The average person will not step outside of their locale, let alone their city, for the better part of their year. This is despite the seemingly therapeutic affects that travel poses to the traveler. Yes, travel has its benefits. Who but a traveler weary of routine can explain the awe of arriving in a far-off destination? The feeling can be liberating, and least of all relaxing.



To capitalize on this sense of awe in travel, there exists the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In our present day, only one still stands; but the others exist in the mind, and excite us with the influence that monuments hold on us. As of this writing, the Giza Pyramids stand in Egypt, one of the most popular tourist destinations around the globe. For now, while tourists can no longer visit the other six ancient wonders of the world, they can explore on their own, and venture to other known, if rarely acknowledged, monuments and locales.

Imagine being in China; or if you're already living there, imagine being in Hawaii, or vice versa. Traveling lulls the traveler into a carefree mode of thought, where all the problems and routines of their ordinary lives are on hold; and if not hold, then several thousand miles away! The sensation is one of being dwarfed. Everything seems so far away, and nothing seems to matter. Therapeutically, travel is as good as it gets in times of great stress and indecision. As a principle when traveling, go to places that contrast with your current locality. For this, the so-called Eighth Wonders of the World provide an easy and ready-made contract, thanks to their larger-than-life status quo.

What is an 'Eighth Wonder of the World'? It is a location or monument, man-made or otherwise, that by public consensus is deemed significant enough to stand in comparison with the original Seven Wonders of the World. Common examples range from natural formations like the Grand Canyon and Milford Sound, to man-made achievements like Angkor Wat and the Empire State Building. These wonders obviously make for popular tourist attractions, and it's no wonder. Unlike a scenic Parisian backdrop, or a vast African ecosystem, these eighth wonders stand apart from the clich?, and when visited firsthand, truly imbues the traveler with feelings of what traveling is all about: taking you outside of the ordinary.

Nobody says you can't go off on your own. While traveling is all about breaking routine, it can be tiresome. The psychology alone is usually worth traveling for: the sense of displacement from your everyday life.