Why It’s Time To Travel Again

Our world froze this week. It was spectacular — and a reminder that it’s time to travel again.

A powerful polar vortex has caused record low temperatures in many parts of the United States. Temperatures in Denver fell to minus 24 degrees Celsius on Thursday, the lowest temperature since 1990.

In Cheyenne, Wyoming, the temperature dropped 40 degrees in 30 minutes, breaking the record for the biggest temperature drop.

I say: pack your bags.

“Experts” tell you to stay indoors. But what do they know? This is the perfect time to get out and explore, as long as it’s safe to do so.The world has turned into a winter wonderland. Something like this may not be seen in this generation.

Why I Travel in Winter

Earlier this month, I got my first glimpse of the wilds of winter while staying at the Tschuggen Grand Hotel in Arosa, Switzerland. It was the day before the ski resort opened, so we found a way to go to the top of the mountain and look around.

Here is what i saw.

I was alone in this desolate and frozen landscape. Fresh snow covered the Alps. Glittering icicles hung from the roofs of empty warming huts, waiting for the first skiers to arrive. There is something very interesting about this place. It glistens in the early morning sun and is muted by fresh snow.

Winter snowscapes do not remain uninhabited for long. This is the view from our home in Sedona, Arizona. This is where we last lived in the US. Snow on red rocks is like catnip to hikers. But if you’re like me and have to wake up at 4am to do a TV interview on the East Coast, you’ll see pictures like this from your driveway.

In the middle of winter, you can see the world like never before. The snow reflects the sun and the darkness of the winter sky. Seeing the contrast between light and dark, like Ansel Adams’ photographs in museums.

To experience true winter, you have to get away from everyone. This was a sub-zero wetland at dusk in the Gunnison National Forest near Crested Butte, Colorado. We cross-country skied to the hut and had dinner, but the temperature was well below freezing. I had good directions — it would have been fatal to get lost.

But, as is often the case, where there is danger, there is also beauty. Your breath condenses in the frozen air. It looks like the snow is almost dyed blue in the twilight. And the early winter sun slowly rolls across the tops of the San Juan Mountains, turning the edges pink for just a few minutes. your tears freeze

life is too short to stay home

I have been recovering from a serious skiing injury for the past 3 weeks. My friends and family have advised me to rest and recover.

But i can’t do that.

Having had a near-death experience in the Alps, sitting here for the past three weeks healing my shattered pelvis, and realizing how little time I have on this earth. Staying at home in a safe place is easy and convenient. But I will also miss my next big adventure.

I’m going to limp and continue my adventure. I’m particularly intrigued by traveling when no one else wants to. I grew up reading his 1940’s and his 50’s great sci-fi author work. They often imagined post-apocalyptic landscapes under snow and ice.

My media colleagues treat severe winter weather as something to fear. When snow closes airports or freezes roads, it’s reported as a catastrophe. But if you look closely, you can see the beauty of sub-zero temperatures. Think about the frozen tundra for a moment when everyone else is fleeing the scene. Our ancestors lived in these forbidden places, so don’t be surprised if you feel connected to it at the DNA level. it is.

To travel is to explore. It’s a strange new place to see. And now, with the northern hemisphere well into winter, we may be able to see something never seen before. When someone tells me to stop traveling, I back off. Especially now. It’s so cold outside that you can hardly walk, but you hear a voice inside, “Let’s go!” No, I’m not going to curl up by the fire and watch Netflix all afternoon. His voice grows louder day by day.

can you hear it too?