Wanderlust is her name. Franci Neely says she's always believed travel is the best education on the planet and she's covered some serious ground when it comes to navigating the world. The Houston-based philanthropist has visited more than 180 countries and is in the process of completing her lifelong goal of visiting every nation. It's a feat she says she aims to accomplish within the next few years.
World travel also has its health perks, according to nbcnews.com.
The news outlet shared a study stating that women who vacation at least twice a year show a significantly lower risk of suffering a heart attack than those who only travel approximately every six years. The research showed travel can also have similar health benefits for men. NBC reports that anti-anxiety benefits from travel tend to last weeks after the trip ends and that engaging in local culture can boost creativity.
And according to a Cornell University study, people experience an increase in happiness just from planning a trip.
CNBC reports that after many adventurers lost two years of travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, they're certainly making up for it now, with 65% of those surveyed by Expedia planning bigger trips than ever before.
Travelpulse.com is reporting that 82% of baby boomers, 75% of Gen Xers, and 73% of both Gen Zers and millennials plan on taking between one and five leisure trips within the coming year.
And WebMD reveals that learning new languages and experiencing new places is not only mind expanding but has positive mental health benefits.
That's all music to Franci Neely's ears. Neely says she's studied French and Italian and believes even just learning rudimentary parts of another country's language will help one submerge themselves in that culture better.
"The language of a particular culture tells you so much about the way that that culture thinks," Neely says. "So go travel the world. I've studied Italian so long and I'm pretty good at the grammar. I took Italian in college and I've studied it since then. I took French in high school."
Rarely leaving home without her Nikon camera or a beloved well-worn pair of Fendi shoes, Neely has chronicled her adventures to Cuba, London, India, the Philippines, and beyond.
She says one of the biggest lessons she's learned while exploring is that people everywhere are the same. "[People are] propelled by many of the same feelings [and] emotions and know whether you are genuinely interested in them or not," Neely says.
Franci Neely Travels With an Open Mind
Neely says she always makes a point to truly immerse herself in the local culture by partaking in regional cuisine and perusing provincial marketplaces. "Be someone with an open mind about where you're going," she says. "We should not be expecting the other countries to be little USAs."
Neely confesses that's a pet peeve of hers. She feels all countries and cultures should be embraced for the uniqueness they bring to the table. She says she's found some of her greatest travel experiences outside her comfort zone but admits she does like to plan out as much of her trip as she can beforehand so there's no wasted time.
From the beaches of Yemen to riding an elephant in Sri Lanka to posing for pictures in a Saudi palace, Neely says she still keeps in touch with many of the people she's encountered along the way. She acknowledges that some of them have even become like family to her, especially a little girl she met more than 30 years ago in Hong Kong whom she now considers her goddaughter.
"I was having lunch, Peking duck," Neely remembers. "I'll never forget it. In a little restaurant that seemed to be populated by a lot of locals, a little girl, about age 6 at the time, was very interested in me for some reason."
Although the child didn't speak any English, Neely says the tot was drawn to her and she ended up exchanging addresses with her father. That little girl is now 34 years old and Neely says the two have visited each other over the years.
Another priceless lesson Neely learned during her many trips is the beauty of traveling lightly. "Take less luggage," she recommends. "You can get things where you are."
Neely admits that more than once, she's taken too much luggage and has always regretted having to lug all that extra baggage around. "There are some interesting clothes and accessories that you can find that will remind you of your trip. So take less than you think that you need to," she advises.
Global Travel Remains a Passion for the Texan
Citing travel as her greatest joy, Franci Neely affirms that her love for wandering has inspired her commitment to collecting black-and-white photography. Snapping up pieces by male and female photographers, Neely says her collection is called Womankind and it chronicles women of all ages in all their splendor, snapped by a variety of talented shutterbugs.
What's one prized possession she won't travel without?
"My camera. That's one thing. Although I have relied more and more on my iPhone camera because it's better and better," she confides.
When she's not traveling, Neely says she spends time with her family and friends, reading - which she finds a significant stress reliever - and giving back to the Houston community. In addition to supporting the arts through her Franci Neely Foundation, she's a supporter of the Hermann Park Conservancy. She launched the Houston Cinema Arts Society in 2007 and is a member of the board of advisers of Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. The Houston Grand Opera and the literary arts nonprofit organization Inprint are among the many other organizations for which Franci Neely has been a benefactor.
"The arts have enriched my life," she says.
Neely has also donated money and time in Nantucket, Massachusetts, where she was a member of the board of directors of the Nantucket Historical Association. She was also president of the Friends of the Nantucket Historical Association.
© 2024 NatureWorldNews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
