Travel Now

As a believer in travel, and the many benefits that come from visiting new places, I wanted to establish a little corner of the web where we could talk travel and all the beauty, joy, and learning, as well as FOOD you can experience around the world.

So to start things off, I wanted to explain why we travel, and why I think everyone, regardless of age or income, should make travel a priority.

Travel is my passion, rivaled only by my passion for food, which luckily goes hand in hand. My family has the travel bug, and make it a huge priority to travel regularly. However, I frequently hear people put off travel saying they will get there “someday” when the kids are older or easier to travel with or after they retire and have the “money to travel” etc. While all of these reasons seem valid I would like to offer some reasons to start traveling now. Not later, even if you have small children. My youngest is 3.

1. Travel increases confidence.  The first time I traveled overseas my luggage was lost. Trying to communicate this in a busy airport, far from home, where I did not speak the native language was a challenge. Successfully doing so was a confidence booster. Navigating your way through different locations, cultures, and languages provides a sense of accomplishment you don’t get in other ways. Travel provides many confidence boosting opportunities that can only benefit you for the rest of your life.

2. Travel changes the way you relate to others and the world.  When you travel you form a personal connection with the people and places you see, which can compel you to help others and give back. When you hear a news story of a far off place, it does not feel as distant or disconnected.

3. There are no guarantees of tomorrow. Stop putting off life experiences. Too often we wait until “later” to do the things that bring us joy. We forget there is no guarantee of health, means, or opportunity later. So if you can find a way to start now, you won’t regret it later.

4. Travel increases gratitude and empathy. It is easy to take what you have for granted. My husband and I traveled to South Africa in 2012, and saw first hand the shanty towns, poverty, and conditions there. It made me so grateful for my little house and not new car. 

5. Travel is educational. History takes on real meaning when you have seen and visited the places you study. Language really gets put into practice when the person you are trying to converse with doesn’t know your native tongue. You become much savvier when you are across the world without access to friends, family, or money, and you have to make what you have work. Travel offers endless opportunities for education, beneficial to adults and children alike.

6. Travel changes your perspective. Travel offers experiences, the opportunity to try new things, and to figure out what you want in life. Why wouldn’t you want this early in life? Each new place you visit, and each new experience gives you another lens through which to view the world, widening perspective.

7. Travel is fun. One of the best reasons to travel young is you will never regret it. If you find yourself older and unable to travel, will you regret not sacrificing something now so you can? Sure, schlepping through an airport with a crying toddler is not fun, but you are building memories and character, and even the trying moments may be looked back on fondly.

Traveling is so amazing! I hope the content I provide, tips, suggestions, and our favorite destinations will help you and inspire you to get out and see the world!

*Note, we travel with our children a lot too! I just rarely get photos with just the hubs, so I thought it would be fun to do couples photos for this post.