The question we are asked most frequently, when we tell people we are traveling extensively is “What is the best place that you have been?” Readers of this blog certainly know that an answer to that question is impossible.

We have adopted various strategies for answering The Question.  The most common is to say, “We couldn’t possibly pick one” and then describe a handful of memorable experiences.  Another approach is to deftly change the subject, or to pick one experience at random, possibly a good one, possibly not.

Over the past few weeks it occurs to us that the power of this kind of travel, over months, in many places, seeking out experiences, but seldom going anywhere that dozens of friends and relatives haven’t gone already, is not just in the places but also in the connections.  For example, at the Israel museum we saw crude tools that were brought from Africa, providing a link to the first tools found at the cradle of mankind in South Africa.  We have seen the link that Cricket provides between far flung former British colonies and we are beginning to understand the attraction of this slow and complex game. The links and webs grow as we see more places.

Another almost universal feeling we have been getting is that the more time you spend in a place the more there is to do and experience.  Even our longer stays of a few weeks are not enough.  We always leave wanting to stay longer, yet eager to reach our next destination.  These two ideas are described by the character Marco Polo, in Italo Calvino’s magical book, Invisible Cities.

…the more one was lost in unfamiliar quarters of distant cities, the more one understood the other cities he had crossed to arrive there.

and…

The traveler recognizes the little that is his, discovering the much he has not had and will never have.