Let’s face it.
We are addicted to travel.
I couldn’t ever possibly imagine my life without it and I could pick up my suitcase tomorrow, jump on a plane and head for a year long round the world trip without a second thought.
In fact, we have big travel plans for this year we are currently finalizing.
Family travel
I am a big advocate of travel with children, as I have seen first hand how much value it adds to your child’s holistic growth and education. I’m also a big believer in less is more, and not being totally focused on materialistic things, at least to the detriment of you living your dreams.
However, there is a part of me that longs for and looks forward to just a normal life.
It’s more of a life I think I’ll enjoy with my children as they get a little older. I look forward to taking them to sporting lessons, watching them follow their interests and achieve their dreams. I look forward to volunteering in my girl’s classroom, observing how they learn, and seeing them perform in school plays.
She loves her dancing
I know school is not the be all and end all, and I could definitely take my girls out of it for a while and do it myself, without any worry of harm. But, some things about it can be good.
I look forward to them having friends over for slumber parties and play dates, watching them do best friend girly things and squealing with delight.
And maybe for me I could potter in the garden (bursts of laughter just erupted from deep within as I remember I have killed every single plant that has come under my care)
I’d definitely enjoy regular dinner parties and barbies with family and friends.
Maybe some real estate investing or other opportunities that may spring forth from our blogging endeavours.
And of course I would love to have a stylish wardrobe and beautiful furnishings in my house.
Oh and a snazzy Volvo 4WD.
My dream family car
There is nothing wrong with wanting all these things. What is wrong with it is that you allow your life to be defined by them.
I never want that.
Truth be told, I would probably relish in this normal life for a year and then be itching to get back on the travel road. Actually, history will tell me that.
I think with anything, too much of something leaves you longing for the other thing.
Finding the Travel Balance
The trick is to find the balance. You can somehow work the best of both worlds in to your life and be extremely happy.
I believe you can have your cake and eat it to, and I also believe that is the stupidest saying on Earth, because what’s the point of having a cake if you wouldn’t eat it?
How have you managed to find the travel balance in your life?
Hi Caz,
I think one of the most important parts of finding balance is understanding your priorities … the key to what you said is that you are willing to give up something to have something else! More & more people are setting out with the attitude of “I want it all”. Think about a balancing scale … if you get it ‘all’ then one side is obviously weighted down and the other side is empty – out of balance!!
My life choices dictate that I travel close to home for a few more years, which actually is good. We compromised by buying a boat and spend our time exploring the Chesapeake Bay on weekends! Travel can be anywhere away from home right?
I love that idea of thinking of the balancng scale Leslyn! We definitely can’t have it all.
Travel can be anywhere- I think it is mostly an attitude. You can find ways to travel in your own home town, you just have to look at it through different eyes. I love the sound of your boat.
I love that you have found such a balance in your lives. I don’t have children, but some of my friends who do have the mindset that it’s either travel or children… I don’t think that was the way it was meant to be! I am starting to miss home and ‘normalcy’ from time to time, but I’m right there with you – I’d just start craving travel again. Thanks for sharing Caz.
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Pleasure Dayna!
I don’t think it has to be travel or children. It’s a shame that some people think that way. It definitely gets harder and you are forced to travel in a different way. But it is still doable, and lots of fun. You form such a close bond with your children as you experience this global life together
I identify a lot with this post…specifically the whole cake bit thing. Seriously, why have cake if you are NOT going to eat it??
Finding the travel balance can be extremely difficult, especially when I’m not travelling. I just make sure to have another idea in mind or another trip being planned. That way, I am always in some mode of travel and I’m never putting too much pressure on my current travelling as the be all and end all!
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I think its important to find ways to travel when you are not travelling. I have written a post on that http://www.ytravelblog.com/how-to-travel-without-travelling/
Helps you to find the balance when you are at home.
give me more cake I say!!
I couldn’t agree with you more about less is more and the having your cake and eating it too, bits. I think my wife and I have a pretty good travel balance going.
Any more and I’d miss my Dog too much.
Any less, I’d go stir crazy.
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I’m grateful I am not a pet person as I know how challenging it can be to travel with pets. But, I know how important this is for some people so striking that balance is essential
We can definitely relate to this! I can’t imagine *not* traveling full-time… but at the same time there are so many benefits to building a life in one location. We’d like to start a business, but that’s not really possible unless we “settle down.” I’d also love to improve my dancing with a dedicated instructor and learn pottery, plus decorate a house and create a garden. All those things sound lovely, but are difficult to do when you travel extensively.
It’s all about compromises, and we’re okay with the fact that we have to give up some things in order to have others. We haven’t really found a good travel balance, but eventually I’m sure we’ll figure it out. The beauty is that we have the flexibility to change things as we need to.
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Running a business on the road is extremely difficult, especially if you are only starting. There is so much i want to do with our blogs, but am holding off until we get the next year of travel (passion priority) done and then we can find a more settled location to do more.
What sort of dancing do you do?
I think flexibility is essential. Know that you can changeit whenever you like and it is okay to do so
I guess I will have to start thinking about travel balance sometime soon. Since I’m in the middle of my quit-my-job-sell-it-all and travel phase, there is absolutely no balance. I am eating cake everyday!
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Keep eating that cake, you are at the perfect time for you to indulge!! I think the balance becomes more important when the kids come. Sadly, it is no longer all about us! Enjoy those days while they are here, trust me!
I can really relate to this. Part of me would love to pack my backback and get back on the road but another part of me wants a career and a home and a life that can’t be achieved if I’m constantly travelling. I can see how the decision is made even harder if you have kids but it looks like you’ve got a good balance.
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It is a real struggle. I know travelling like I did for 14 years killed my chances of a career in education (not that I was really passionate about that anyway) ACtually when I got home they no longer even wanted to let me teach, because I had been gone for so long and the qualification requirements had changed. You just have to work out what is more important and how you can serve both contrasting interests in your life.
Dan and I struggle with this all the time. I can only imagine it would be much more difficult to find the balance with kids, especially as they get older.
I spent most of my childhood abroad, moving around every couple of years as my father was a diplomat. I loved it and adjusted well. But once I got to intermediate and high school, I wanted to settle down, develop friendships and not have to move schools every couple of years. That’s the age that I think kids need some stability and roots. So, enjoy the time traveling around now when they are young!
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I love this post! I think it is so important to have balance in life. I am actually going to spend some time on this as well. And I completely agree with you. Travel is fantastic but having a home base and a balanced life seems like the best of both worlds for kids.
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Yeah, we have come to realize this more that having a home base is good for the kids. Not sure exactly where that will be just yet, but we’ll figure it out soon