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One Day in a City > Destinations > Caribbean > St. Thomas > How Travel Helps Us to be Young Again

How Travel Helps Us to be Young Again

November 2, 2020 By Gina
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One Day in St. Thomas, This Happened…

Playing in Magen’s Bay

This past winter I remembered what it was like to play with absolute abandon. I was in St. Thomas as part of a work cruise and was at Magens Bay. My company was managing a conference onboard the Norwegian Epic and as a reward for our hard work on the ship our President arranged for all of us to be transported to Magens Bay while we were in port. Magens Bay is often on lists for best beaches in the world, and though it was a bit of a cloudy day, the curving crescent of the beach framing the sparkling ocean didn’t disappoint.

After having spent several days straight with my co-workers I needed a respite. After swimming around for a bit I took off walking down the beach. It felt so nice to be on my own that I kept walking, past the busy tiki-inspired bar, past a little lagoon stream that I leaped over, and past a six person wedding under the tropical trees bordering the beach. I kept walking until I realized I was almost to the rocky end of the bay. People passed me who had just come from there and I saw that with their departure, the beach before me was empty. I decided to walk to the end. When I got there, I turned around and nobody was behind me. In fact everyone, even the wedding party, was now little dots. Due to the impending rain (it would start pouring 45 minutes later) the beach was emptier than usual. I had this little part of this tropical paradise all to myself.

Which never happens.

So I did what I hadn’t done in a long time. I danced in the waves and skipped around them and splashed in the water with absolute and utter abandonment. I was just a dot to everyone. They couldn’t see what a dork I was being or that I was acting like I was 5-years old. So I twirled and pranced and laughed out loud in delight. I played tag with the waves and lifted my head toward the muted sun. I was living in the moment and simply enjoying life.

Sometimes I think it’s easy to forget to “play”. That even as adults we need to just let loose and dance and skip and sing like we have no cares in the world, just as we did when we were three or four and learning to skip is a new novelty that is amazing. Skipping in ocean waves actually isn’t the easiest thing in the world and letting your body revel in a new, fun sensation needs to happen to keep us feeling alive.

And that’s why traveling is so important – it provides opportunities to play and grow, just as when we were children. When we’re young, everything is amazing. I was at my friend Nancy’s house last week and her adorable 15 month old daughter, Pia, is a walking machine now who already loves to dance. We were hanging out watching “So You Think You Can Dance” and Pia started bouncing up and down to the music and then started trying to lift her leg like the dancers were doing on TV, which Nancy exclaimed she’d never tried to do before. You could tell Pia was totally tickled and entertained by herself that she could do this. Each time after she put her leg back down she would giggle and happily clap her hands. Nancy and I were laughing in delight watching her so thoroughly enjoy this awesome new thing she could do with her leg.

For most of us, lifting our leg isn’t that exciting anymore, but traveling can let us experience new things again through child-like eyes. Whether it’s the sight of the sun rising above Angkor Wat or the smell of the salty Adriatic sea mixed with grilled fish, or the balancing act of walking along the top of Hadrian’s wall in England, travel makes you experience new things and fills you with the urge to clap your hands and laugh out loud and proclaim that “Oh yeah, I am alive and I am part of this magical, majestic world. And isn’t it FUN?”

Or, as happened to me on that cloudy day in Magens Bay, it simply makes you want to dance around and play.

How does travel make you play?

Dancing with others can be just as fun and playful, too. Here I am trying to get Tom to dance with me in Jamaica.
Dancing with others can be just as fun and playful. Here I am trying to get Tom to dance with me in Jamaica.

About Gina

I'm a former travel agency marketing director turned freelance travel writer. My editorial and copywriting work has been published on and in USA TODAY, Travel + Leisure, the Travel Channel Cities app, TripSavvy, and many more online and print publications. I especially love sharing my knowledge of traveling with limited vacation time, making the most of cruise ports of call, and vacationing with kids. I also enjoy sharing my favorite travel gear and products to make traveling easier!

Comments

  1. April Yap says

    October 24, 2016 at

    I always wanted to travel in all beaches! such a great experience having a beach vacation.

  2. Gina says

    May 17, 2013 at

    Thank you John!

  3. John says

    May 17, 2013 at

    A beautiful sentiment. The recovery of spontanious innocence. Thoroughly interesting and useful website.

  4. Gina says

    September 25, 2012 at

    Thank you so much, Abby! Happy to hear you can relate and I also look forward to keeping in touch. ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Maris King says

    September 23, 2012 at

    It’s a perfect photo angle. You’re like kids playing and dancing on the beach!
    Traveling can really make you feel comforted and relaxed from all the anxiety of busy work life!

  6. Abby says

    September 23, 2012 at

    I LOVE this photo!!!! I’m sure a lot of couples would so love to have a photo like this… I just love your blog so much… As you know, I am also a career chica with the travel bug. Someday I will find the husband part of the equation, too! I’ve been so ridiculously busy that I haven’t subscribed to my new favs… Fixing that now. So happy to keep in touch more!!

  7. Gina says

    September 19, 2012 at

    Definitely agree travel can be humbling. And private beaches are the best! ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. India Backpack Motorbike says

    September 18, 2012 at

    Having an entire beach to yourself! One can never get enough of it, isn’t it? I have had my share of such experiences on various beaches and so I understand what you are talking about here!

    And yes, travel lets you be a kid again – naive and curious, when you are off to random places exploring people, places and culture. And at the same time it helps you mature and grow. And then when you realize that the world is so big and there is so much to see, do and learn its a humbling feeling at best!

    Cheers
    Venky

  9. Gina says

    September 12, 2012 at

    Well said, Jennifer! That’s exactly what it does. Yay for travel! ๐Ÿ™‚

  10. Gina says

    September 12, 2012 at

    Thanks Christy, we had fun taking that pic. ๐Ÿ™‚ I agree that it’s good to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself as much as possible.

  11. Jennifer says

    September 12, 2012 at

    Great photo dancing on the beach!

    I totally get exactly what you mean. Travel does make me feel like a child again as I open my eyes wide with wonder at each new place and delight in the experience.

  12. Christy @ Ordinary Traveler says

    September 12, 2012 at

    I love that last photo! I do feel like a child at times when traveling (and I’m not just talking about my temper tantrums caused by lack of sleep) but most importantly, I love that I’m forced to do things outside of my comfort zone.

About One Day in a City

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Hi! I'm Gina, a former cruise and tour marketing director turned independent travel writer who helps those short on time make the most of their travels, even if you just have 24 hours to spend somewhere. Read More...

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