Despite the occasional overseas adventure, of which most readers are aware by now, I’ve never spent any time in Europe other than sitting in a few connecting airports and one three-hour walk about in London.
Until now.
I write this on the flight back from London. A quick trip, to be sure. But I’ve just spent three full days in London–on business.
“Fun” business, to be sure.
Readers will also know that I’m involved in another business besides rent 2 own, that being adventure travel. So, I needed to attend the London Adventure Travel show, a trade show similar to the Vancouver Outdoor Adventure show the first weekend in March.
I find that people all over the world are really not that much different from one another. The people at the show, for example, were similar to the ones I encounter at local trade shows. And fellow travellers on the various trips I’ve done share a lot in common, too, although they do expand my horizons, my view of the world, my acceptance of diversity and, yes, even my tolerance level at times.
If I’m not on a travel adventure, then being at such a show is the next best thing (besides the obvious—to build my adventure travel business). You see, like me, everyone there has a spirit of wanderlust, a passion for travel, to see new places, to discover the world. There’s a feeling of camaraderie, a feeling of “these are my people, this is home!”
When I’m with such people, I feel like I’ve found my tribe. I think “finding our tribe” is essential to our well-being and outlook on life, and our sense of place in the world. Before the world was so accessible and interconnected, it was literally the “tribe” that established ones identity and sense of belonging. There were no other options! Now we have so many options that we sometimes find it hard to find our place of comfort. Families still tend to do that, in a smaller way.
But, for many, life consists of a search for their tribe, their place of belonging. For some it leads to a business culture, for some a labour union, for some a workplace camaraderie or a profession, for some an artistic community, for some, sadly, a drug culture.
Can one belong to more than one tribe? I think so. I’d say I identify with both the travel culture tribe and the entrepreneurial tribe.
I think when we find our place of comfort–our tribe–we find ourselves. We get to a place of peace and contentment.
At least, that’s how I see it . . .
