Travel Identity
January 26, 2010
The Seattle Public Library
I’ve always loved to travel; maybe it’s the Sagittarius in me. But, lately I’ve come to the realization that we travel a lot. And I’m not exaggerating when I say a lot. Last year, on average, our travel worked out to be almost one trip a month-and almost all of it was to visits to family and friends. Most likely this has to do with the fact that my husband and I both come from large families (four kids in each of our families, plus nieces and nephews all around) and have close friends in our hometowns we still regularly keep in touch with. So between weddings, graduations, baby showers, birthdays, family vacations, and holidays, being out of town often is a bit of an understatement for us.
Charleston, South Carolina
This year though, I’m trying to find a balance with the travel. Because in 2009-despite a recession and job loss-here’s where we went last year (in no particular order):
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Cincinnati, Ohio
Santa Cruz, California
Birmingham, Alabama
New Orleans, Louisiana
Seattle, Washington
Vancouver, BC
Siesta Key, Florida
Charleston, South Carolina
Destin, Florida
New Orleans Museum of Art
Ten destinations, none necessarily booked with work intentions (but we managed to make a couple of them work-related), but overall mostly “pleasure” trips. And that’s pretty normal, actually. This year we know we’re going to a wedding in Krakow, Poland in August and a family long-weekend sometime in July. And right now, that’s all I want on my travel calendar.
Queen Elizabeth Park–Vancouver, BC
I’ve decided we just cannot make it all. So, I’m instilling a bit of a new travel identity. One that allows us to make what we can with friends and family obligations, yet have a little balance between our travel and own home life. And not feel guilt ridden about it. High on my travel identity request, I’d like a trip for two (hopefully booked off said Krakow wedding). Well, hello Budapest.
What inspires you to travel? Is it work, friends, or family? And how do you balance your travel coupled with family and friend obligations against your own?
January 26th, 2010 at 11:02 am
I hear you on the extensive travel despite “economic downturn”. My list of places visited last year would also seem much to me. I think in 2009 we hadn’t yet adjusted our ways to reflect the expanding financial situation. It has since caught up and given us reflection on our jet-set identities donned in the 1990′s.
As for me, travel almost seems essential, inherent in my mercurial spirit. Even small trips to nearby destinations can make 11 hour plane rides seem absurd. I usually have a few places I like to go to again and again. But many of my most powerful trips, like recent ones across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, came to me out of the blue: a special invite, an exciting professional opportunity, or a much needed, complete change in world view. The key, as you allude to, is balance and one needs to decide for themselves what the value of these excursions are rather than travel for travels sake. Its an enigmatic statement I know, but travel can truly lead us down new paths and if that path is reconnecting to family and friends at a crucial moment in our personal history then albeit go. If accepting an invitation to explore new cultures is on the horizon, take the risk and open yourself to being deeply lobotomized by a world that is completely unfamiliar. But always evaluate the timing and consider the impact it will have on the rest of your life. This is at least how I try to balance my desire to travel with the practicalities of life, here in Baltimore.
January 26th, 2010 at 11:02 am
PS: Great photos! Where you’d you get them?