“The road goes ever on and on,” says Bilbo Baggins, the notorious thief and adventurer from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. But even though his fictional travels are really just that--fictional--he does speak a very important truth to us, as all the paths around the world are simply the same path that goes on and on. And now it’s up to you to figure out if you want to take that first step out the door and travel the path that stretches and winds and loops its way around the world.

According to the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization, there were 1,035 million tourists in 2012, and international tourism will increase at least 3.3% each year for the next 20 or so years. Will you be one of those tourists and experience the world in a way you’ve never had before? If you’re still mulling over that decision, here are 10 reasons why you should grab your bag, head out the door, and go out of our comfort zone:

(All screencaps from Crossroads courtesy of Paramount Pictures)