Why Travelling Is One Of My Most Important Goals
If you’ve checked in on any of my goal updates, then you couldn’t help but notice that travelling is always part of the plan for my year.
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
Saint Augustine
When my husband and I were younger and before the children arrived, we travelled often. Sometimes we’d just jump in the car and drive somewhere without any real plan of where we were going or what we were going to do. We just let the road decide our destination and the adventure would unfold.
But, three children later, jobs and responsibilities took a toll on our spontaneous adventuring and we slipped into the annual family holiday routine. These too were happy times.
But somewhere as the children were growing into adults, we had forgotten what it was like to travel as a couple, but that all changed late in 2014 when a birthday trip to Bristol led to a throw away comment about a 12-Cities Challenge, which re-awakened our love of travelling.
Travelling Doesn’t Have to be Expensive
You can budget or you can splurge, the choice is yours. What it really comes down to is your priorities.
The truth was that we had got out of the habit of travelling because we had made ourselves believe that it was too expensive. But that just wasn’t true, and the 12 Cities Challenge proved it for us.
We started the challenge by identifying cities that were within a day’s driving distance and planned what we would do on the day. This was important because we wanted to experience the sites and culture of the city and not just wander aimlessly around the shopping centre!
Further into the Challenge and because we were enjoying it so much, we travelled further and incorporated overnight stays.
But overall, the cost wasn’t extravagant, and we remained within a healthy budget.
A Chance to Disconnect and Reconnect
It’s the obvious thing we want to do when travelling, isn’t it? We want to disconnect from our everyday lives and reconnect with the relaxed person inside as well as reconnect with our partner or travelling companion(s).
Whether it’s a lazy week near a beach, an adventure holiday or a short city break, travelling allows you to do those things. What’s more, travelling allows you to put life back into perspective as you realise your home life and job won’t fall apart in your absence. It’ll be just fine when you get back and probably more or less as you left it.
But, you’ll return with a renewed enthusiasm, greater energy and a revitalised connection with your partner/travelling companion(s).
Because It’s OK To Do The Tourist Things
I’m not one of those people who wants to ‘live like a local’. Yes, I want to experience local cuisine and will go out of my way to try new things, but I’m more than ok with ‘doing the tourist thing’.
I want to see the sights, I want the comfort of a nice villa or hotel and I don’t mind queuing (much!). Maybe I’m not a purist when it comes to travelling, but, it feels right for me, and that’s ok.
To Push Me Outside My Comfort Zone
Even though I love to travel, I still get nervous! I’m not a huge fan of flying, so am apprehensive ahead of the actual journey. I also worry (usually unnecessarily) about forgetting important documents or missing connections!
In 2018 we went to Munich. This was a really enjoyable trip and we both marvelled at the ease with which you could travel around the city on public transport. But we became a bit complacent about our new-found-ability and really messed up on our journey home.
Leaving the hotel, we headed to the subway to get the train to the airport. We had plenty of time and planned to have breakfast before getting our flight. But, our nonchalant attitude soon bit us, when we got on the wrong train to the airport.
Instead of a 45 minute train journey direct to the airport, we jumped on a train that took us in completely the wrong direction. To make matters worse, we went 45 minutes in the wrong direction before realising our mistake!
It’s a funny story now but was so nerve-wracking at the time! We made it to the flight with just minutes to spare with me running through the airport in my socks because security had insisted I remove my boots to be checked!
An Opportunity to Learn and Grow
From history to geography, different foods and climates, different perceptions of what quiet or busy means to different people, travelling brings all of that and more, alive.
In 2015 I learned more about UK history than I had ever learned in school – and, it’s stuck! Travelling gave my learning context, something that I couldn’t grasp in the classroom. As luck would have it (and I say ‘luck’ because I really was ignorant of it up until that point), 2015 was the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta.
This meant that every city we visited, which also included a visit to the city’s cathedral (one of our challenge criteria) was celebrating Magna Carta! Now, whenever we’re passing through a city or a historical documentary pops up on TV, we have a fuller understanding and have been able to connect various places and events together in our minds.
I’ve also enjoyed dipping my toe into new languages. I studied French and German at school but didn’t really do much with them afterwards. But travelling to Munich and Vienna last year brought a lot of my German back. This year, I’ve been picking away at little bits of Italian vocabulary – a language that is completely new to me.
A chance to Really Feel What Something Means To You
Travelling can bring up unexpected emotions.
In November 2018 we went to New York (I still think Wow! when I read or write that!). As part of the trip my husband wanted to visit the aircraft carrier Intrepid. Now, whilst this is interesting, it isn’t really my cup of tea, but I’m happy to go along.
What I didn’t know when he originally booked our tickets was that the space shuttle Enterprise is housed onboard, and, anything remotely space-like fascinates me, so naturally this was going to be a better trip than I first imagined.
In the event, I was over-awed by Enterprise. I could barely speak as I wandered underneath, around and above the shuttle. I found the whole experience so emotional and was almost brought to tears.
We see so many things on TV nowadays that we can lose the spark of wonder. But, in this instance, I think it was the TV coverage that had enthralled me – and now I was experiencing this amazing thing in real life!
It Helps You Time Travel!
A few days ago I was walking past the local hair salon. It was quite windy, and I suddenly got a gust of the aroma of the products they were using. It was sweet, fresh and pleasant.
But the most noticeable thing for me was that it suddenly transported me away from the hurly burly and noise of the traffic passing by to somewhere far more relaxed and quiet.
Even now, I can’t recall where I was when I smelled that particular fragrance, but I know it was somewhere warm and relaxing, because that’s what I felt in that exact moment. It was a wonderful feeling, totally unexpected, that stayed with me for hours.
And this happens quite often, being served a particular meal can take me back to the restaurant I ate it in while on holiday or hearing a song playing…there’s a song by Ace of Base, that if I hear it, immediately takes me back to a beach in France when the children were little. I can see my husband walking up the beach, holding the two younger ones on either hip and the eldest running along beside him! It’s a lovely memory!
Travel is a new experience that can transport you out of your everyday routine to create memories with the ones you love.
Brian Chesky
I love immersing myself in memories of my holidays. As well as scrolling through photos on my phone I’ve recently indulged in being ‘old fashioned’ and getting photos printed and put into an album.
The album sits on a small coffee table in the living room and easily draws people to flick through it. This in itself has been a joy. Being asked to comment on photos or just watch a smile or hear a giggle can make my day!
Where are you going this time…?
People often comment on the amount of travelling we fit in. I’ll often hear the comment “Oh, I’d love to go there!” or “I really should do that” and I agree – they should! But, all I would say is plan ahead. Set your travels as goals for the year. Don’t leave it to chance. Plan, organise and arrange and make it happen. Travel is the most wonderful pastime!
What to do next…
> Read another post – 12 Cities Challenge – St Davids
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