BEIJING

Joe likes telling a story about how, when he was a teenager, he went to his dad and asked, "What's the meaning of life?" His dad's response was: "Relationships." When we're traveling, especially for long periods of time, it's easy to wonder what the point is. I think the meaning mostly lies in connecting with people. When it doesn't happen (typically because we're caught up in getting from Point A to Point B) is when we feel most frustrated, but when it does happen it makes the entire trip seem worthwhile.

That's the feeling I was hoping to capture in my latest article, "Beijing: Portrait of Change," for this month's Global Traveler magazine. I'll leave it up to you whether or not the piece accomplishes that. What do you think is the point in traveling?