I think there's a sort of disconnect between what makes travel interesting in that, I don't need travel to be dangerous to be interesting, I just want it to be interesting. Think Skyrim or BOTW. You aren't necessarily in danger of something that could kill you if you're not careful when you tread off the roads, you're instead rewarded for going off and finding new things. That's what I want. Maybe a haul of 250gp when I investigate a cart, maybe a goblin attack instead, or maybe the cart was an illusion from the BBEG. None of these are particularly TPK inducing but it gave me a choice and a consequence that was either good or bad.
That's why I think getting cargo dropped is boring. It works in the same way that saying "After a long speech, you've convinced the duke of you're plight." And it's as valid but we can agree that someone roleplay-centered would be disappointed. Likewise, I'm exploration-centered which is rare but I get disappointed when the DM says "You pass an old ruin with the mark of the bandits while completing your 2 week journey, now you're at their camp what do you do?"
Of course, read the room about this stuff but even modules get it right most of the time. Think about the "random" trap or treasure in a wilderness setting from a module, it adds depth and breaths new life into the wilderness.
Like I said, make it like a dungeon crawl. Don't just go "You eventually get to the end of the dungeon, roll initiative for the boss." I know there's the difference in that the multiple encounters in-between shouldn't have long rests in-between but unless you make the dungeon with that problem in mind, they can do that by leaving the entrance and coming back and letting the forces dwindle. (Doesn't work with time-crunch or fleeing/reinforcement receiving enemies but still.)
I don't know, I guess I'm just disappointed that the "Skip travel" button is a default on so many DM's inner motherboard.
