Why We Wander

Where digital meets travel + lifestyle … A collection of can’t-miss news from this week, including luxury travel trends. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox every Friday.

Why We Wander

Why do you travel? Is it to see new places? To experience different cultures? Get away from your daily grind? It’s probably a little bit of all of the above. NPR’s Life Kit talked with artist Jenny Odell (author of How to Do Nothing) about why we wander – and how we can get into the travel mindset. One of the most important things is that sense of surprise. “If you take routine to its logical extreme, you're just sort of an automaton, right? You're just going through the motions. Being surprised and getting perspective, I think, are two different ways of shaking free of that framework and continuing to change as a person.”

Your Brain Loves Travel

That’s right – travel is good for your mental health. A new study shows that happiness increases when you spend money on experiences rather than material goods. Forbes has the details on how travel maximizes your brain’s neuroplasticity – the ability of the brain to change. “A change of scenery wakes up your brain and takes it off autopilot. You have to think about small things when you're in an unfamiliar place, which is entirely the point. Learn a few words of a different language, take a walking tour, or even something as simple as trying a new food can get those neurons firing.”

Suitcase Style

Of course, your brain isn’t the only thing that travel can change. It can also change your wardrobe. Fashionista has put together the ultimate guide to putting together a chic and comfy travel uniform. And they’ve enlisted a few globetrotting travel editors to offer advice too. For some, less is more. “I'm super minimalist and monochrome with my wardrobe when I travel,” says Fodor's Travel Editor Teddy Minford. “Almost everything is black or white and I tend to gravitate toward natural fibers and forgiving silhouettes — sort of like an Eileen Fisher vibe, but much cheaper.”

The Latest In Luxury Travel Trends

Cheaper is good. But what about the opposite of cheaper? The luxury travel market is projected to reach $2.5 trillion by 2025. Luxury Travel Magazine has the details on a new report that shows what is driving this enormous growth, from the increase in luxury travel trends such as microtrips to emerging tourism industries across the globe. “Travelers are squeezing in more travel itineraries into shorter time frames,” write the editors. “To stay and spend quality time during short getaways in unique and remarkable type of accommodation is expected to become trendy in the forecast period.”

Weekly Moment of Zen

Download these apps before your next trip abroad.