Lifelong travelling dream

Despite being born in the UK, I have been brought up as a traditional south Asian girl and family structure. Don’t get me wrong, my parents were quite the forward thinkers and actively tried to get us involved with as many things as possible. I think that has definitely shaped me as a person and ensured that I hold little prejudice to anyone. In fact, me and Doc always say that we love everyone no prejudices or preconceptions mark our judgement.

After marriage, I caught the travel bug, in a big way!  I would spend hour after hour looking for holidays and time away.  For me the more exotic the better.  We were quite fortunate as we lived with Doc’s mum so had no mortgage so had surplus money to spend.  I have little desire for fashion, shoes or make up, never owned a car so my one luxury in life was travel.  We managed to go to Malaysia, Rome, Paris, Hong Kong, Marrakech but one/two week holidays just wasn’t enough and my holiday bug was worse then ever.

So we decided to do a round the world trip for 3 months.  I know in the travelling world, a 3 month trip is hardly out of the ordinary but for us it was a huge deal.  Our families thought we had gone mad!  People talked to me like I was having a mid life crisis (at the tender age of 26!) and so many people said we should stick to the norm and save like everyone else.  But we decided to go ahead with it and it was the most awesome, fantastic and wholesome experience of my life.  We probably packed in too much but the freedom, waking up every day to make my own schedule and to live my life how I wanted was the most refreshing feeling ever.  At the end of the 3 months, I did miss my family but I still had not had enough.

Then the little adventurers arrived.  Don’t get me wrong, my adventurers (big and small) are the loves of my life and they truly complete me but my dream to travel is still burning strong.  So over the last few years we have been holidaying for 1/2 weeks with them.  We have taken them to many places but part of me, still is restless.  When we moved back from Warwick we purchased a huge map, which dons our main wall in our home.  I spend hour after hour gazing at all these far off places, and cannot stop my mind from wondering where in the world we should be.  I cant believe that school and work schedules are all that life is about for the next 30 years….surely there has to be more???

I have become a little bit of a stalker, following families who have sold up and taken their children on the road with them.  These people inspire me and make me think that we could do it too.  There is so many families out there who have and are travelling, their adventures are real and leave me awestruck.  For us, I wouldn’t sell up completely but would love the oppertunity to spend 1 or 2 years traveling around the globe with my family.  Just to spend some time together as a family without so many commitments and challenges on our time.  For my adventurers to have my full, unadulterated attention for days on end.  I want to make the world our classroom, for my children to see people and not have pre-determined prejudices.

Doc is the sensible one and keeps my feet grounded.  He keeps putting a dampener on my plans (i am known for the theatrics) We haven’t decided where we would go, how much we would need and in fact when we would go but I know that we are meant to.

My ideal would be 4 months in Asia, 1 month Oz, 1 month NZ, 1 month luxury islands, 4 months south America, 1 month central america, 2 months East Coast USA and Canada.  Well that be my ultimate but I think Doc wants to stay in 1 place for a few months and then move to another.

What are your travel dreams?  we would love to hear from you!