Is travel good for us?:

The old proverb states that travel broadens the mind where as the truth amongst my fellow countrymen seems to be closer to it merely serving to broaden the alcohol consumption. This is to such an extent that us Brits are gaining an even poorer reputation abroad thanks to our alcohol inebriated ambassadors who seem intent on using travel to emancipate themselves from the restrictions of their home country and subject our cousins to the best of British hedonistic frenzy. Sadly it seems that this is nothing new but the advent and rise of low cost holidays has enabled mass export of the best of our empty minded British citizens and their values.

So does travel broaden the mind of our holiday going Brits or just stretch it to breaking point? G. K. Chesterton amended the proverb to say "They say travel broadens the mind; but you must have the mind." and Francis Bacon offered good advise to the citizens of the 17th Century Britain which reverberates today: "He that travelleth into a country before he hath some entrance into the language, goeth to school, and not to travel." My own take is that "Travel may broaden the mind yet something must fill it" and unfortunately we all know what the Brits like to fill it with!