Life
I was recently reminiscing with my daughters about great times we had shared as a family. More often than not, it was our trips, not our everyday lives, that were seared into their memories. Horseback riding in Canada, a safari in Tanzania, swimming with turtles in the Maldives. And as we talked, I found myself wondering why these moments and not the day-to-day interludes that made up the fabric of our lives together. The answer, it turns out, is written into the very architecture of how our brains work. We are wired for newness. Neverbefore seen environments, experiences, and people give us the rare opportunity to form rich, emotionally-charged memories, while our daily lives tend to simply fade out of sight – and mind. For this, our Odyssey issue, we wanted to explore different sorts of sojourns that are guaranteed to leave a lasting mark on the soul.
Our cover star Cedra Ammara is certainly about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. In A New Horizon she reflects on what it truly means to step into a thrilling new chapter, as she celebrates her engagement and upcoming wedding to fellow content creator Ramy Hamdan. We also dive deep into the transformative power of a great book and how our imagination makes it gloriously possible to travel from the comfort of home. Novel Escapes proves that the greatest tomes can even inspire real-world pilgrimages to places first discovered within their pages. As for more traditional holiday getaways, this issue is bursting with inspiration, suggestions, and hard-won guidance. Home Away from Home uncovers a travel agent offering access to the most exclusive private retreats, while Departure Notes rounds up the essential gear of six wonderfully well-travelled women. And A World Apart makes a compelling case that the most transporting escape can sometimes be found closer to home than you ever imagined. Happy trails!