The Wanderlust Gene: Do you have it?
We’ve all heard the stories about people packing up their entire lives and moving across the planet to experience something brand new, sometimes in a country they’ve never set foot in before. And then we all know those people that would be terrified at the thought of that. Those people that have lived in the same house their entire lives and vacation in the same spot every year. So, what makes one person itch to get away while others are content staying in the same spot for all of their lives? Science may have finally figured out the obsession behind it: the wanderlust gene.
1. What is Wanderlust?
Wanderlust. This German word, which means “a strong desire to travel”, has a lot more to it than a silly name. It’s the urge you get to whisk off somewhere new every few months. It’s the desire to feel the wind in your hair and the sand in your toes. It’s what drives you to research new destinations and maybe keep the TV set to the Travel Channel at all times. If you have wanderlust, you want to see every part of the world before you leave it. You want to explore cities and beaches, experience new and exciting cultures and meet friends you haven’t met yet. And it’s not just a mere desire. It’s a compulsion to travel and a thirst that can’t be quenched no matter how many spots on the globe you visit. No, wanderlust is not just a silly word. It’s a way of life.