This is a great, nuanced look at the downside of travel. While I agree with you that traveling just to escape your life/problems is counterproductive, I’d like to add to the nuance that sometimes, a little bit of an escape is *exactly* what’s needed to get away from a deeply-entrenched problem in your life. Travel, for me anyway, always gives me a “new set of eyes” that I take back with me to my home. And like the saying goes, “the observer can often see the game better than the players.” It’s precisely that getting away, getting a fresh perspective on things, that can help you see what’s troubling you at home with a fresh set of eyes. I had this very thing happen to me on my last trip in 2014. But that’s a story for another day…

Anyway, thank you for a very thought-provoking essay!