Precisely, though I still don't get to do enough of it.I'm still convinced that a lot of it is somehow tied to social status. "Did you know I've been to [x]". Well what did you do there? Why did you want to go there? What interested you about it? The interest is less in the place itself, more how it adds to the story.
Well, I agree that there may be some people who travel “just to say they’ve been there,” but I’m not so sure I’ve ever met any. Personally I’ve enjoyed my travels immensely and recall the details frequently with great pleasure.
I disagree with rousseau's remark about aquariums (museums, art galleries, zoos, etc) because they tend to be very very different from place to place.
I love local science museum - have a season pass and go frequently. But I also love visiting museums in other cities because the focus and/or exhibits are completely different (as is, typically, the architecture of the building). I'm fairly certain that the Toronto aquarium is not going to be focused on the Gulf Stream the way that Miami's is.
The other consideration is landscape. I am quite certain I am not going to find a mountain in my backyard (NO, Playball! Mount Trashmore does NOT count!). Or snow. And I love both.
The one thing I don't understand about how some people travel is shopping. Is there anything anywhere in the world that I can't buy just as easily (if not more so) from the comfort of home?