I think for a lot of people, travel is about taking a vacation.
It’s an escape from daily life.
It’s about laying by the beach with a cocktail in hand… and just relaxing.
But I’ve got to be honest.
This sort of travel has never interested me much.
I mean, I understand where it comes from.
I understand that a lot of live stressful lives.
And have stressful jobs.
And sometimes you just want to get away from it all.
But the truth is… you can do that at home.
Whatever country you are from, there are places to relax.
There are bars you can go to have a drink.
And sure, some other countries might have
slightly nicer beaches or slightly cheaper cocktails.
But I don’t think that alone is reason enough to travel.
There must be something else.
Some deeper reason why we travel.
And for me… it’s about the people.
It’s always been about the people.
We live in this curious time in human history, when we are more connected than ever before.
And we can get instant news from any country on earth.
But instead of bringing people closer together, it has pulled us further apart.
Because all the news media gives us are stories about terrorism and crime, and disease and
disaster, and missing children and all these things that paint the world as such a
scary place.
All these stories designed to make people not want to travel.
To make people want to put bigger locks on their doors.
FOX NEWS: I am asking every American not to travel there, or buy their products.
But this is not the way forward.
Not for me, not for you, not for humanity.
The way forward… is through travel.
I truly believe that if everyone travelled, we would have less racism.
Because how can you hate someone who welcomes you to their country with a smile?
Welcome to Mexico.
I believe that if everyone travelled, we would have less war.
Because how can you shoot at someone who has shown you their kindness?
So much racism comes from fear and ignorance.
So many wars are fueled by lies and propaganda.
And when see something with your own eyes, when you travel and you directly experience
these other countries, everything else melts away.
You see the truth.
And that truth stays with you, long after your travels have ended.
The lessons I’ve learned, travelling through Vietnam,
travelling through Mexico, visiting India.
This will forever change the way I see those countries and see those people.
And listen, I’m not going to pretend I’m some Enlightened Buddha.
And that just because I’ve been to different countries, I know how to solve all the world’s
problems — no, I can't.
But I do believe that travel is a good first step.
So that’s why I travel.
Because I don’t want to be afraid anymore.
I don’t want to see the world as a place to be feared.
I want to find the beauty in every country on earth.
And if there’s one lesson I’ve learned through travel, the truest thing I know.
It’s that most people, most places, are good.