One of my personal favourite books and movies in ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ (with the movie I refer naturally the one with David Niven as Phileas Fogg), ever since I read and saw it as a child I have loved to travel and I am sure that there has been many a young mind launched into adventure from this tale.
Today we travel the world at the ping of an email and the swipe of a credit card. We can fly round the world commercially in less than 2 days and there are very few parts of the world that have yet to explored completely by man.
Travel is ingrained into the gentleman’s spirit, whether that is to do the impossible such as Edmund Hillary climbing Mount Everest; or Captain Cook seeking adventure on the high seas; or even coming to a new country like some of our families have to seek their fame and fortune. There was The Grand Tour, which was to travel across Europe in the 18th/19th centuries and experience and educate himself. We have talked about those unsung Gentleman, James Crichton or The Daring Two, whose desire was to travel and seek adventure.
The Gentleman has grown through the ages from travelling, such as gaining the use of napkins after the Crusades or creating business through international trade or indeed coming up with the theory of evolution. Travel allows us all to grow.
We travel for many reasons but in reality it is about embracing new experiences and having an adventurer. The experiences still exist but the adventure sometimes is harder to come by. Our very own intrepid #3PG recently took of a driving tour around Europe and managed to cover most of Europe in seven hectic days and had tales to tell when he came back. It is the memories that you treasure,whether that is dancing on stage in front of thousands of people in a nightclub on a weekend trip to Paris, to proposing to your lady on the cobbles streets of Bratislava or being the served by the chef as he cooks you the meal as you are the last guests in his restaurant. All of these are memories and all these make the travelling exceptional.
What surprises me more than anything, is those that can afford to travel do not, I am always baffled by those who have a passport and choose to stay within their borders. It is a privilege to be able to see the world and one that, if the opportunity presents itself, should be grasped with both hands.
Indeed, Phileas Fogg, though he did not seem to be, was a spontaneous traveller. He was one who liked his routine but he rose to the challenges of travel. If he was real he would have had amazing memories of his adventures, in fact he found the woman that would be his wife.
So, Today can a Gentleman (or indeed a Lady) be spontaneous, travel and have adventures? Well, the nice people at Lastminute want to help you do exactly that and we at the Perfect Gentleman think its a good thing so sign up here
www.lovelivinglastminute.com and go forth and find adventure in the world, create memories and expand your mind!
