There seems to be the conception that gay spirituality travel (whatever that means to you) is "work". Nobody wants to work on a vacation. That's why we take a vacation in the first place, to get "away from it all" for awhile, to escape. We seem to frame the concepts of spiritual and personal growth with thoughts like: "I need to do this" or "I should do that" because "it would be good for me". With those ideas as a background, it's no wonder that so many of us think of spiritual and personal growth as "work". When we're on a vacation, we want to leave all the "need to's" and "should's" of daily life behind us, for at least a short time.
My experience is that spiritual gay travel is a joy. You meet people with the same mindset and really can connect with them. This level of connection really adds to the enjoyment of being on vacation. The chance to have an honest, heart to heart conversation with someone brings adds tremendously to my vacation experience and I come to value these conversations very much.
We have also learned that being "spiritual" means we must act solemn. We seem to think that play is anti-spiritual. The truth is just the opposite. Laughter brings a real connection to spirit and connection that is more profound than you can imagine
When we connect spiritually with others and the world, our vacation is greatly enhanced. Conscious awareness of our surroundings makes a gay vacation more exciting and we can get more out of our travel experience. We become very aware of everything we experience while travelling and as such, we are more fulfilled.
A good example of this is children. All is new to them and all is a wonder to encounter. They find joy in everything. All that they see and touch is theirs to play with. Experiencing the world as a child does is an incredible way to be.
Finally, there is the experience of being awestruck. While spiritual traveling, we may be deeply touched by something; a sunrise or perhaps a smile. Although an intense experience, being awestruck is not a solemn experience. It just holds a deep meaning for the individual.
Piece by Howie Holben about gay retreats and gay vacations for singles.