In most MMOs, the early levels put you directly next to whatever objective you need to get to. They also have high XP values most of the time. This not only reinforces the "move to ground" reflex of MMO players, but creates quick levels; giving you a rapid small taste of the awesome things your character COULD do...if only you play just a little longer.
In all reality, moving to the destination and killing the monsters later in the game is indeed work. Usually, this work involves other people as you become more specialized. The XP also dries up somewhere around the fifteenth level, making the task a mundane dreary grind from that point. And pray your server is stable, or else you could get your character wiped and that five hours of grinding pillbugs on the beach could go ass up.
I was also always very angry with Biospark, because it was around the 15th level that my "hit things" skill would seriously atrophy in favor of my "heal things" skills. But it was at this point, always, that he'd be busy with something else or not playing. So I'd either have to level up alone or wait around yelling "HEALER NEED PARTY PLZ!"
Then there were the times in Ragnarok where I'd be an awfully weak priest thing and Biospark would tell me I need more levels. So I'd invariably have to reset my character, put him back together as a battle priest, and then grind my way up 1% xp at a time. While there was no armor to protect my ass while I was doing this, there was a small...small...small set of weapons that were useful in combat. My favorite was the bible because it gave a +2 intelligence boost.
"GOD IS LOVE." *hit* "THOU SHALT NOT KILL" *hit*