Anderson Cooper on the Rewards of Rough Travel

It turns out that CNN’s Anderson Cooper has some inspiring things to say about travel. In an interview in the May 2008 Outside, he talks up an outfitter-led trip to Africa he took at the age of 17, after coming across an ad for the company in the back of Outside magazine. Interviewer Patrick Symmes mentions that many Americans are afraid to travel to places like Africa because they think, “This is going to suck.” To which Cooper responds:

It’s OK if it sucks. Of course it’s going to suck at times. But it’s also going to be exhilarating and invigorating, and it’s going to quicken your pulse in a way it’s never been quickened. And you know what? Not everything has to feel good. That’s sort of a revelation—at least it was for me. You should go through it. It should suck. It’s not all about enjoyment.

Right on, Anderson.

Unfortunately, the interview isn’t available online.

 

 

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