I grew up in an era of thinking of travel as escape. The idea that you could conceivably have a new life, go somewhere, fall in love, have little children under the palm trees.

It is usually expensive and lonely to be principled.

Travel is an attitude, a state of mind. It is not residence, it is motion.

Airplanes have dulled and desensitized us; we are encumbered, like lovers in a suit of armor.

Loneliness in travel directs you and tells you about yourself. You don't become lonely unless you're alone.

A travel book is a book that puts you in the shoes of the traveler, and it's usually a book about having a very bad time, having a miserable time, even better. You don't want to read a book about someone having a great time in the South of France, eating and drinking and falling in love. What you want to read is a book about a guy going through the jungle, going through the arctic snow, having a terrible time trying to cross the Sahara, and solving problems as they go.

Even if I were traveling with you, your trip would not be mine.