I find myself in a very unusual position. For the first time in my life I have no desire to travel. In fact discussions about going on holidays reinforces the feeling that I don’t want to go anywhere.
And yet yesterday when I was doing a new vision board right up there was the travel, exploring element of it as strong as ever. So what is gong on?
One of my main goals in life is to try and visit every country in the world. I know there are several people that have done it but I’m not on a mission to do it as soon as possible, in a year or two it’s just one day I was asked what do I want to do with my life (when I was in the middle East and unmarried) and I came out with ‘travel to every country in the world’. Since then it’s kind of stuck and I still like the idea of all those places out there waiting for me to discover them.
But I think what I need right now is a break. I don’t want to give up travel but for the longest time I’ve just been going. Each year for the last decade of my life at least one or two events from the 10 most stressful things in your life list have occurred. And now I’ve been forced to slow down, to tighten my circle and it’s made me realise that for now I don’t need that next trip to look forward to I just need the comforts of home.
Well if I’m honest what I am dreaming of is taking off in the car at frequent intervals and exploring the country. It reminds me of a quote from Jane Austen, ‘There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.’ And while next year I think I’ll be back to planning my next adventure right now I want to spend time at home both under my own roof and in my own country.
I know that travel has enriched my life immensely and my family. It might seem stressful to people travelling with three kids so young but I am always rewarded by experiences and memories that stay with you a life time. We were lucky enough to have just come back from a holiday before having to stay home and 3 months on the kids are still talking about the camels, the giraffe and the beaches. But for now it’s time to do things a little different.