Travel is about exploring new places and going on adventures, but underneath it all, there is so much more. Taking you out of your comfort zone and daily routine, travelling expands your horizons and enriches your life with experiences of totally different cultures, cuisines and landscapes. While photos are proof that you went and saw, it’s the transformation that takes place within that is often the strongest evidence of why travel is a necessity.

Some argue that travel is an indulgent expense, the money spent on travel could be spent on a home loan or “building for the future”, but globetrotters would argue otherwise. Travel is not about ticking off places from your bucket list, per se, it’s about the way the overall journey and the experience impacts you as a person. Giving yourself a chance to slow down and appreciate the little things, provides you with a sense of clarity and appreciation for the little things that make life big. Every interaction, with strangers you meet on your journey, is an opportunity for you to get a new perspective on life.

Travelling isn’t always about a change of scenery or getting out of your routine. Sometimes, it’s just about how travel makes you feel and the opportunities of growth that you get. The fact is, travel has been scientifically proven to boost health, lower stress and make you a happier person overall. Travel keeps you moving so you will get into shape and decrease your risk of getting a heart disease. According to a study by the American Psychological Association in 2013, vacations help individuals manage stress and negativity by taking you out of the environment and daily routine which are the source of stress. As you go through the unfamiliar settings during your travels and encounter unfamiliar experiences, you become more self-aware which in turn makes you less stressed.

That isn’t what travel is all about though. Travel gives you the opportunity to expand your horizons and broaden your mind, it helps you become a better person because travel gives you the chance to reinvent yourself. Submerging yourself in a completely different culture and environment helps you become more resilient and open to change, increases your capacity of acceptance and understanding and finally, gives you a different perspective on the world. Your exposure to different perspectives and cultures makes you more flexible cognitively and challenges the way you view things, thus developing your creativity. According to a study in 2014 by MBA students, multiculturalism through travel provides you with an integrative experience and engagement with different cultures gifts you a level and breadth of understanding that you wouldn’t be able to gain in your day-to-day environment.

Travelling to other countries, particularly those you don’t speak the language of, can show you that kindness and laughter are a universal language, while advancing your skills in interpreting facial expression and gestures. For instance, if you travel to Turkey to discover the mystique and ancient civilizations of South East Anatolia, chances are that a great portion of the locals you come across won’t speak a second language but they’d open their homes to you, share their delicious food with you and help you in any way they can.

You don’t only climb mountain peaks to watch the sunset on a beautiful spring day behind a majestic line of colossal stone heads, explore the abandoned ruins of isolated hilltop palaces, and see stunning archaeological mosaics, but also get to experience the famous Turkish hospitality. You will be pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the locals, who will go out of their way to assist and happily spend time chatting with you even if you don’t speak the same language.

While discovering the world’s incredible cultural diversity and learning about the countless ancient civilizations that lived in these lands, your mind will be blown away with the unique ways different ethnic groups and tribes choose to celebrate life and the ancient customs that dictate everyday living. From festivals to food, weddings and funerals, the age-old traditions and values they uphold will teach you a thing or two about how to live your life. Immersing yourself in the cultural diversity that exists in our world will help you construct a unique value system.

Turkey is home to many wonders and places you never knew existed in the world. The Cappadocia landscape is one of the most exquisite sceneries in the world, characterized by its fairy chimneys and unique volcanic peaks. Located in Central Anatolia, Cappadocia’s fantastical topography is a geological oddity of honeycombed hills and towering boulders of otherworldly beauty. You need to enjoy a hot air balloon ride over the curvaceous landscape stretching out to the horizon in rippling waves of rock and blending with tinged shades of blushing pink. You can even experience cave living in 21 st century by bedding down in one of the cave hotels and dream of the ancient people who inhabited this fascinating land at night.

Through its rich culture and heritage, Turkey is known for its phenomenal cuisine and delicacies you cannot miss. Largely inspired by the Ottoman Empire and Levantine influence, the Turkish cuisine is a representation of the fusion between Central Asian, Middle Eastern, European and Balkan cuisines, offering a vast variety of dishes that leave gourmets in awe. Turkish dumplings are of the things you cannot leave Turkey without tasting, ‘Turkish delight’ and ‘Baklava’ are also two desserts not to miss to satisfy your sweet tooth.

The connections you make and the friendships you build along your journeys will profoundly change your perception and will give you a new appreciation for everything you have, and the opportunities life throws your way. These interactions will liberate you from your ego and sometime throw up interesting challenges towards you. In the process, you will discover you’re capable of doing much more than you believed you can. The more you travel, the better you will get better in adapting to change and become more open to life.

Travel enriches your life in every way imaginable. To widen your world, you should take every chance to explore new cities and embark on new adventures. Turkish Airlines, the airline that flies to more destinations than any other airline, can take you to all corners of the world. Travelling with Turkish Airlines isn’t just about flying to Turkey, you can go on an adventure in over 300 destinations worldwide at the best prices and for the best value. Their service has been synonymous with the amazing Turkish hospitality and they provide a truly unique travel experience both in the air and on the ground at their new lounges in the Istanbul Airport.

So, take the first step now, download Turkish Airlines mobile app on your phone and start planning your next adventure. While you’re at it, enrol to Turkish Airlines frequent-flyer program “Miles & Smiles” to earn miles when you fly and shop. With the Miles you earn you can buy award tickets and upgrades to the explore the world. Through these earned Miles you can also shop at the “Shop & Miles” website to satisfy your inner shopaholic.

Turkish Airlines' Miles&Smiles frequent-flyer program offers a whole host of benefits, and you can earn Miles when you fly and shop. With the Miles you earn, you can buy award tickets and upgrades, and shop at the Shop&Miles store.

As a Miles&Smiles member, you'll earn Miles on Turkish Airlines and Star Alliance member airline flights. In addition to this, you can earn Miles when purchasing services from the program partners, like hotel booking, car rental, healthcare, training and insurance, as well as when you shop at the Shop&Miles store. You can also earn Miles when you shop with your Miles&Smiles credit card.

With the Miles you earn on the Miles&Smiles program, you can take advantage of a range of benefits, depending on your membership status. With your Miles, you can purchase domestic and international award tickets for yourself or your loved ones. You can also use Miles to get free upgrades. To shop with your Miles, visit the Shop&Miles website.

Source: Turkish Airlines

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Sumaica Asad

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