On a pleasant morning in Islamabad, I decided to visit a craggy area to make my long holiday a great travelling experience. I was, from nowhere, overwhelmed with travelling for self. It was around 10 in the morning that I was ready to leave for my destination. As soon as I started my journey, I found myself quite exultant. Soon that happiness increased. Cold puffs of clean air and soft wisps of moving clouds started tapping my cheeks. I could feel the ambiance of nature ready to purify my soul. It was like I was going to meet myself. In the afternoon, with a couple of stopovers, I was in the lap of the place known as Murree. I have been travelling across Pakistan to explore the country. Every trip I undertake convinces me of the mighty power of an excursion. “What is this life if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare” is the opening verse of the illustrious poem ‘Leisure’ written by William Henry Davies. The poetic moves he has taken are strongly persuasive in a thematic way. Soaked in mechanics, today’s man is ignorant of the avenues of catharsis. A short journey could appease human qualms to a great extent. An excursion seems to be the best choice to spend some leisure time away from the worries. It entails a short journey to a selected place to enjoy, eat al fresco and move around, showing the highest level of civic mannerism. An excursion has a threefold impact on human life: educational, psychological and social. Official tours and business trips have an economic value, but travelling for entertainment is what present day man lacks. Contemporary sciences have revealed that eighty-five percent of the learning sprouts from what people see, hear and experience. In comparison to that, formal reading adds only ten percent to a person’s knowledge. One of the greatest human experiences is gained through travelling; such is the importance of an excursion from an educational point of view. Ruthless paws of commercialism have clutched the modern man tightly. Today, people are more prone to earn and stock money, and they forget the importance of excursions associated with their children’s cognitive, emotional and mental growth. Travelling mitigates the cortisol level and proves magical in managing the stress. It broadens the canvas of human mind to the extent no one can imagine. From workplace stress to social pressure, everything needs to be managed in a non-medicated way, and an excursion, therefore, is a great treatment. Periodic excursions help the functioning of human mind by stimulating a sense of freedom. Thriving on geographical differences poses a fairly big change to human mind; it improves mind’s ability to think and work more creatively. Travelling promotes socialisation at all levels. Short peripatetic experiences enable people to know more about regional diversity: cultures, races, topographies, businesses, preferences and beliefs. Travelling is, therefore, considered to be an agent of cultural transmission and social exchange. People form enriching friendships while cruising through cities and countries. Short peripatetic experiences enable people to know more about regional diversity: cultures, races, topographies, businesses, preferences and beliefs The spiritual impact of an excursion is even more important. “It is better to travel well than to arrive”, Buddha said. “Wherever you go, go with all your heart,” Confucius believed. Owing to the significance of excursions, spiritual leaders used to travel across the globe for practising mysticism. Having a quarterly excursion trip can keep the spiritual health in good form. Though backpacking culture in Pakistan has a hampered momentum, the magnificent topography of the country offers generous opportunities for excursions. Mythical valleys, fabulous mountain views and gigantic glaciers tell the story of the mightiness of nature. This is why the British Backpackers Society has declared Pakistan the fittest country for road adventure travelling. Backpacking inculcates multifarious traits in the personality of young people: flexibility, confidence, endurance and knowledge. As per statistics earlier in 2019, with eight national and international trips per person per year, Finland tops the list of the nations that like travelling. The United States and Sweden come at the second and third place with seven and six trips per person per year respectively. According to an AAA Travel Survey, thirty-seven percent of adult Americans opt for travelling at least once a month. Contrarily, no Asian country falls in the list of top ten countries with most travel lovers. Although, the Tourism Development Corporation of Pakistan is actively registering its interest in the matter, there is more appetite for implementation of an effective policy to remove redundancies from our transport system and roads network. In addition to developing hill stations, government can also pay attention to villages. To start with, a few rural settlements can be selected for transfiguring them into model villages. Short-term excursions can thus be promoted. Cultural exchange through education and sports can also serve the purpose too. Travelling creates means of success. Have a safe journey! The writer is a researcher and a journalist. He can be reached at waheedmba@yahoo.com