Why The Journey Is As Important As The Destination

There’s an old saying that the journey is just as important as the destination. Turns out, there’s scientific research to back that up.

A recent study in Arnhem Land reflects on journey vs destination

In a recent study, Sam Williams of Charles Darwin University researched how the transition from slow to fast travel has changed the lives of Indigenous Australians in Arnhem Land. In many ways for the better, but in some ways not.

In the past, people travelling between the Arnhem Land towns of Warruwi and Maningrida would take the 250km journey in dugout canoes. The journey would take long enough that it was necessary to stop and camp along the way. These quiet voyages in a canoe would be an opportunity to stop and reflect. They were also an opportunity for children to learn and gain skills from their Elders.

Nowadays, the journey can be done relatively quickly by motorised boat or helicopter. While this allows people to get to their destination a lot faster, some lament that this has come at the expense of the journey.

“From one perspective, the barriers of ‘remoteness’ have been reduced by the acceleration of travel between Maningrida and Warruwi. In some ways, Country has never been closer and faster to access,” Williams said.

“And yet, paradoxically, this acceleration has not facilitated the kinds of encounter between people and their Country that my collaborators in Maningrida are deeply concerned about.”

This concept is true of many advancements in the speed of travel

While I doubt most people reading this will have experience travelling in Arnhem Land, I’m sure most could relate to the broader concept.

Technology has come an extremely long way over the past century. For example, turning the months-long oceanic voyage from Sydney to London into a 24-hour hop on QF1. Since 2018, there are even direct flights between Perth and England.

During a flight to Europe or the Americas, you can now simply sit in an aircraft seat, put on a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, eat whatever food the cabin crew serve to your seat and watch some movies. You don’t even need to talk to the passengers around you, if you don’t want to.

On many airlines, you can even now stay “connected” in the air with in-flight Wi-Fi.

So, you get from A to B safely and almost at the speed of sound. But what did you learn along the way? Probably not a whole lot, unless you engaged in deep conversation with the stranger sitting next to you or watched some informative documentaries on the in-flight entertainment.

Travelling to America or Europe by ship

Today, many of us take long-haul air travel for granted. But it’s easy to forget that the Boeing 747, which truly sped up and democratised long-haul air travel for the first time, only operated its first commercial passenger service in 1970.

It’s not that long ago that most Australians travelling to the Americas or Europe would go by ship – a voyage that would take multiple weeks.

My grandparents have all told me fond stories about how they did exactly this in the 1960s and ’70s.

In the 1960s, my mother’s parents relocated from New Zealand to the United States and travelled there by ship, stopping along the way in Peru and Panama. There is no way that they would have done that if making the trip these days, but my grandmother still tells me stories about her short visits to both countries. She has never since been back to South or Central America.

Similarly, in the early 1970s, my father’s parents travelled on a Greek ship from Australia to England, stopping along the way in Auckland, Papeete, Panama, Curaçao and New York. In total, it took them around a month to reach Southampton.

My dad, in primary school at the time, was with them. My grandmother homeschooled him and his brother while on the boat, and there was entertainment on board every evening.

“It really was an adventure,” my grandparents said. “It was also more relaxing than going by plane and we got to experience a different lifestyle.”

At each port, the ship would stop for long enough that they could get off the ship and look around. These were great opportunities to visit completely new destinations and come into contact with different cultures.

My grandfather said that they also developed a circle of friends during that journey.

“We would have dinner together most nights, and some of those people became long-term friends. You wouldn’t do that just flying to a destination.”

Travelling by cruise can still be a great way to enjoy the journey. But it’s no longer the cheaper option and barely anyone would commute this way. It’s now a much more luxurious affair and priced accordingly.

The paradox of connection

Similarly, as a society, we’re now as “connected” as ever. You no longer need to wait weeks for a letter to arrive to hear from friends and family overseas. You can just use Skype or Facetime to instantly video call them at virtually no cost.

Yet, at the same time, these incredible technological advancements have left us less connected with what’s going on directly around us. Many travellers no longer bother striking up conversations with locals or fellow travellers while on the road. They’re instead glued to their phones. Why bother asking for directions when Google Maps probably has the answer?

Getting more out of every journey

Those who value the journey as much as the destination can still find ways to get more out of each trip. I’m very much in this category.

Rather than treating flying as merely a way to get from A to B, I often arrive a bit early at the airport to make sure I have time to enjoy the lounge. (That extra time also helps me to not feel stressed, after I was burned one too many times.) I’m sure many AFF readers do the same.

Having frequent flyer status (or a premium cabin ticket) helps with lounge access. A Priority Pass membership can also get you into many lounges around the world.

Rather than just sticking to what I know, I also go out of my way to try new airlines, visit new places and stop over along the way where possible. For example, I no longer just fly from Australia to Europe in one go unless I’m in a hurry. I believe I learn more, experience more and meet more people along the way with this approach to travel.

By stopping and resting for a few nights en route to Europe, I also enjoy the second half of the journey much more as I’m not as tired when I get on the next plane.

I fully appreciate that not everyone has the luxury of time. Many business travellers really do just want to get to their meetings – and then back to their family at home – as quickly as possible. Some people only have limited vacation days and want to spend as many of them as possible at their destination. That’s totally fair.

But next time you’re planning a trip, don’t neglect to think about the journey as well. If you can, enjoy some time in an airport lounge before departure. Add a stopover if you have the time. Talk to the people around you. Maybe even consider upgrading your flight – after all, what are all those points you’ve been collecting for? 😉

Because life’s short and the journey is just as important as the destination.

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 90 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include aviation, economics & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.