I find it interesting that I do a fair bit of talking about what I’m doing now, but don’t often talk about my long-term goals or far-reaching dreams. It’s usually about the here and now — how’s the business going this month? what books did I read last week? what wedding did I visit last weekend? — but I don’t really mention things that are happening (besides weddings that I’m excited about) in the near or far future.
So I thought I’d take a minute to write about traveling.
Back when I was a kid, my family and I would take an intercontinental trip every summer to visit family in Japan. I knew, even then, that that was not something that every family did. Because fares would cost less if we left before the official start of summer vacation, I usually skipped the last few days of school for our flight, and we’d stay in Japan for two months. My life was basically school from September to late May in America, then school from May to July in Japan, and then a month’s recuperation and resetting after jetlag during August; rinse and repeat. But we stopped doing that sometime in our high school years, as finals took more precedence, and my sister and I quit learning Japanese.
Since then, I haven’t really made time to really travel. I’m now coming up on my 10-year high school reunion and I’m getting closer to 30, and I’m realizing that the last long vacation I’ve taken was in 2006, to Europe (and though that was an amazing experience, it was also mostly a school trip) and Hawaii that winter. And that just makes me sad. Now that we’re older and we’re paying our own bills, it seems difficult to find the money — money, that could be better used for rent, or car maintenance, or just plain saving — to pay for travel. But I’ve been feeling the itch more and more lately that I’ve been in one place for too long.
Until a month ago, Walt didn’t even have a passport. Luckily, we had a good excuse to get him one.
In May, we’ll be visiting Puerto Vallarta for a long weekend as we celebrate my sister’s wedding. I’m super excited about this because I’ve never been to Mexico before (as well as the fact that my only sister is getting married)! We finalized our plans today, having purchased our airline tickets last month and our all-inclusive resort reservations today.
But even before that, I’ll be heading to a photography conference in Vancouver in April! I impulsively bought a seat for the conference last fall, and after some wishy-washy feelings on my part where I thought about dumping it, I finally committed to it fully by booking my flights this week. I’m excited about Vancouver in the spring!
And because we’re way overdue for a trip to see family in Japan, I’m going to try to persuade my sister to coordinate with me so we can take our husbands with us sometime in 2014! I’ll wait to pester her until after her wedding, though :)
Where do you want to travel? Or where have you recently traveled? Got any ideas where I should put on my dream destination list?
Photo of Puerto Vallarta from Wikimedia (public domain)
This makes me want to travel SO BADLY!!! Love all the places you’re hitting up! And I love Puerto Vallarta! So much charm & culture in that city! Enjoy!!
We didn’t travel much when I was younger – mostly just a summer trip to Disney World or Schlitterbahn every now and then. I went on my first trip completely alone (well, the traveling part anyway) to Chicago to meet up with friends the spring after I graduated and it was life-changing. When we went to Paris and Rome this summer, it was another life-changing trip. I think getting out of your everyday comfort zone and experiencing different ways of life is so inspiring! I hope you have wonderful trips :)
Love this post, and can’t wait to hear all about and see photos from Mexico and Vancouver. I’m crossing Japan off my list in a few weeks, so thanks for the recommendations there! We try to do one big trip every 2-3 years and smaller trips on between. Other places on my list for the future are Hawaii, Paris, and somewhere to see the northern lights.
As a HUGE travel addict I have to comment on this post! Hurray for adventures!! :-) I’m happy to suggest 8 million destinations of every sort if you really want them! :-) I’m hoping to head up to Vancouver this summer after a conference in Portland, so I’m excited to see your photos!
Yay! I don’t think there’s anything better than travel. I grew up in a family that didn’t travel outside the US so I started traveling when I turned 18. Like Beth, I’ve never regretted money spent on travel.
Bring rain gear for Vancouver! I was there last April and it was rainy and gray. Much like here in Seattle. :)
This year we did Germany (family time!), and we’ll be heading to Chicago. We’re talking Greece next year with a stopover in Germany. But there’s also the possibility of Kenya or Brazil.
RE: What If in California, that was the original plan but then ultimately the organizers found two locations and put it to a vote, and as far as I know a ranch in Arizona won. I’m shooting my first destination wedding in Bermuda in May! :D
Travel is so so hard to prioritize because other things seem to “count” for more but money I’ve spent on travel (or money I haven’t earned because of travel) is something I have NEVER regretted.
There’s a ton of awesome places to go, but honestly, I can’t speak from experience on many places outside of the US. I love love loved Switzerland SO BEAUTIFUL. But on my list is India, New Zealand, Peru, Argentina, etc., etc….
I want to go to Vancouver so bad, and then jump to to Alaska while I’m in the “neighborhood.” My step-sister briefly lived in Vancouver last year, and I’m kicking myself for not visiting while she was there. Japan is high up on the list too. I figure if I survive my flight to Australia this fall, I’ll be able to go anywhere without freaking out about the long plane ride too much. Can’t wait to see your photos from Vancouver and Mexico!
Is it really awful that when you first announced you were going to Mexico and said “we will be world travellers!” I laughed and laughed because you could not live any closer to Mexico? :P It should be nice, I look forward to the pics. It will also be nice to see Vancouver in the spring, should be lots of cherry blossoms and stuff.
For me, I am keen to do a trip of (all the places, really, but especially) northern Europe… we were talking of doing that next year, but then I signed up for What If, so it looks like Arizona instead! Next stop: Bermuda!
@Kandise – Ha! I never actually thought about that. To be fair, Puerto Vallerta is a little further away than just the Mexico/US border! And I’ve never stepped inside of Mexico, ever, so it’s still a new experience for me :) I thought What If was going to be in LA next year? What’s in Bermuda?
@Katie Jane – You’re going to Australia?! What will you do there? I’ve always wanted to go there! So excited for you!