The Joys and Reflections of Travel with Jeff Chu

Here’s what one professional misses most about travel.

Travel is back, and we’re just as excited as you are. While we spend our days writing about where to explore next, we at GoTravelDaily are equally thrilled about our upcoming journeys, reunions, and getaways. Moreover, we’re celebrating it all with new episodes of our podcast, Let’s Go Together, which highlights how travel fundamentally transforms our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us.

Meet Inspiring Travelers

In the first season, our pilot and adventurer host, Kellee Edwards, introduced listeners to a variety of globe-trotters who demonstrated that travelers come in all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. From the first Black woman to travel to every country on Earth to a man who trekked to Machu Picchu in a wheelchair, we met incredible individuals who shared unique insights into their travel experiences. In our second season, we’re excited to introduce you to more fascinating people, places, and perspectives.

Insights from Jeff Chu

In our latest episode, GoTravelDaily’s editor in chief, Jacqueline Gifford, steps in to chat with fellow travel writer Jeff Chu, editor at large at GoTravelDaily. They discuss his recent coverage of the Global Vision Awards, his fond memories of covering food and art while traveling, and his reflections on travel in the post-pandemic world.

“I have loved traveling ever since I was a little kid. When I was eight, another uncle paid for my sister and me to visit Hong Kong for the first time,” Chu explains of his initial travel experiences. “We spent the entire summer there improving our Cantonese, savoring the best food in the world, and bonding with our extended family. I remember sitting atop a double-decker bus, before they were air-conditioned, enduring the heat. We were climbing a steep hill from their village where they lived, with a gentle breeze flowing through the open window. I realized that this kind of exploration was invigorating—there was so much to discover.”

As for 2020, Chu, like many, found himself slowing down and staying still for the first time in a considerable while.

“I miss traveling a lot. I miss being drawn to stories that differ from my own, whether it’s the dramatic Scottish landscape so divergent from my life in Michigan, or the vibrant atmosphere of a cafe in Paris, far removed from the sounds of tree trimmers outside my window. Furthermore, I miss being compelled out of my comfort zone, which is one of the significant aspects travel offers us; it is fundamentally about discovery.”

Embracing New Perspectives

Despite the challenges of the past few years, there has been a silver lining for Chu—a deeper appreciation for exploration.

“I believe I will travel with a more profound acknowledgment of the many reasons we embark on journeys. For some, travel is about pleasurable experiences; for others, it serves as a spiritual pursuit—pilgrimage remains one of the oldest and most undervalued forms of travel, reflecting a journey in search of something that enriches our souls,” he expresses. “For many, my experiences confirm that travel encompasses reconnecting with nature, culture, and learning—broadening our worldview. The pandemic has prompted me to rethink and appreciate the multiple dimensions of travel, compelling me to consider more carefully why I travel.”

For more insights from Jeff Chu, listen to Let’s Go Together, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Player.FM, and all podcast platforms.