Travelling is the best medicine for Dr Daniel Thomas
Published:Saturday | December 31, 2022 | 12:11 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
They say laughter is the best medicine. And while those who truly know this globetrotter can argue that it is certainly the case, Dr Daniel Thomas has found a way to diagnose and treat his life by incorporating a healthy dose of amusement with travel.
“Travelling has always been something I’ve loved since my childhood. I had the map of the world on my bedroom wall and wanted to go everywhere. My first trip abroad was maybe when I was three or four. My family went to New York and we visited the Empire State building and the Statue of Liberty. About two years after that, we went to Disneyland in Florida, and since that I’ve just been travelling,” Dr Thomas told The Gleaner.
This explorer has had the honour of putting on a tourist lense here in his own country, traversing all the parishes of Jamaica. His parents were responsible for taking the family on historical sites, providing a cultural backdrop and appreciation. Additionally, his aunt is a proud owner of a travelling agency called Leisure for Pleasure Holidays and Tours, where his mother also works, so the desire for adventure runs in his blood.
“Locally, one of my favourite spots is Rick’s Cafe. The sunset there is amazing and jumping off the cliff is super fun,” he revealed.
But what made him fall in love with flying internationally was his journey in sixth form to La Ruta Quetzal, a trip sponsored by the Spanish Embassy. The venture was actually a competition and Thomas was the representative for Jamaica.
“That trip allowed me to feel like an expeditionary. The group of us, 200 students from Latin American and Europe, went to Peru then to Spain, spending three weeks in each country,” he shared. While it wasn’t an elegant or luxurious trip, it did ignite his love for adventure, teaching him from early that he could travel in any form.
Since then, he has been basking in new experiences overseas, finding great joy in seeing something new that you wouldn’t see at home and learning something different on another side of the world.
So far, the high-achiever has been to several states in America, mostly in the suburbs, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Antigua, Panama, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Costa Rica, France, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, England, Scotland, Egypt and Japan.
“My recent trip to Japan was awesome. The cultural experience there is just wow! It’s just so different from ours. The city, Tokyo, is beautiful; so clean, pristine and efficient. In Scotland, I was able to go to Loch Ness and hear about the Loch Ness monster. If you want scenic beauty, Scotland is where it’s at. Egypt, the pyramids, the tombs, it’s a remarkable experience. The Eiffel Tower was a highlight in France,” he shared
With different trips come different obstacles, which he was able to overcome through determination. While working in Scotland, he needed a visa to go to France. He applied for that visa four times before he got through.
DEPARTURE TIME
As a college student, he couldn’t source the funds to go to Costa Rica for the reunion of his sixth form trip. The scholar asked for sponsorship for the air fare, which he is grateful to have received from a financial institution. He once missed his flight back home from Panama and had to reschedule his departure time. And there was a racial experience and missing property in Spain.
“While in Barcelona, I lost my wallet on the train. And I called the train company and actually got it back. It was found by someone and given to the train station. My friend picked it up and helped with its safe return to me back in France. Amazing, right?”
Thomas is a researcher at The University of the West Indies (UWI) and is also pursuing a postgraduate degree in human nutrition at the UWI. Other countries on his bucket list include Brazil, Mexico, Belize, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Italy, Portugal, Kenya, South Africa, India, Ethiopia, Israel, Dubai, Qatar, Jordan, New Zealand and Australia, just to name a few.
If you want to travel locally, Dr Thomas advises you to get your money together and explore iconic locations outside of your parish. Go outside of your comfort zone and give yourself a taste for travel in your local context. Then take on somewhere bigger; get your passport and go somewhere you can go without a visa, do some research. Then embark on getting your visa and tick off that bucket list.
“Figure out what kind of traveller you are. Do you like to travel on your own, with friends or in groups? Do you mind being in the wild or do you want structured activities? Or do you love comfort and luxury? Be aware of the local culture before you go. It’s good to find out what people are like there; look at YouTube. It is easier to relate to people when you’re there. But don’t spend all your time planning; just go.”