The Art of Savoring and How It Applies to Travel

As much as I enjoy travel, I have found that what makes a trip worthwhile is relaxing and reminiscing about it after I return to familiar ground. When I reflect, I appreciate the true worth of the experience. I like to call this "savoring." Much as we like to savor the flavor of a favorite dish or a glass of wine, so too can a travel experience become even more enjoyable over time.

A case in point was when I visited the town of Anapoima in Colombia last year (August 2012). We had four days of lounging by a pool in an ideal climate, doing as little as possible. A few hammocks were conveniently located at the side of the pool, and our family would take turns lying down there when we weren't swimming or going for a snack. I could choose to look at the sky to my right or to a few tropical plants to my left. I would get a glimpse of a hummingbird zipping by too fast for my camera, or I could look up to the canopy above me to see where turtle doves had made a nest and were feeding their young.

The four days came to an end and we were headed back to Bogota. After we finished our entire vacation in Colombia and returned to Philadelphia, I eagerly uploaded my pictures to my computer. One picture showed my view of the plants and in particular a colorful heliconia. I love my job, but it can be stressful at times, so I will stop briefly at odd moments during the day to look at that picture on my desktop and recall those four days of leisure. This technique has gotten me through many a rough patch. The experience has paid handsome dividends and my savoring that experience ensures that I will appreciate the privilege to travel before embarking on my next adventure.

Eyeing a beautiful heliconia