Travel In The Year 2030

~ I am sitting here thinking about what the travel experience might be like in the year 2030.

Why?

Because last night I went and visited my niece and her partner and their two day ‘old’ son for the first time, and marvelled once again at that incredible miracle of life that is a newborn child. And today, I woke up thinking about what the travel experience might be like in the year 2030 – when their child is 21.

A few lucky (read, wealthy) people, might get to enjoy brief ‘off world’ flights that circle the earth for several days at a time. The really adventurous ‘off world’ passengers might even get to indulge in a space walk during these trips (for an extra fee of course), but I imagine these types of flights won’t involve much more than this. Not that this wouldn’t be exciting enough!

However, I suspect that for the rest of us, travel will still be much the same as it is today, with travellers jetting off to far flung destinations around the world, all looking for that ultimate, intimate travel experience.

Most of the world’s top destinations will still be much as they are now. There will almost certainly be a few more skyscrapers in New York City; more side walk cafés in Paris; and more tourists trying to get the ultimate sunset photograph of Uluru (Ayers Rock). I also imagine that some of the more inaccessible places on the planet, those which currently only see a few thousand visitors a year, will become much easier to reach and enjoy.

Inevitably though, something will be lost along the way.

If the planet continues to warm, some locations may become too unpleasant to visit. Others, too difficult, and still more, too dangerous – which means safety and security will continue to be a major issue (I don’t see a conflict free planet on the horizon any time soon). Oh, and airlines will continue to lose our luggage in transit, and serve up barely palatable in-flight meals!

For myself, I hope I will still be around in 2030, and travelling as much as someone in their 80s can be expected to. Who knows, my 21 year old great nephew might even want to accompany me on a trip as a chaperone. Then again…

Image courtesy of SonnyRadio.Com…