Sometimes the Journey Is Part of the Experience

I’ve had the absolute privilege of traveling a lot over the years. For much of my career, travel was simply part of the job. Airports, rental cars, hotel rooms, delayed flights, missed connections and I’ve had my share of all of them. Along the way, all of those travel miles added up to status that comes with some pretty nice travel benefits.

On a recent trip, I got off my flight expecting the usual routine: make my way through the airport, find the next gate, and wait for my connection. Instead, there was a United representative waiting for me. And a car! On the tarmac! They picked me up at the plane and drove me directly across the airport to my connecting flight.

Was it necessary? Probably not. Was I ridiculously excited about it? Absolutely. After all those years and all those miles, this felt like a little travel milestone worth celebrating. Of course, I had to stop for a picture.

Traveling a Little Differently

These days, I think about travel differently than I used to.

I'm less interested in how many places I can fit into a trip and more interested in enjoying where I am. I'll take the scenic road. Spend another night. Sit at the bar and talk to the bartender. Choose the hotel with a story instead of the one that's simply convenient.

And when someone offers to drive me across the airport in a car? I'm going to enjoy that, too. Because sometimes the best travel experiences aren't the ones you planned at all.