TRAVEL THROUGHLI LING
Holidaying has many chapters in our lives, as this heartfelt ode to global exploration shows
Isometimes think I am welltravelled until I look at globe or an atlas and realise there’s so much more to see. My love of travel began when I worked at Dublin Airport in my early 20s, checking in passengers for flights. I loved everything about my job – the uniform, the airport, talking to people, the buzz, even the early morning shifts.
I was mainly checking in the London Heathrow flights and was always so curious about the forwarding boarding passes from Heathrow – there were so many destinations that were new to me.
When I look back now at all my travels, there are so many wonderful memories. Your travels mark so many stages and milestones in your life, particularly who you spent them with – it is a real timestamp of that period. Beginning with family holidays as a kid if you were lucky enough – my first trip was a ferry to the Isle of Man and I can still remember it vividly.
You might then go on the fun and party holidays after secondary school or college with classmates, a real rite of passage.
As you head into your 20s, you are usually curious for new adventures, to see more of the world with like-minded friends, a partner or going solo. These trips are usually to Asia, Australia and South America, where you see and experience so much among other cultures. You gain extensive knowledge outside the classroom and it forms and changes your perspective, it can be very humbling. I recall my younger sister coming back from a six-month trip across South America and she couldn’t believe when she came back to Dublin how everything was still the same and all our routines at home were so mundane and, well, boring. She said she wanted to shout from the rooftops, ‘Do you know where I’ve been? What I’ve seen?’
But the truth is, no one really cares. However, it’s your journey, your memories and you’ve returned with character-building stories that you’ll share at the right time with the right people.
As you get into your 30s, if you have children, you might begin to embark on your own family holidays to Europe, featuring theme parks and possibly cruises. This is precious time, during which the amenities might be as simple as swimming pools, ice-cream and beaches but your children are only young once and this allows them to have your full attention and spend true quality time together.
While many families and couples have their main holidays together, it is now becoming more normal to use some other leave time for a weekend break with friends. This is great to see
YOU TAKE SOMETHING FROM EVERY BREAK, EVEN IF IT DOESN’T GO TO PLAN
and a way to experience new cities, combining some fun, culture and downtime.
Last week, my company booked a group of six women on a river cruise down the Rhone from Lyon. They were all grandmothers and it was heartwarming to listen to them – they had such an appetite for adventure. I would love to be a fly on the wall when they sail – I’m sure everyone onboard will be entertained, they had so many stories to tell.
But you don’t even have to bring your friends any more – travelling independently at all ages is now easier and safer. You can travel in organised tours to so many amazing places in the world along with options of cruises or wellness trips, which are so popular and enriching.
I love the excitement of new places, new sights, watching and listening to locals. We’ve all heard that travel is good for the soul and it truly is. When you think of any holiday you have been on, you take something from every break, even when everything didn’t go to plan.
Technology has made the memories of these holidays way more accessible but they don’t always capture what it meant to you – when you first walk into the Vatican, when you see glaciers in Alaska, when you encounter elephants on safari in Kenya, when you swim with dolphins with your kids, when you have the most amazing meal in a tiny village in
Italy etc.
Of course, you don’t have to get on a plane to scratch your
wanderlust – is there anywhere more diverse and beautiful than Ireland? It’s our back garden and to be enjoyed whenever we want.
Travel is one of the nicest topics of conversation, it’s such common ground. Everyone loves to talk about the hidden gems or the mishaps, everyone wants to share their experiences in a passionate way, which causes the ripple effect of planning your next trip. It’s contagious.
I still love everything about travelling – even the packing. The build-up is such an exciting part of it. You can’t help dropping into conversation where you are going, when, etc. People want to know what you thought of the resort/city/ cruise when you get back – it’s all part of the curiosity. Then of course,
there’s that interim during which you decide where you are going next.
I love that travelling in most cases is easier. So much can be organised in advance – pick-ups at the airport, personalised tours, restaurants and so much more. This means when you arrive at your destination, you are not spending this quality time organising and herding.
Your travel journey evolves as you move through life as you want different elements from a holiday. They might differ by who you travel with, what’s going on in your life, when and where. But one thing is for sure – there is a big world out there and you take it on one adventure at a time.