and our personal development experiences with each other.
This photo-blog is a detailed record of one of our most profound personal development experiences ever! As you explore the archives, the photos and the posts, our greatest hope is that they inspire you to consider creating your own life-changing experience. Consider pushing your limits, doing something unusual and unexpected, exploring the world and becoming smarter in the process.
Visit Butcheradventures.com now, and feel free to post comment on any entry. We would love to hear your thoughts!.
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