Do You Have The Travel Bug?
I most definitely do. I love the idea of travelling so much I wonder if I was born with the urge to travel. Although as the end of every trip away from home sneaks up, I admit to the urge to get back to reality, to sleep in my own bed again. But that need soon fades and I’m ready to begin planning another trip.
I am so fortunate to live in a country where travelling around and visiting places seems to be the norm, rather than anything unusual. I believe at some time in their lives most kiwis succumb to the travel bug. Living on an island appears to have given us the urge to travel and see more of the world. For some it might only be a quick trip across to Australia. Or a visit to some of the many beautiful Pacific Islands close by. While other kiwis, particularly young ones, enjoy their Overseas Experience across the other side of the world and may stay away for years.
My travel bug was instilled in my by my mother, I believe. As a young woman in the 1930’s, after the Great Depression, she strove to explore New Zealand. With her trusty bike she biked or occasionally resorted to train travel if the distance was great, until she had a fair idea of what our country actually looked like. As many young people do today, she worked in restaurants or hotels during holiday seasons, before moving on. It was only the Second World War that stopped her wandering ways.
As a youngster I clearly remember Mum deriding people who took off overseas before they had seen New Zealand. Her kids were not going to do that! Consequently, our summer holidays were always spent camping. Occasionally we would return to a particular place, Stewart Island was one favourite, Lake Hauroko another. But each place was an adventure. Our last family holiday (my siblings by then had jobs) was such a huge undertaking I wonder how Mum could have taken it on. We toured the North Island for six weeks. It must have been so exhausting for Mum, but I believe, she felt she had done her duty. She had shown us our own country. Now if we wanted to explore the world, she could wave us off.
And off I went. I have had so many adventures, in so many places. Now I’d like to share some of them with you.
Over the years I’ve struggled to find interesting content for this site. There is only so much writing advice one can offer, only so much sharing of personal details that might interest readers. Thanks to a writer friend Jenny Jeffries, I’ve decided to extend this site to share some travel bug adventures with you. I hope you might slip over to my “travelogue” page and take a read. I’d love to hear responses as to whether they are of interest.
Hi Dot. Thanks for commenting. There are so many beautiful places off the beaten track. That’s what I’m hoping we’ll manage to do, find a few of them. Then be able to describe them in such a way others will want to visit too. At least, that is the plan!
Sounds fabulous Anne. Like your Mum, Wayne and I endeavour to spend 3 weeks at Xmas exploring NZ and the places we’ve not been to. This year it’s Mapua and Anakiwa. But also as you know we do love overseas travel too!! Oh ffor the money and the time to fit it all in!!