These were some of the reasons my fellow travellers gave me when I asked them why they love to travel.

We travel for many reasons. Most of us do it for business and then we whinge about it. Like on Facebook this morning, I can’t believe my friends – men and women alike – who are attending a hotel conference in Macau and they are complaining their feet hurt because of their new shoes.

Man, get over it. Enjoy the fresh air. Smell the nullah. Roll the dice. You’re lucky to be out there and not stuck in front of a computer like I am this morning.

Travel frees, travel heals, travel hurts. So what? We all love to travel.

For me, I think my travels began the moment I travelled out of my mother’s womb. I remember hitch-hiking during my student days in Malaysia. I recall sitting on the back of a motorbike as it screeched its way round the small Malaysian towns and I got hit on the nose by a bee. I can almost feel the sharp cold of that first snow in Switzerland.

Someone asked me the day we launched our “Why I Love To Travel” video contest why I love to travel and I said, “It beats the sofa.”

I think the total of two months I spent on my sofa because I had to convinced me that you’d better travel while you can physically.

Some people say, I will wait till I have more time. Unfortunately, sometimes that time never comes. Or when it does, one is no longer as sprightly or as able to climb up temple ruins or crawl down tunnels or row that boat merrily down the shore.

For an understanding of the power of time off, listen to Stefan Sagmeister on this TED talk. VIDEO

Of course, there are some that don’t allow physicality to get in the way of their travels like Kiji-san, that inspiring Japanese “flying wheelchair” traveller I heard speak at a conference in 2009. (See article)

Despite a spinal cord injury at 19, Kiji has travelled to more than 100 countries and his hope is “everyone can go anywhere they want”.

Thing is, travel’s so much more accessible and affordable for everyone now. It’s no longer the domain of the exclusive few.

And it’s become so much more fun and easy to plan too, especially if you are travelling for leisure. All those websites. Search, social networks, blogs, travel planning – there’s no need to go out and arm yourself with brochures and catalogues and spend time in a travel agent’s office, although if you like to do that, you still can. Point is, we have so many choices now.

Now you know before you go. And when you get there, you know even more – that is, if you get out and about and not spend time complaining about the heat, mosquitoes, traffic and, oh yes, your shoes.

Go on, be honest, you may complain because like WS Gilbert, you believe “Oh, wouldn’t the world seem dull and flat with nothing whatever to grumble at?” but deep down, you love to travel.

Now take the time to express it.

Featured image credit (suitcases on road): Ockra/iStock

• To enter WIT’s “Why I Love To Travel” video contest, click here.