Travel Bug has hold!
The trip was a 40th Birthday present to myself and while planning the trip I discovered the Paris Marathon was being run around the same time I would be there and so this became my first training / travel holiday.
When I was 20 I travelled to the USA on my own and it was amazing. I visited 20 states, I hiked the Grand Canyon, partied in New York and New Orleans and everything in between.
This was my first ever trip and I was the first person in my family who had travelled OS.
In the lead up to that trip I worked my butt off saving every cent, I was supposed to travel with a friend but she bailed with about a month to go but I was determined to go anyway.
I remember thinking...oh my god what if something happens to me, I know NO-ONE and I'm here alone, this was in the days before mobile phones and the internet (1989) so alone really was ALONE!
I remember having a stern talking to myself and reminding myself that I came all of this way to have an experience and I was NOT going to sit in my room for 8 weeks!!
When I look back I had every right to be anxious, I hadn't even been on a plane before that trip!!
Apart from some family trips (in the car) to Narooma I hadn't been anywhere!
I left my hotel room, headed straight for Union Square and The Gap :-)'
I bought a cream cable knit jumper and I was off and racing!
I came back to the hotel, dropped off my purchases and headed downstairs to the pub next door.
Wouldn't you know it, it was Grand Final Day back in OZ and the place was packed with Aussies :-)
I faced my fears, met awesome people and didn't have a care in the world on that trip (aside from my suitcase being too heavy and my funds too light!) and I vowed that I would travel every year!
I still can't believe I let that happen, I can't believe that I forgot how important travel was to me.
In the meantime I'd travelled to our other states and visited New Zealand (BEAUTIFUL!!) but even that was in 1994 or something - it had been way too long.
So I planned my trip to France & Italy and I'll be honest I wasn't that excited....I was worried about the kids while I was gone, I wasn't happy in my marriage and I was anxious about spending so much time with my husband knowing that it may well force the beginning of the end and I was constantly injured in the lead up to the Marathon and this was taking all of the fun out of the trip because I was stressing about finishing.
When we got to Paris it soon became apparent my bag hadn't!!
Awesome....in the most beautiful city in the world and I'm in the same stinky clothes I had been wearing on the plane and nothing to wash my face or freshen up!
Still....it was an excuse to shop :-)
My bags arrived later that night and while that trip did have its challenges, all relating to my relationship, I was once again reminded of how vital travel made me feel and how important it was in
I once again vowed to do this every year!!
While that didn't quite come off either I am happy to report that since that trip in 09 I've travelled to the USA twice and to Thailand twice as well.
My first trip to Thailand was incredible because I spent the first week with Dave, we had been together 5 months-ish and it was the first truly "romantic" holiday I had been on. My marriage was in dire straights when I travelled to Europe and the trip to NZ with the kids dad was a nightmare of daily arguments.
So this year only one trip to Thailand (6 months after my last) but I've got a trip back to Thailand planned for Jan 3 and this time I'm taking a friend, my daughter and some students. It's going to be awesome!!
Next year I'll run at least one other group trip to Thailand so that clocks up 2 - 3 Thailand trips PLUS Dave and I are heading to the USA in the middle of the year.
Travel has never featured more prominently in my life and I love it.
It brings such a spark to my life and I constantly have something to look forward to.
I'm so glad I rediscovered it!!
What makes my trips even better these days is combining my love of fitness with my love of travel.
It's also added focus to my training, now my training centres around peaking for my next Thai trip, coming back, recovering then building up again for the next trip.
If you haven't travelled all I can say is DO IT!
Sure airports are a drag and long haul flights suck but the adventure waiting at the other end makes it all worth it.
You know what they say....Life is a daring adventure or nothing.....and I couldn't agree more.
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