I was fortunate enough to be born to parents who loved to travel. They had both traveled before marriage and continued to do so once they got together. Fortunately, they didn’t let having children stop them! Before I was even a year old I had already traveled to Europe and the Caribbean. We were not “rich” by any means, instead my parents (especially my mom) were incredibly thrifty. They saved throughout the year, using coupons, limiting how often we ate out and skipping things like name brand clothes. Vacations were where their money went! As a result, most Novembers were spent basking in the sun of some Caribbean island with occasional trips to visit my mother’s family in Wales. I looked forward to these vacations every year! We got to relax, explore amazing places and spend time together. I knew from a young age that traveling was something I’d want to do forever!
Throughout college I did a couple girls trips both within the United States (mostly road trips down south) and the Caribbean. During that time my serious boyfriend (now husband) and I also travelled throughout Europe. We traveled between various countries via bus and train with just our backpacks making our schedule as we went. Whenever we arrived in a new city we found a room to rent (often above a pub) and spent the days exploring until we were ready to move on. It was an unforgettable trip that really strengthened our bond and confirmed we were meant to be together forever!
When it came time to get married, a destination wedding was obviously the only way to go! I wanted a relaxing outdoor wedding with a beautiful view and that is exactly what we got in St. Croix, USVI. Relaxing with our friends, a fresh picked orchid bouquet, a steel pan band, delicious tropical entrees and a picture perfect beach sunset as a backdrop made the day absolutely perfect!
After marriage we made sure to fit at least one trip in each year, mostly picking Mexico or the Caribbean and relaxing at all-inclusive resorts. However, we always make time to leave our resorts to explore. The way I see it, you can’t really say you’ve been somewhere if all you’ve seen is the airport and hotel. We book excursions or often rent our own car. I find one of the best parts of traveling is really getting to immerse yourself in other people’s lifestyles and getting to taste authentically cooked meals.
Just like my parents, we didn’t let the birth of our children get in the way of what we love. Instead we’ve embraced the fact that we have three other people that we can now share the world. Learning from my parents, weāve made traveling a priority and similarly save where we can in order to have our travel funds. All three of our children have had a valid passport since they were a few months old. Each passport is full of an assortment of stamps and their minds are already filled with more travel memories than some adults experience in a lifetime. In their short lives our children have already gotten to hike one of the largest glaciers in the world, trek through rainforest, climb the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, stand in the Coliseum, see great works of art like the Mona Lisa, the David, and ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, walk on molten lava in various locations, snorkel over live coral reefs, relax on a catamaran as it floats across the Caribbean, hold parrots, monkeys and sloths, and swim with sea turtles.
Travel is so good for you! It opens your eyes to how other people live, allows you to see beautiful and different things, educates and allows you to really slow down and enjoy life. For me not only do I appreciate all myself and my children have learned but I love the quality family time it gives us. Without the distractions of work, school and sports we can really spend quality time together. Weāve come home from every vacation with new memories, stories and inside jokes that we will remember forever.
Take vacations, go as many places as you can. You can always make money, you can’t always make memories. It could be a cruise, European adventure, Caribbean escape, road trip or even a weekend getaway. Just do it! You only have one life, you should be out there enjoying it.
My new favorite word!
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