How have your Childhood Travel Adventures shaped the way you travel?
Have you ever thought about how your childhood travel adventures could have influenced the way you travel now? Your first travel memories might have more of an impact than you realise. Dr Seuss says that "sometimes you may never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory." I believe that those first travel memories play a significant role in the type of travel experiences we seek to create in adulthood.
To put my theory to the test, I have asked the experts - travel bloggers (independent travellers, and family travellers). In Part I we discovered how some travel memories were built from an awareness of different cultures. Part II took us on a drive down memory lane with stories of childhood road trips. Part III told some interesting stories from expat families - some were child expats and one became an expat in adulthood when she decided to move to the same international city that her parents took her to as a small child.
This is Part IV of this First Travel Memory Series of posts where travel writers reflect on their own childhood travel adventures. We discuss how we think these early travel experiences have influenced our travel choices, including how we travel with our own children.
Summary of this First Travel Memory Series
Each day this week I have shared a new range of stories from travel bloggers that fit into these broad topic areas:
- Part I - Culture
- Part II - Childhood Road Trips
- Part III - Expat Life
- Part IV - Childhood Travel Adventure
Let's Continue with the Stories...
Childhood Travel Adventures: Sailing into a life of adventure
by Claire from Suitcases and Sandcastles
My father built his first boat in our small back garden when I was about four. It was a wooden yacht, with sails, a galley for cooking and two cabins for sleeping.
For our family, it was a passport to adventure. We spent our weekends and summer holidays sailing down the English Channel and stopping off at little harbours to buy fudge, postcards and paperbacks.
My brother and I would fish off the end of the boat and run around the abandoned forts in the Channel Islands. I loved waking up somewhere I hadn’t been before and exploring a new place. I loved the thrill of a rough sea and the feel of the salty air in my face.
"I loved waking up somewhere I hadn’t been before and exploring a new place." - Clare
I haven’t been sailing in a while but I’m still drawn to the sea. As a family we love days at the seaside - the kids adore the simple pleasures of splashing in the waves, rockpooling, searching for shells or eating fish and chips in the British drizzle. My holiday dreams are centred around the sublime blues of the Greek Islands or the pretty harbours of the Normandy Coast.
In keeping with the spirit of those childhood holidays we try to turn the smallest trip into a family adventure whether we’re building a den in the woods, exploring a castle or hunting out the dragons in a museum.
Check Suitcases and Sandcastles blog for more family travel inspiration. Please also follow Clare on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest
Related: First Travel Memory Series - Part I (Culture)
Childhood Travel Adventures:
by Ali from (this blog) What Ali Sees
One of my very first travel memories was a 1982 visit to Disneyland in California, when I was only 4 years old. Sure, it was Disneyland. Yes, it was amazing to be there after travelling on my first big 747 Qantas Jet from my little corner of Australia. But do you know what I remember most about that trip? The It’s a Small World ride in Disneyland. I made my mum take me on that ride 6 times! I remember being fascinated by the different cultures, countries, clothes and languages. All so different yet all singing the same song. The little boat gently made its way on a tour of the world, helping me get an understanding that there is so much out there.
"I remember being fascinated by the different cultures, countries, clothes and languages. All so different yet all singing the same song." - Ali
On that 1982 trip we visited a number of west coast US cities, including many theme parks and also Hawaii. We ate different foods, explored unusual stores, we took part in city tours and stayed in lots of different hotels and motels with noisy ice machines at the end of the hall. This place was so different to my life back in Australia, but also so friendly and fun.
I am convinced that this trip, at the age of 4 years old has been responsible for my lifelong addiction with travel. Now that I am a mother, I have made travel an important part of our family life too. I'm hoping to show my son that life is so much bigger than our little bubble in Melbourne. I want him to know the joy of discovering new people, places, tastes and smells, so that they can form part of his own story in life.
Related: Childhood Road Trips - Part II of the First Travel Memory Series
Childhood Travel Adventures: Fierce Independence and love of the outdoors
by Jonny from Daisy the Bus
I’m with my little brother, running down a narrow rocky path to greet the rising tide with a bucket in one hand and a fishing net in the other. Barefoot and carefree, our parents and caravan disappear behind us… and a long afternoon of excitement and opportunity stretches out ahead.
"Rock pooling and crab fishing in Brittany, France was my joy, my fascination, what I waited all year for." - Jonny
It’s one of my earliest childhood travel memories, and probably the most vivid. Rock pooling and crab fishing in Brittany, France was my joy, my fascination, what I waited all year for. When we had filled our bucket with crabs, shrimps and – if we were lucky – a “blenny”, we would put them all back again, watching hypnotized as they dispersed in the rising waters.
Then we’d return the next day to catch them all again.
Looking back, I now see that my parents granted me an independence that is probably all too rare in today’s world of helicopter parenting. And I adored the cosmopolitan nature of the campsite; I made friends easily with other children, despite any linguistic or cultural difficulties. I ate their food, played their games, and we fearlessly explored our campsite and sea shore together.
Fast forward thirty years and I see exactly the same when travelling with my own kids. I see – and actively encourage – their fierce thirst for independence, appreciation of nature, deep curiosity of diversity and love of the outdoors life.
My early travel experiences camping in Brittany have undeniably shaped me – as a person, as a parent and as a traveller.
Check Daisy the Bus blog for more family travel inspiration. Please also follow Jonny on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest
Related: Family Travel Milestones: Child's First Passport
Childhood Travel Adventures: Happiness can be found in theme parks
by Lee from Bumble Bee Mum
"I guess that is how I became the fun-loving person with a wry sense of humour today. You would be too, if your childhood go-to theme park was Haw Par Villa rather than Disneyland." - Lee
Related: Expat Life - Part III of the First Travel Memory Series
Childhood Travel Adventures:
by Sam from Travelling with our Kids
My first childhood travel memory is not from one moment but from a year. That year is 1991 when I was 3 years old. It was this year we went on 2 holidays in our caravan. I can't remember everything that happened while on holiday but I remember various things that happened on each of them.
Our first holiday was in Devon where we stayed at Finlake caravan park. I remember the swimming pool with its big slide and thinking how cool it looked...although far too big for me to go on.
Our other holiday we stayed in Somerset and visited Cheddar Gorge. I remember walking down lots of steps which I assume was going down to visit Gough's Cave at the bottom of the steps. I remember the excitement of what we were going to see.
"Throughout my childhood we did various caravan holidays in the UK + France and now even that I have two young boys we still do this type of holiday with them." - Sam
Throughout my childhood we did various caravan holidays in the UK + France and now even that I have two young boys we still do this type of holiday with them. I love taking our boys to new places and letting them explore. Just seeing their faces light up and knowing they are feeling that same excitement I had all those years ago makes family travel worthwhile.
I think spending this quality time with my parents and brothers has meant that I enjoy doing the same. It doesn’t matter if it is a holiday within the UK or going further afield as long as we are all together and having fun. Our boys learn so much from travelling that it makes me want to show them more that the world has to offer. Exploring with them by my side is definitely what keeps my love of travelling alive.
Check Travelling with our Kids blog for more family travel inspiration. Please also follow Sam on social media: Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest
Over to You
Thanks for reading Part IV, the Childhood Travel Adventures Edition of this First Travel Memory Series.
Would you agree that these childhood travel memories have shown what an impact that family travel can have? These travel bloggers all experienced incredibly influential early travels. Some have learned what not to do, others have attempted to recreate similar memories with their own children. It is so interesting how much these memories can shape us!
Did you enjoy reading through these stories in Part I (cultural travel), Part II (road trips), Part III (expat life) and now Part IV (travel adventures)? Has this changed the way you think about family travel? What type of memories will you be seeking to create with your own children?
More ideas for creating meaningful family travel experience from What Ali Sees
- First Travel Memory Series - Part I (Culture)
- First Travel Memory Series - Part II (Childhood Road Trips)
- First Travel Memory Series - Part III (Expat Life)
- 9 Persuasive Reasons to Travel when your Kids are Young
I would love to hear about your own first travel memory! How do you think this has influenced your travels? Please add your story in the comments below.
10 Comments
[…] Childhood Travel Adventures – Part IV of the First Travel Memory Series April 27, 2017 […]
[…] Childhood Travel Adventures – Part IV of the First Travel Memory Series April 27, 2017 […]
Thanks so much for including me in this fantastic post, Ali. I loved reading about everyone else’s first travel experiences.
Your contribution was a real stand-out Clare! I don’t know anyone else that has such an interesting background of boats and sailing. To me, the idea of sailing the Channel Islands sounds so far away and amazing. But you probably think the same about sailing some of the coastal areas of Australia….. It’s just the opposite side of the world and so interesting!
Wow, you went to Disneyland when you were 4?? All the way from Australia! You have awesome parents. Lol….
Thanks Lee! Yes, we travelled a long way to visit Disneyland! I never forgot how lucky I was to be able to have that as my first international travel adventure.
I loved this post!! Reading these personal stories has given me insight into some of the travel bloggers I already enjoy!! Such a treat since! P.S. I love It’s a Small World too!
Thanks so much Hilary! I hope you’ve checked out the other 3 posts in the series because the stories all reveal so much about the “makings-of” future travel bloggers!
Fun reading more of your first travel experience posts, and learning a little more about all these amazing travel bloggers. It’s a Small World will forever be an iconic ride!
Really enjoyed reading this I feel I have got to know some fellow travel bloggers a little more! Ali your first travel memory was a rather fabulous one – Disneyland and Hawaii! Love the photo-very sweet! We love the Small World ride in our family and we still sing the tune so I hope my children will remember it one day in the same way that you have. Here’s to many more adventures and travels!