Each of them, and many others like them, were so highly motivated that they risked their lives to explore the unknown. Rain-forest bridge crossing in Cockscomb Basin Jaguar preserve, Belize I contend that, underlying any or all of those, people who venture over the horizon are fundamentally different from those who do not. And I think I know why.
Similar examples are many.
My point is that we are, in belief and behavior, very much the product of the environment in which we were raised. And it is from there that many of our motivations spring. I doubt that it has been researched, but I'll bet that Magellan, Columbus, John Glenn, and most others interested in exploring beyond familiar boundaries were motivated and inspired by their parents. I offer myself as an example. Move on to History of a Traveler Return to Top Traveler's Tool Kit by Rob Sangster, offers practical tips on how to travel absolutely anywhere.