Anon, who told you that about medrashim? Did you read it online? Because it’s apikorsus. When chazal speak about spiritual matters, we have a mesorah to that effect; they’re not trying to “make a point,” they’re speaking about realities beyond the physical. Check maharal in beer hagolah for frequent mentions of this.
As for why people travel – they do. Ever hear of nomads? There are civilizations that have travelled vast differences. If this is your “kasha” on chazal…i don’t know who you’re convincing with it, if even yourself.
I’ll take the gaons words over that of a person who reads Wikipedia history articles and thinks that they know more than gedolei olam. And the fact that the germans became nazis only proved the Gaon right…what greater proof of that can there be?