Travel

        Travel enriches our lives in a variety of ways. First of all, it broadens our horizons as travelers come to see world-renowned historical monuments or tourist attractions around the world. They go away with last impressions of these magnificent places. Next, travel opens a window to local cultures which are interesting, fascinating and intriguing. Travelers take particular interest in how such cultures are different from their own. Lastly, travel is a good opportunity to learn to be independent. Unforeseen circumstances do come up: missing a flight, losing your luggage, getting lost, or even ending up in an accident. Travelers do need to learn how to cope with them independently.

          Take my recent trip to Japan as an example. It was the first time I had traveled abroad. I was excited about the trip and couldn’t wait to finish drawing up my itinerary. During the week-long trip, I visited many historical monuments, with ample opportunity to have a close look at them. Nothing exemplified the local culture better than Japanese cuisine: sashimi, sushi, ramen, to name but a few. Japanese chefs were meticulous in preparing food for their customers, from sourcing the best ingredients to presenting the food in an appealing and splendid form. I could not resist taking tons of pictures of these masterpieces. The trip was not complete without some hiccups, such as getting lost in Tokyo, or missing a train to Kyoto. This did not devalue the trip: I always look back on the trip with fond memories. I look forward to another one in the near future.