There is something unnerving about stepping foot in Antarctica for the first time. The harsh environment, mostly devoid of human presence, feels almost terrifying in its vastness—but that feeling quickly gives way to awe and excitement. You realize that the white expanse engulfing you is actually a palette of greys, blues, and even pinks and purples during certain times of the long days, and that what seems like an empty desert of ice and snow is buzzing with life and activity. There is only one difference: that life and activity is very different from what we are accustomed to as urban creatures.
I had arrived on the White Continent in late November on a National Geographic-Lindblad expedition ship after three flights took me from Washington DC to Miami, then Buenos Aires, and, finally, Ushuaia, on the southernmost tip of South America—and a little over a day of surprisingly smooth sailing across the famously treacherous Drake Passage. The reason for this lengthy trek was my almost two-decades-old pursuit of remoteness.
As a travel writer, I’ve always been drawn to cultures and destinations that are distant from my own. I often travel for days to reach the most remote corners of the world. While venturing out into far-off territories brings a sense of adventure, on a more personal level, these trips provide me with more than just the thrill of the unknown.
In the age of over-tourism and trendy travel destinations, along with the predictability that comes with visiting them, exploring an unfamiliar, isolated place can yield mental health benefits, such as boosting confidence and creativity, enhancing empathy, and fostering a deeper connection with nature.
“When you’re going somewhere that is completely off-the-beaten path, it really does make you just be present with yourself in a different way,” Northern Virginia-based psychotherapist and owner of Looking Glass Therapy Services, PLLC, Alice McGuin, LCSW, says. “So not only are you getting the dopamine hit of being in a new place, doing something novel, which is always going to hit that reward center of your brain, you’re also getting back to yourself […] You are forced to be just with yourself and the place where you are.” By becoming more attuned to our own rhythms, we can also enhance our relationships, as “you cannot connect with others if you are not connected to yourself,” McGuinn explains.
