Traveling with Purpose
After being restricted from travel with the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself dreaming about our next adventure. My husband and I already traveled to the Galapagos, Africa, and Scotland from our bucket list, but we want to choose carefully for the next trip. Taking in considerations on safety of course, we want to have a purposeful one beyond just a list. The outline for the experiences concluded with finding a place that evokes joy, learning about something, creating a legacy excursion and a memorializing tribute.
Each of us will have a different take on what would evoke joy. Relaxing as the sun is setting or rising with a glass of wine in Napa is a possibility. Sleeping under the stars in Africa's Kalahari Desert was awe inspiring for us. But our new passion would be to witness the aurora borealis in Iceland. To combine the outdoor slumber with the Northern Light spectacle, checking into a Bubble Igloo fits the bill.
Learning about something could include history or manmade and natural creations. Since I am a huge history buff, I could spend my entire get away visiting places such as ancient Greece and Rome. Fortunately, I had that guided experience in college, but returning would be gratifying. Even staying in the USA to visit Williamsburg, Gettysburg and San Antonio would be intriguing. If you are an architecture aficionado, visiting Frank Lloyd Wright homes is enticing. Natural creations such as the Grand Canyon or for a more exotic trek, Komodo National Park in Indonesia to see the Komodo dragons.
A legacy excursion might be more of what the doctor ordered. Taking a family trip to an ancestral home is touching memory for any family. It might be in a different country or back to where the boat came ashore when first arriving in America. Our son visited Ellis Island with his grandparents whose family came through to find a better life. Finding the family name in the log was a touching experience. My wish, however, is to bring our boys to Poland to visit family in Krakow and Warsaw.
Although these trips would be purposeful, coordinating a trip to memorialize a family member who has passed away, would be inspirational. My sister mentioned the idea of scattering the remains of her husband in places he loved. If it was a lake, they enjoyed together with a glass of wine along with family and friends or their trip to Italy. It also could also be a place on their bucket list but passed away before the family member could visit. A trip to Paws Up comes to mind which my sister and husband often spoke about visiting. A memorial with family members attending or a private acknowledgement in some exotic place would be a satisfying tribute to loved ones.
With plenty of time to dream about the next adventure, I look forward to 2021 when the world opens safely. Taking time to prioritize the importance of the trip would be my next challenge. To be able to incorporate all aspects would be ideal, but having a trip that would evoke joy, learn something, legacy travel and a memorial might be a tall order. It would be task worth contemplating. Where would you like to travel and why?
