For years, I had no time for exploratory travel.

The line suggests the constraints of a demanding professional life—likely years of tightly scheduled performances, rehearsals, and travel dictated by work rather than curiosity. “Exploratory travel” implies wandering with openness and leisure (travel as discovery), contrasted with utilitarian movement from venue to venue. The quote points to a common tension for high-achieving artists: even when one is constantly “on the road,” the experience may not include the freedom to explore places, cultures, or oneself. It also hints at a later shift in priorities—an implied recognition of what was missed and a desire to reclaim time for unstructured experience.