The benefits of travel are well known, but can include many positive results; perhaps the most important is that it offers the possibility of increased cultural sensitivity. Travel can also help you learn new skills and build confidence, provide routine-breaking new experiences and help you meet new friends. Best of all, travel provides a lifetime of memories upon which to reflect.
We asked readers to send photos of their recent travels. From far-flung locals to closer to home, here’s a smattering of the replies. After all, armchair travel or living vicariously through others can, at a minimum, put a big smile on your face.
Janice and Pete Adams
Our retirement goal is to visit all the US National Parks. We visited seven this year, including Death Valley in spring of 2016.
Toni Foster
After going through all my photos of Ireland again, I'm ready to go back!
Susan and Bob Sachs
We had a wonderful month-long trip to Australia and New Zealand this winter. We started in Queensland and toured the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. From there we went to Sydney for a few days before getting on a cruise that took us to Melbourne and then to New Zealand.
Maria and Rick Streifer
We toured Italy following a river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. In Tuscany, I’m walking towards the upper piazza on "La Rampa" in my birthplace and early childhood village (Sant'Angelo Limossano). My native home is the two-story white house in lower right corner.
Ashley Chairez
This is a photo of my family when we visited Hawaii in 2015.
Tommie Jean Valmassy
Our family visited Alaska in 2015.
Lisa Reilly
We vacation in Port Townsend, Washington; a little historic Victorian town right on the water, literally as if you picked up Benicia and moved it to Washington's Olympic Peninsula. This was taken when we went to kayak Lake Crescent in the Olympic National Park, 2015.
Bodil and Larnie Fox
One of our Random adventures in Scotland: at the Quiraing Walk on the Isle of Skye.
Jenny Davis
We had a wonderful time vacationing in beautiful Italy. Our trip included Rome, Venice, Pompeii, Lake Como, Amalfi Coast, Ravello and Bellagio.
Candi Estey Swanson
We took a three-week trip and had many adventures in China with the grandkids this spring, including Beijing, the Forbidden City and Shanghai. The Grands got to experience the Great Wall!