Are Unquote Travel Small Group trips right for You?
As the co-founder of a small group tour operator, Unquote Travel, you might be expecting me to say that everybody should travel with us, right? Hey, we want the most business we can get? Well, not exactly. Read on.
We want to travel with the right kind of people. The kind of people we might be friends with. The people who share our philosophy of travel. People that we know will love our trips.
You might be an Unquote Traveler if:
You travel for personal growth
Do you travel with an open mind? Travel to enrich your life? Grow? Sure, we might not tell our friends or family that’s the reason we’re going to Mongolia or Norway, but it’s something we’ve always been striving for: to make ourselves a better person, to see other ways of life, to increase our capacity for compassion and humility, to satisfy our thirst for knowledge, to experience something different and grow from that experience.
You recognize life is to be savored
It’s not all serious, though. We travel to have fun; to enjoy the finer points of life. To pause in the moment and ask ourselves: am I really living life to the fullest? We’re the kind of people who sit and enjoy a fresh cold coconut after a long day of exploring ancient ruins in Thailand. The kind of travelers who search out the best gelato in Rome. The kind of people who put their smartphone down to enjoy a conversation. The kind of people who cherish brief encounters with those infarawayy places, even if it’s as simple as a smile with someone who we don’t share a common language.
You value experiences
If you’re like me, you’ve always saved up money for travel. I used to work simply for my next trip. Although I’m an extreme case, you probably value life experiences over objects, too. Therefore, you legitimize spending on trips over things you might not need, things that will only give you a limited amount of pleasure. Travel is a great investment.
You appreciate other cultures
Home may be the best place in the world for you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate other countries and cultures. We can learn a lot from understanding the ways in which other people live; what their values and beliefs are. This exposure is healthy and enlightening. Occasionally, we just might find that another country is doing it more logically or sensible and we can incorporate that into our lives. And other times we recognize that our way is the best for us and we can appreciate our way of life better.
You want a break from your life
Travel is the essence of life; living to the extreme. That’s why I’ve embraced it throughout my life. At the same time, it’s a break from our lives. But to suggest that travel is simply an escape from our miserable lives at home would be misleading. What I’m trying to say is that we all know the value in breaking up our routine and having some time off. It’s why we have weekends; why we need vacations. Refresh your life and get a new perspective. Travel does that to us.
You recognize people are inherently good
Travel has taught me to trust people. I’m not talking about letting your guard down and being taken advantage of. I’m just suggesting that over the years, I’ve found that people across numerous cultures and countries are inherently good. That people will help strangers in need. That most people are satisfied with a smile or short conversation and aren’t just after your money. I’ve learned that we all want similar things in life. Traveling has restored my faith in humanity, something that is sorely needed after watching the nightly news.
You want to increase your emotional intelligence
This is just a fancy way to say practicing compassion and empathy. It’s another thing travel has taught me. It doesn’t make me the Dalai Lama but simply shows me that this is an important part of my spiritual being and an important aspect to incorporate into daily life. Traveling is a practical way to understanding and recognizing what other people are experiencing, how they might feel, and what their values are. If we increase our compassion and empathy as a human race, we increase peace and understanding in the world.
You’re curious
It takes a certain kind of curiosity to travel. It’s been the single biggest factor pushing me to travel all these years. I’ve just been curious what it’s like in Transylvania, northern Finland, and western Mongolia. Is Thai food in Thailand the same as it is at home? How different are Japanese and Korean societies? Is Incan stonework as amazing as the pictures in National Geographic show? Is Moldova really an up-and-coming wine destination? I’ve always wanted a first-hand appreciation of a country and its culture. Sure, reading an inspiring travel blog is good sometimes, but you eventually have to ask yourself: do I want to have these experiences for myself?
And for most of us, especially Unquote Travelers, the answer is yes.
We’re offering numerous tours this year. See which trip is right for you, or check out all of our tours.