Ever had to deal with head lice? It is absolutely not my favorite thing to do and I am extremely blessed and lucky to have a husband who is patient enough to douse our kids heads in the treatment solution and painstakingly remove the live lice and nit eggs (UGH!)
This was what we recently had to deal with in Nice, France (after having just left Italy) during our round the world adventures. Apparently not uncommon as a result of traveling on trains in Europe according to the pharmacist whom my husband bought the treatment off…
So yes, head lice and traveling is supposedly common, however what it really sparked for me is how persistent these pesky bugs are, much like my persistent travelling bug!
When I was 9 years old, my parents took my brothers and I on a 3 week holiday to the USA. Although I had been fortunate to travel overseas in Asia prior to this, it was my first time to the US and the first trip I have very clear memories of.
We travelled with family friends and had an awesome time. We visited Hawaii (Beach), LA (Disneyland), San Francisco (Earthquakes, Golden Gate and Pretzels) and Las Vegas (Shows). As you can see, I have very specific memories of each place.
In hindsight I believe it was this trip that ignited my spark for travel and I can now see the pattern unravelling.
Although there weren’t any other big overseas trips like that growing up, we definitely went away on family holidays, whether that be skiing, to the beach or visiting friends and family in other states and New Zealand. My parents also love to travel which probably helped to continue to feed my traveling bug.
Of course as soon I was old enough and had the financial means I did what a lot of other young adult Australians do, I went to Europe (and a few other places). Funnily enough my penchant for traveling even then didn’t run to backpacking, so I sacrificed a few years before I left so I could do it in a little more style.
And when I finally settled into my “career”, surprise surprise, the work I was attracted to meant I travelled. In the beginning it was mostly domestically but when the international travel started (in business class) of course that kept fuelling my fire.
Interestingly it got to the point where I was traveling so much I started to have small panic attacks at the thought of getting on a plane and would physically have to force myself to walk down the ramp to the entrance of the plane. It was at this time that I was rethinking my “career” and left corporate not long after.
At the time, and probably still now, I am certain it wasn’t the travel (I didn’t lose my love for it) but it was the reasons for the travel and the fact that it would take me away from my even greater love – my family.
So I guess it’s no surprise that when I setup shop as an entrepreneur I wanted to ensure that whatever I did allowed me to continue to travel, not alone…. but with my family.
And here we are, currently in Spain as I write this traveling the world, learning to live, work and play on the road.
I would always say I loved to travel, but until writing this I didn’t really acknowledge how persistent this travel bug has been throughout my life.
What passion is threading its way through your life that you haven’t yet acknowledged or uncovered that really Ignites Your SPARK? How would it change your experience of life if you gave more time, energy and focus to what you really enjoy?
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