Travelling is an escape I have been aware of since the age of 14. Or probably earlier, as I remember studying Captain James Cook, and early New Zealand, and Japan, at primary school. It has consumed my attention most of my life. Accompanying my sister to Auckland Airport when she was heading to a summer holiday internship in Australia, really brought the concept of travel to the forefront. I realized that was all I wanted to do “when I grew up!” Yes, the fantasy! So I got the necessary academic qualification (Teaching), Taught for two years and saved hard, and then OFF!.
After being overseas for two years, I finished the adventure coming home on an Overland Truck. Through some fairly intrepid countries. Alone, but not alone, as there were fourteen of us, all strangers. Generally we got on pretty well. And so I began my career in travel-with the practical experience under my belt!
The Good: Coming up with the next holiday/travel excuse and bringing it to reality. The planning is fun. Fitting the pieces of the puzzle together. Researching, reading reviews, making it work for the budget, the time frame, and the interest. And taking off to destinations beyond. Landing, experiencing the new, seeing friends, family, recreating. Taking us away from the hum drum of life at home, and all its demands. Definitely the good!
The Bad: Returning home! Paying the creditcard. Realizing you have spent wayyyy more than you had intended. Realizing it is going to be a while before you get away again but the plan for the next escape starts to take shape. I have been fortunate to have two huge recent escapes (making up for Covid lockdown) -Antarctica, Chile, Iguazzu Falls, and Argentina, in November 2023, and a family ski holiday in Hokkaido, Japan in February this year. Returning from the snow-I said to the Galaxy Gals, that’s it! There really isn’t anywhere I need to go to now. So I cannot see me travelling again, in the near future. Yeah Right! Within a week I was scheming how I can get to see The gorillas in Uganda!
And The Ugly: Airline issues-either before you depart, or while you are away. Schedule changes, breaking the completed puzzle, changing your plans. Getting to and from your departure point in your intended time. Cancellations. Finding the place you booked to stay that looked fantastic in the reviews, is not actually anywhere you really want to be. FLYING! In economy! No sugar coating there. It was OK forty years ago. Getting sick. Losing things. My sister lost her boarding pass in Santiago Airport. It was printed on a very light piece of paper, similar to an eftpos receipt. She had gone into a dairy type shop, and it had dropped on the floor when she took out her wallet. We found it! But it does get a bit tense, when things go wrong. Driving in foreign countries. Insurance claims. I had a call at 4.00pm yesterday from travellers heading out to Tahiti on the 7.40pm flight last night. They had heard of the massive crash closing State Highway 1. They were at Taurpiri Mountain area. Keep driving!!! The stress of, “will you, wont you” make your flight…, Airports, check in, security..
Travelling is challenging. It takes us out of our comfort zone of home and familiarization. It will invariably be different to what is planned at some point, where you have to think on your feet and improvise. There is NOTHING to show for all the funds you have invested. When I was first departing on my OE, my father asked me-do you really want to do this Jo? You have a deposit for a house. You can buy all the most lovely clothes you could ever wish for….I came home with $1000.00 which I promptly spent on a two week travel course in Auckland to see if working in travel was really what I wanted to do. I passed with 99.5%. I guess that answered it!
The GOOD: remembering all the new experiences, the amazing people you met, telling your stories….and planning the next Escape…with the help of your favourite travel professional.
- Jo
