My father passed away a few years ago, but he left with me many life lessons that I still apply to my own life, including those related to travel.
My father was not an avid traveler until much later in life, but he always supported my love of travel – a passion I developed in college. My first trip overseas was a solo trip to the UK for three weeks that I had saved for nearly a year to afford. My mother protested at first but my father was fully supportive. His enthusiasm for my adventure was just the fuel I needed to strengthen my own confidence in navigating it on my own.
But even more so than confidence, my father indirectly shared with me travel lessons, that while seemingly insignificant at the time, ended up shaping how I approach travel still to this day.
3 Travel Takeaways from My Father
Take the photo – My father loved photos and videos. He had boxes and boxes full of pictures and videotapes that he proactively shared with any willing visitor who stopped by the house. My father saw the photos and videos as more than just things to show other people. He saw these visual relics as an opportunity to tell a story, share a memory, or simply to reminisce about his own life. So before I left for my trip, he said be sure to take lots of photos – take them of everything, places, things, and most importantly people, including myself. He wanted to make sure that I captured feelings, expressions and my own self confidence – because unless you see yourself or someone you know in the photo, you may not really remember how you felt when you took the photo or why you took the photo in the first place.
Take the excursion – As a poor college student who was funding a solo trip, as well as college, on her own, I didn’t have much spending money beyond the basic cost of the 3-week tour. When it came time to choose “excursions”, I saw many of my fellow tour group companions eagerly signing up for many if not all excursions available. The price tag on all excursions was well beyond the cash that I brought with me and would nearly max out my modest credit card limit. I wanted to sign up for all of them, but unlike my companions, I did not have enough money on me or in my bank account. I ended up calling my parents, collect, that evening, as I promised I’d do each evening. When they asked what excursions were offered, I went through the entire list with tempered excitement. My dad immediately suggested I go on all of them and sounded surprised when I said that I only planned to go on one or two. Sensing my financial hesitation, he told me (I’m sure with a smile on his face and wink in his eye) not to worry about the cost because I never knew if I would get this opportunity again. I took his advice and ended up taking all of the excursions offered. Across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, I probably participated in 10+ excursions, from afternoon teas, to beer tastings, to day trips to ancient castles – and had an incredible time throughout. If not for my dad’s encouragement, and a little financial support, my trip would still have been fun, but being able to say “yes” to it all, made it that much more amazing.
Take your time – My dad always seemed to be on his own time, his whole life. He never wanted to be rushed and would often arrive late to parties and family gatherings. His relaxed attitude about time was even more apparent in vacation. He would take extra long to drink his coffee before packing the car on the day we were leaving for a road trip. He spent extra time at an amusement park just watching people or listening to the park music overhead, always tapping his feet. He spent several hours at the hotel bars in Hawaii chatting with people and enjoying the live music in the lobby. Nothing was going to make him rush, because to him, taking a vacation was the ultimate opportunity to take your time…to just relax and enjoy the moment. And while on my first solo trip, I did just that. I wasn’t sure if I would ever return to the UK, so I took my time every chance that I could to just savor every moment – kissing the Blarney Stone in Ireland, standing outside a Welsh castle in the misty morning, being in awe of Westminster Abbey in London and Trinity College in Dublin, eating french fries (or chips) with vinegar or mayo instead of ketchup, and chatting with my travel companions at dinner about the days events. Taking the time to take your time – for my dad, that’s what it was all about. And now I know why.
A little advice from my dad? It’s simple really.
Take the photo.
Take the excursion.
Take your time.
But above all, take a chance on yourself ….a chance that you could do something you never thought you’d be able to do. Because if you do give yourself the chance, it might just end up being one of the best experiences, and memories, of your life.
