When she was 12, Anjali Mitter Duva spent a year living in India with her Indian father and Jewish American mother. During a school vacation, the family traveled to Rajasthan, a desert region in the northwestern part of the country. After a long, uncomfortable train ride, they reached the medieval city of Jaisalmer, where a young teenager’s angsty frustration with family travel was quickly transformed into what she describes as pure awe . . .
Travel, psychologists say, can change lives, especially when it’s to destinations that elicit awe and wonder. The feelings that take us out of ourselves foster positive social relationships, lower stress levels and cultivate overall well-being.