Around the World in Eighty Days made me believe the world was one giant invitation waiting to be accepted. Phileas Fogg hilariously raced across continents with his French valet as if delayed trains and missed connections were merely suggestions.

Long before that, though, I had fallen in love with The Passport of Mallam Ilia, a high school-recommended novel by Cyprian Ekwensi. It showed me a different kind of journey—one shaped by resilience, identity, and life’s twists rather than sightseeing. From the beginning, the book reminds me that travel isn’t always about checking countries off a list; sometimes it’s about discovering who you become along the way.

These days, I still travel for the stories. The only difference is that Fogg traveled to win a bet. I travel because the best conversations, funniest mishaps, and most unforgettable lessons tend to happen the moment I leave home. Also, unlike Fogg, I still celebrate every time my luggage arrives on the same flight. I also travel to escape the confines of classrooms and see the world through a different perspective.

Talking about my favorite movies by one of the best actors, Jackie Chan, I watched growing up, that’s it.