The many ways to travel.

I absolutely adore travel. In fact, I can’t imagine life without it. I’m not positive where this love began but I know it goes way back to when I was little. I grew up in an unhappy home and my mom’s way of escaping reality was to get in the car and “take a ride”. I was the youngest of my siblings so my mom always took me with her. Although the reason behind the travel was not a pleasant situation, the travel was always good.

I remember getting in the car and driving to Meramec Caverns, Hannibal, Branson or just driving until we turned around and went home. I remember getting in the car, just sitting in the passenger seat with my little dog watching the world go by. My mom usually didn’t talk a lot on those rides so it gave me plenty of time to use my imagination. I would make up stories as we went along. I would see families at a park and think about what they were saying to each other as they all laughed and played. Or I would wonder what it would be like to be a part of their family.

Travel became something I really looked forward to. Sure, it was an escape for me but it also continued my education and my love for new people and new places. On vacations, our travels were normally out east to Maryland where my brother and his family lived. For our vacations, my mom would pile us into the car with our Aunt Shirley and Uncle Lon and head out. Driving across county was always an experience. We saw the big houses, the tiny shacks, the rich people, the poor people, the Asian people, the African American, the yes, the time we went to see my brother in San Antonio while he was in the military, I saw the people from the great state of Texas.

As I got older, my hunger for seeing and experiencing new places grew. I couldn’t get enough. I still can’t. I’ve been all over the US and many countries around the world. I always appreciate the ability to jump on a plane and go somewhere new.

A funny thing happened this weekend though. I was reminded that there are many other ways to travel. Books, festivals, radio. This weekend, my son and his family went on a journey that I had never considered. My daughter-in-law decided (since it was a cold, Chicago day) that the kids should start learning about other parts of the world. The kids will definitely travel outside of the US but until then…. what an amazing idea! They had a “learn about Egypt day”. They chose Egypt because they felt it would be someplace they may never travel.

Their day was spent with crafts, an Egyptian treasure hunt, mummifying themselves, a movie with an Egyptian background, ending with an Egyptian dinner. I received photos throughout the day and was so proud. They wrote their names in hieroglyphics, built pyramids and had what I’m sure was a great dinner. They seemed to really enjoy learning about other cultures. To me, that is the most important part. Learning from other cultures. Learning about other people and accepting them. Enjoying what you learned. Travel can do so much for your soul. My advice……… TRAVEL.

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