Travels with Charley

The Virus of Restlessness

“When the virus of restlessness begins to take possession of a wayward man, and the road away from "Here" seems broad and straight and sweet, the victim must first find in himself a good and sufficient reason for going."

The line is written on the first page of Steinbeck's book Travels with Charley.

I haven't read this book for years and I decided it was time to read it again. I picked it up the other day and there was that line again.

The line that fits me to a tee.

From the time I was little I would get a feeling inside. Like a little pull telling me there is more. Telling me it was time to explore. That something new was waiting for me.

When I was young and poor, I would hop in my car and go take a drive. I would head out with no particular destination in mind. Just go. I couldn't go far because I didn't have the money. A lot of times I would end up in a park somewhere walking through nature. But I always found something new. Sometimes a conversation with someone I didn't know, sometimes new scenery.

These feelings of needing to "go" don't happen in a dissatisfied way or in a restless, can’t-sit-still kind of way. They're more like a curiosity. Like my brain is saying "it's time for something new".

I’ve felt that pull more times than I can count. Jim and I both love to travel thank goodness. There may be a lot of things we don't have in common but travel is not one of them!

Sometimes it shows up when I’m sitting at home, in a perfectly comfortable moment, doing absolutely nothing wrong. And yet..There it is.

That feeling that the road away from “Here” is wide and open and waiting.

I’ve followed it to places I knew I would love. France, where the air itself feels romantic.

Where people speak in a language that somehow sounds like music, even when you don’t understand a single word.

Where the food isn’t just food—it’s an experience. Where you can sit at a small café, sip something warm, and feel like you’ve stepped into a painting.

Or Austria. This was enjoyable in a completely different way. Jim and I went there to watch a Formula 1 race at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. We had to get up early and head out before sunrise.

As we got closer making our way through the mountains, the sun began to rise and the fog began to slowly lift. It was spectacular, breathtaking, inspiring. There was something almost sacred about it. Quiet. Undisturbed. Like we had been given access to a private moment in time that was made just for us. And for just a few moments, before the engines raced and the crowds got heavy, it felt like the entire world was holding its breath.

And then there are the places that surprise you.

Germany was that for me. I didn’t expect to fall in love with it.

I didn’t didn't know what to expect and didn't really anticipate what we would find. But we had decided to go so off we went!

If anything, I arrived a little neutral… maybe even slightly skeptical. I couldn't get the old tv show Hogan's Heroes out of my mind.

And then something magical happened. We arrived at our hotel. A little storybook hotel. We set out to walk around the town shortly thereafter. Our hotel was in a pedestrian only section of Munich which was nice. Especially since we were jet lagged!

Munich, Germany

We found a little market and wandered around there for a while. We kept walking and found there were wonderful outdoor restaurants everywhere. The sounds and smells of Germany were exhilarating and I was already falling in love.

Or maybe it was just that familiar feeling again—

That sense of oh… this is different.

I’ve learned that "different", has a way of stirring up something in me.

I’ve felt it in Italy, in the way life just spills out into the streets.

In Ireland, where the land feels like it holds stories you can almost hear if you’re quiet enough.

In Slovenia, Switzerland, Peru… and so many places in between.

Each of them offering something slightly different.

A new rhythm. A new perspective. A new version of myself.

But it’s not just the people, it’s also the people.

One of the things Jim and I love to do is strike up conversations with people we don't know. It’s the conversations you didn’t plan to have. Especially in other countries.

The smiles exchanged with someone you may never see again.

The shared understanding that, for just a moment, you are both standing in the same small piece of the world. Together.

Steinbeck says that before setting out, the traveler must find “a good and sufficient reason for going.” That makes me laugh. I’m certain my reasons have never been logical or sufficient.

I travel because something inside me feels more alive when I do.

More open. More curious. More willing to notice.

To me, traveling isn't about getting away from somewhere. It's about enjoying new places, new things, and new people. It's about learning. Which includes learning more about myself.

Steinbeck needed a good and sufficient reason to go. I've never once had one. Just a feeling, a pull, and a passport. And honestly? That's always been enough. So the next time that road starts looking a little too wide and a little too inviting — I won't fight it. I'll just start packing.

Where will I travel next? ✈️ 🚞 🚘