Our History of travel begins with human evolution and early ancestors scientifically known as Human Erectus- first type of human to control fire and to use the stone tools. Originated in African continent and further colonized the other part of world namely Europe and Asia.
This was the way human migration began and so the history of travel. Our willingness as human to explore and travel has this way populated the planet.
Invention of agriculture was one of the reasons for humans to start civilization, one of the most important development in human history till date. Domestication of plants and animals made humans to roam less to other landscapes for the search of food and living. It created the sudden surplus if food, animal, human and importantly the time. Humans started living than surviving.
With curious human minds and more time in hand, it led to the innovation of new technologies and thoughts in every era till date, which enabled to move around and travel in better ways.
Invention of Wheel by human being is one of the most important inventions of the all, not only impacting the trading and agriculture but also transportation. Transportation from one place to other by road, then it started as sea voyage and then we saw the air travel and many more shaping the need and desire to travel.
With growth and multiplication of human civilization it led to the start of travel to other destination to trade and explore through sea voyages. History has marked many famous voyagers as explorers who discovered the continents and countries and even for maritime sailors who sailed to different part of the world for longer period for trading.
With evolution of travel came in the practice of cartography — known as maps. For every traveler in ancient times world was like a jigsaw puzzle which had to be put together. Pieces by pieces with practice of cartography — Maps! As the time changed and the knowledge about the world increased with the civilization, maps grew from rudimentary reckoning to accurate depiction on much larger scale. Ancient Greeks are known to be the first ever creators of the maps. Anaximander was first of the ancient Greeks to draw the map of the world known and is considered to be the first cartographers.
Travel has evolved with history of human evolution in various forms and means. It started with migration, colonization, civilization, trading, education, religious pilgrimage, social reason, urge to satisfy the curious and fidget nature of human. The need of travel has also changed with time and shift in thinking patterns. Earlier it was curiosity to know what there in far of lands, for better lives, for trading and then it gave birth to one of the leading industries called tourism industry.
It is said that tourism started in the mid of 17th Century with English Aristocrats crossing the English Channel to explore France, Italy and other counties of European Continent, with aim to see the architecture, mingle with high society of other European Countries, to perfect their foreign language and etiquette and to commission the master pieces of arts by famous historical artists proving their broadened horizons and connections. These were called Grand Tourist and their journey and tours to European Countries were called Grand Tours designed to their whims and fancies for duration even up to a year.
Since then and now there has been dynamic shifts into tourism industry. With the Industrial revolution is lead to the start of railways bringing more changes in travel. In year 1841 Mr Thomas Cook from Britain practically employed the power of railways by chartering a train for excursion and then looked no back with is future generation encashing the thought by creating a multimillion-dollar business in entire world.
Flying has turned world into village and is become more affordable than travelling by a train, so people have started travelling by flights domestically. With flights Overseas Holidays has become part of mainstream culture and making tourism the fasted growing industry in todays’ world.
Back in 50’s plane travel was not always affordable and was expensive for most, therefore the land travel had gained popularity in a different way altogether.
From late 50’s to 70’s marked a golden period for travel. Automobile gave enormous freedom to travel within home country along with new trend of International Bus Travel became popular. Young backpackers from Europe and America started traveling overland to Indian subcontinents which was known as Hippy Trails. Most of the travel started from London or Amsterdam via Greece Turkey, through Iran Afghanistan Pakistan before ending up in Goa, India and Nepal in Kathmandu and sometimes even down to Thailand.
n year 1878 a small toy made from paper, bamboo and cork resembling helicopter was given buy a father to his two sons Orville and Wilbur Wright! Yes, the Wright brothers who repaired their broken toy and boy turned to men who then in 1903 created the first flying machine. It was a remarkable technology which till date is honed and improved every day with same basic principles used by Wright Brothers.
The flying technology was used to the full core for production of aircraft and aero planes for both world war in such surplus that later these aircrafts known as bomber were used for commercial purpose as mode of transportation. Soon this led to new industry and no sooner the planes were built solely to transport the passengers. After the end of the war Boeing was the company who shifted it attention from making military aircraft for world war to making passenger aircraft in 1958 with first commercial flight from New York to London. More people started flying rather than travelling by ship for this route.
Some were interested in Spiritual enlightenment, some interested to sample Hashish, some to experience the adventure, all having one thing in common: desire to be on move as long as possible as cheap as possible.
Flying was expensive so was out of question for many people, overland travel was the only option for people with nomad travel instinct. This lead start of many companies to cater these nomadic wanderers. Graham Skroo Turner was one of them who started his company where he arranged trips from London to Morocco by a double decker bus. He would even drive to Kathmandu and his first company “Top Deck Travel “was born.
With dropping price of flights, people did opt for flying as mode of travel and transport, but still overland journey remained popular leading to emergence of other companies like Top Deck Travel from 80’s onward.
With the overland travel came the trend of travel guide. Tony Wheeler and Maureen Headed to Asia on their Hippy Trail and wrote a travel guide book “Asia on the Cheap” which was the first ever book to be published under the newly Lonely Planet, which today is one of the leading travel publishers in the world.
While reading this article you have two things a screen and internet. A window on which you are reading the article- window of the world. Internet has very much hoisted and twirled the travel industry and has made the world quickly available, accessible and connected.
Internet is definitely our window into the world as useful source, but they merely give inkling of the real world. Travel should be gregarious, not vicarious. Technology can enhance our knowledge but cannot replace our experiences.
Human Fidgety, irrepressible impulse to move, to discover and cross the new frontiers to adapt to new environment, to satiate the unquenchable thirst to explore is still same and maybe growing more and getting strong as ever.
