I do think that you should only regret the things you've haven’t done as opposed to those that you have. I try to not to miss opportunities to do things when I can because I hate regretting anything. Unfortunately travelling is one area where I do have big regrets. There is part of me now that wishes I’d made more effort to travel when I was young, carefree, didn’t have a mortgage to pay, little mouths to feed, and rocked a bikini! (Well, at least I looked better in one then than I do now).
I now feel that my poor Passport has been well and truly neglected. The travel bug never really caught up with me in my younger days. I didn’t feel the compulsion to grab a backpack and go off trekking around the world after I finished college/university like most of my friends.
I had different priorities at the time (which I don’t regret because my life would be very different otherwise). I met my husband at 19, we bought our first house, got married a couple of years later and I carried on studying until I was 26. By the time I’d finished my degree, diploma and professional training we were both itching to start a family, and now here we are.
Now, I have the most responsibility I've ever had in my whole life, a husband, two small people, a dog, a house and a sizeable mortgage to go with it, and a new business.
Never have I felt the urge to drag my suitcase out of the loft as strongly as I do now. My travel bug has finally arrived. It’s taken its time, but it’s here! And do you know why it’s arrived now, of all times?
It's mostly because of those little people I gave birth to. I’m raring to pack our suitcases, get out there and show them the world. They see everything so differently to us. They are astonished by the simplest of things. New places are far more impressive and exciting when you discover them with toddlers. Toddlers don’t rush. They take in the most microscopic detail of places and objects and if something looks good, they eat it! Although, that’s something I won’t be encouraging so much of, unless it’s tasty looking food.
And that’s exactly why I want to get out there right now. I want to visit as many places, countries and continents as we can while they’re still innocent enough to see all good in people and before they become tainted by politics, religions and other controversies. I know they actually have a lot to teach me. They help me to see things from a totally new perspective.
There’s been a few moments lately, that have also made me realise that I’m really eager to take them out into that big wide world so that they have an education, aside from that sat behind a desk at school. Yes, I know there’s a lot for them to learn there, probably most importantly social skills and interacting with their peers. But I think the actual skills learnt by travelling are hugely under estimated by a lot of people.
One thing I have learnt is that life experience is worth a lot. As is, experiencing lots of different cultures, customs and traditions. Not only knowing what these customs and traditions are and what happens, but truly understanding them. I don't think there's any better way to do that than to meet people who practice and believe in those customs etc, really get to know them and understand their way of life.
So, these little people are the reason that my travel bug has arrived (very unfashionably late). Unfortunately, they’re also the reason that our ability to go off travelling is severely hampered. Our income has been dramatically slashed during the last 3 years while I’ve had long periods of maternity leave. Our living costs are now the highest they’ve ever been and now, NOW I’m feeling the biggest urge in my whole life to go travelling. The irony is not lost on me!
I have also learnt a lot since having the first of the little ones 3 years ago. I now appreciate that, while enjoyed the holidays I had in my younger days immensely, the ones where I took time to chat to, and get to know the locals have much more significance than those where I just went and lay on a beach for a week. Those holidays might well have been exactly what I needed at the time but there were definitely some missed opportunities there to see more of the countries I visited, find out more about the people, and the photos I took, aside from one or two lucky shots, were also extremely rubbish!
Now I want to make up for that. I want to show my children the big wide world to make the most of this travel bug while it’s sticking around. Plus, they’re all packed and ready to go!
Kate is a proud mum of two tiny tearaways and a keen writer who works with the likes of Electric Dialogue and No 1 Traveller, a UK luxury airport lounge company.
I used to love just getting up and going on holiday. I had my little one quiet late at 31 but there is still a massive part of me that wants to go see all the places I havent been yet. It's so strange you write this because hubby and I were only talking about this last night. He is so content right now. He loves to just go to work and come home. Meanwhile I'm really itching to head off some place. He tells me I'll feel different once I start work but I don't think so. I say, let the holidays commence!!
ReplyDeleteOh, it's a horrid irony, isn't it? One day, Kate...
ReplyDeleteDon't regret not jetting everywhere too much. Travelling to a few places closer to home will still give the little ones more than enough to explore and see, and will be more practical and easier on the finances until holidaying becomes affordable and easier again. Try not to take those trips to the caravan for granted, you don't need a trip on a plane to show the lo's new places and new experiences. Look at our own experiences when we were growing up and look where our parents used to take us. It wasn't until we were a lot older than the lo's that we got to go on a plane for the first time. I for one certainly don't feel like I missed out so don't be too harsh on yourself and appreciate where you can take them today.
ReplyDeleteClaire, thank you so much for letting me post and for the lovely intro too. I love reading your blog and am so very excited about the adventures to come for you.
ReplyDeleteEveryone else, thanks for your comments, they are much appreciated!
@Notmyyearoff - I doubt very much you'll feel different once you get back to work, probably more in need of getting away than ever!
@Msissa - it is, but we will be getting away this year, I'll make sure of it. That's my New Years Resolution right there :0)
@Ad - I don't feel like I missed out either, not now anyway. We had loads of great holidays as kids and I don't mind taking them places closer to home. I'm not beating myself up, there's just lots of places I want them to see, and Ireland is one of the first on my list!
Anything can happen, if you put your mind to it. There were 2 blogs I followed over the past years: one a family with 3 kids sailing around the west coast of North and Central America and another with 2 boys (10ish I think), who took 3 years out to cycle from North Alaska to South Argentina. Where there's a will there's a way!
ReplyDeleteI've always had the travel bug- be that to distant places or just fun things around the corner. I got pregnant a couple of years ago straight after 3 month+ sailing adventure around the Eastern Med (Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt) and was lost. What was I going to do with the responcibility- I still get weighted down by it at times, yet wouldn't change it for the world! To discover places near and far with children is wonderful. They do see things differently, ask naive, but honest questions. To do it on a shoestring helps to make you appreciate the trip more and do things the way the locals do things.
One day, we hope to take our children out of school move onto a boat and sail away for a couple of years...one day! (Note to self- I have to start the boat kitty!) :oD ...till then we will lie on hush green grass at the top of the Ridgeway and look at the clouds passing by, telling the stories that we see them telling. Kids are very good at imaginary travel!
Claire, Kate, you will both, hopefully, find a way to feed the bug, that doesn't involve too many compromises. (For me this year it was a 2 day sailing trip (their first ever)- Utter bliss, despite the brevity.)
No problem Kate, happy to have you! Thanks all for stopping by. Come back soon ;) I like that-kids are good at imaginary travel. Just need to jumpstart the dreaming!
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