If you don’t travel, you can’t see places like this. (Unless you happen to live in Port de Soller, Majorca.)

“Happy travelers are all alike; every unhappy traveler is unhappy in his or her own way.” That’s my version of Leo Tolstoy’s famous quote about families. I believe that travelers are happy because they love five things about traveling that stay the same whether they’re on a package holiday in Majorca or trekking Machu Picchu. There are five things that travel addicts just can’t enough of  (whether they realize it or not) and that’s why they are always planning their next trip. Here are five thing to love about travel:

1. The Thrill of Leaving for a Trip: I’m a very slow packer, and sometimes I’m packing minutes before it’s time to leave for the airport. I’m frantically shoving extremely important clothing and toiletry items into an overstuffed suitcase, invariably forgetting something that is far more important, like a heavy sweater for Sweden in July. Now that I have a toddler, the last-minute packing has only gotten more intense, as I’m trying to squeeze one more Elmo into the diaper bag. Getting out of the house with suitcases, a stroller, a camera bag, a laptop bag, guide books, passports, etc., is a nightmare But once you’ve closed the door, it doesn’t make a difference if you’re cruising to the airport in a stretch limo or you’re getting ready to search for car parking at Gatwick. You’re on your way and the adventure has officially begun!

2. The Plane Touching Down: Admittedly I’m a nervous flyer, but I always breathe a sigh of relief when the plane’s wheels touch down for the landing. About one second later, a flood of excitement replaces relief. We’re finally here! And then I start to wonder, what is this new place really going to be like? Which bring us to…

3. Seeing a New Place for the First Time: People who have the travel bug just love seeing new places and want to see as many places as possible. It’s partly because they’re curious about the world but also because there is a unique rush that comes from seeing some place for the very first time.  I remember a Beatles documentary where they talked about how every time you listen to a song, you’re just trying to recreate the feeling of the first time you heard it. That’s how I feel about revisiting cities: it’s great to get to know them intimately but nothing replaces the rush of seeing it for the first time. And that’s partly what keeps my bucket list so long.

4. Eating a local specialty: In major international cities like New York and London, you can find excellent ethnic food of almost every variety. And yet, nothing compares to eating pastel de nata in Lisbon or a Greek salad in Greece (yes, that is what they call it there, at least in the English translations on the menu) or a baguette in Paris. It just tastes better there.

5. Coming Home: The adage “Home Sweet Home” has lasted for all of these years for a reason — home really is sweet. The best way to truly appreciate your home is to leave it for a few days or a few weeks. When you fling open your door and see your home again for the first time, it looks bigger and better. The joy of showering in your own bathroom with your own towels and sleeping in your own bed with your own blanket can only be appreciated after you’ve been away from them. As soon as home starts to feel overly familiar, it’s time to start planning the next trip.