The stock market is up one session and down the next. Most retirement accounts are in shreds. Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Somali pirates, energy worries, natural disasters and layoffs are in the daily headlines. We are inundated by bad news, and at some point, the mind and body need a timeout. Nothing frees your inner self and takes away your worries like a vacation. Add travel and exploration to your 2009 New Year’s resolutions.

Whether it’s near or far, solo or with family or friends, here are my top 10 reasons to take a trip now.

1. It’s in our DNA. The earliest humans migrated. As Tennessee Williams wrote in Camino Real, "Make voyages! Attempt them! There’s nothing else." Stop dreaming about going somewhere - just pack up and go.
2. Travel is good for reducing stress. Refresh and renew yourself.
3. Take backyard trips. Go online to your hometown Visitors Bureau or Chamber of Commerce and see what they have to say about your city. Check into a local hotel for a quick getaway.
4. State parks and the National Park Service have always offered outstanding camping and hiking options. Visit the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ state parks site at www.mostateparks.com. For federal parks, visit www.nps.gov. Load up your gear and hit the road.
5. Look at the meaning of 401(k) differently. Make K = kilometers. Take a protractor and a map and make a 401 km circle and visit a destination within that boundary. Gas prices have plunged; explore.
6. Deals galore. Hotels, resorts, spas, cruise lines and airlines are feeling the slowdown. They are all offering discounts to encourage travel; take advantage now.
7. Cultural, historic, culinary, extreme and soft adventure and eco-vacations are the fastest-growing segments in the travel business. Do something you’ve never done before.
8. Look for foreign countries where the dollar still stretches. Mexico, Canada, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia are a few. Shop online for airfares.
9. In today’s troubled economy, financial donations to charities are down. Help others through travel-friendly organizations. Nature Conservancies, Travelocity’s Travel for Good, Medicine Global, Take Pride in America, the Conservation Alliance, GlobalAware, Earthwatch Institute, Cross-Cultural Institute, Friends of the River and the American Hiking Association are just a few of the groups that can benefit from your contributions.
10. Create memories for your family even in these tough times. Everyone, young and old, will be enriched through travel.

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