A vow to travel more

I’ve spent the few weeks writing only about my Japan trip and I think it’s finally time to put the trip behind me. I did want to write one more post about traveling and life to close things out.

Traveling and seeing the world has been part of my DNA since I was a kid. My Dad ran a small travel company that sold airline tickets primarily in Southeast Asia. I spent my summers in Indonesia and was fortunate to be able to travel all over as a kid. My love for travel continued into my teens and my adult years.

One thing that has been weighing on me recently is the fact that my travel schedule seems to be destined for a slow down as Sophia and I look to start a family. In some ways, it’s a good thing as this has propelled me to take a lot more trips recently. On the other hand, it sets almost a time limit that once I have kids, I can no longer travel again.

I’ve been told my whole life from older folk that I should travel as much as possible when I can. That everyone changes once you have kids. These people are definitely right but at the same time, I’ve come to realize that it’s an extreme statement that is also wrong.

Everything of course does change when you have kids, but I’m now of firm belief that travel and enjoying life does not stop, it’s just different. Sure I can’t get up and grab a backpack to go to Asia at a moments notice anymore. But that does not mean that we can’t have exotic vacations with our kids.

I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of great coworkers who have spent a lot of time traveling with their young and adolescent children. Having kids seems to be an excuse for many people to not travel which I don’t really understand. Things will undoubtedly be a bit more difficult to travel with kids, but sharing those experiences, if I have kids, will be invaluable life lessons for them and myself.

Travel has shaped my worldview and has made me a better person. I hope to give my kids my love for travel as well. And that means traveling often and a lot with them even if it means the challenges that come along with it. I can’t wait to see the world with my kids, when time comes.