The Travel Bug has bit me

This 18 year old girl thought herself a world traveler. She'd experienced parts of Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Spain and Saudi Arabia. She thought she had seen it all. Little did she know she hadn't even seen the tip of the iceberg. What she had seen was one small drop in a VERY large bucket of water. 

She was so very grateful for what her parents had given her. An opportunity she knew not many got. She didn't have a clue that the little taste of travel she had experienced would never leave. It was embedded as part of her soul. It would become part of who she was. It would define her in ways she wouldn't be able to conceive at 18. 

Travel writer Pico Iyer once said, "Travel is like love, in the end, mostly because it's a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed. That is why the best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end."

She had, without a doubt, the travel bug. It sat dormant for many years (mostly due to finances). Then when it worked it's way to the surface, it was too late. She was now fully addicted. The bug would not leave her. She and the bug were one. I didn't mean that to sound as gross as it does.)

And how do I know I have the travel bug?

For starters, I just do. But since you asked nicely, I know because travel is on the forefront of my mind almost always. If I am not thinking about where I've been, I'm thinking about where I'm going. Googling a country or a ship or an airline rate. It's always there. 

While on a trip I try to absorb as much as I can. Because I know it'll make me want to travel more, see more, do more, eat more. And 100% of the time, I'm planning my next adventure while on an adventure. 

I have a bucket list. The flu has symptoms. A bucket list is a symptom of the travel bug. It's a fact. The bucket list changes on a regular basis, and once I've checked something off, inevitably that trip has added another two or three things/places to see.

I have a suitcase just to hold all my travel stuff. That's right, a travel bag. For years I would tote this stuff around and stash it here and there. Then on one trip someone suggested getting a rolly bag and putting all my travel stuff in it. Wow. Having it all in one spot is really the best. I'd say I have an documented inventory of what's in it too, but that's a little over the top, right? Right? Cuz I totally don't have that. Nope - not little Miss Organized. 

Speaking of the inventory I don't have, I also don't have a complete OneNote file of travel checklists, Activity log, Journey Details (plane info, train info etc), accommodation tracker, research tracker etc. Nope. A person who didn't have the travel bug would most definitely NOT have those items. 

My passport is sacred. It is one of my possessions that I treasure beyond all. It gets me places. 

And finally, my heart lives in other places. I swear each new place I visit it feels like home. And something about it stays with me. It becomes a part of me and story. 

Dad introduced me to travel. From the moment he mentioned moving to Saudi Arabia and all the cool things that came with that, until the day he no longer knew who he was, let alone me, he talked about travel. "Travel," he'd say, "is humbling. It shows you so much more than you can imagine." He'd continue on about enlightenment, and experiencing new cultures, and would always end with discussing the food. Loving local food is definitely one thing he passed on to me. 

But without fail, every single trip I have a short conversation with Dad in my head. I tell him about where I'm going and what I'm going to see. I end that conversation with thanking him for what he's given me...this drive to see the world. 

Travel is above all an education. It's not always about the history either, there's more deep stuff that I've learned:

1. The biggest is that America is NOT the center of the universe. I hate that when we travel so many areas lump all American travelers in to that "ugly American" category. I've seen those ugly American types and I just roll my eyes at the entitlement.  
2. 
   It's very humbling to see the world and see all the history that has come long before the US. I have stood in awe when I'm in a cathedral that's been around since the 14th century - or earlier. I remember standing in the Roman coliseum being amazed that it was still standing and thinking about how many thousands - millions of people have witnessed and stood where I was.
3. Try new things. Not just food, but experiences. 
4. Appreciate different cultures. So many interesting cultures in the world. Some are similar to us Americans, but all of them are different enough that there is room to learn and experience. 
5. Be the tourist. I LOVE the touristy stuff. We usually have such a short time in one spot, that sometimes the touristy stuff is what I've come there for. 
6. Pack your patience. I am not a patient person so this one is hard. But I embrace it when I'm literally in the act of traveling (i.e. in the airport). Traveling is exhausting and full of stress. I find myself very balanced and calm when I'm at the airport. And that leads to being patient. Plus, I can't actually control 99% of what's going on around me, so why not control that 1% I can?
7. Never stop learning! So much to learn. Read, and then read some more. Educate yourself about where you're going and what you'll be seeing. It makes you a better, brighter, more "in the know" person. I loath the traveler who is there for the selfie, but doesn't understand the importance or historical nature of what they're witnessing. "Loath" might be a little harsh, but you get my drift. 
8.  Making short term friends. It's true. When you travel, especially on a cruise or the preplanned trips we've done, you get to know the people around you. You learn a little about their lives. You know you have a common theme of travel to talk about. You step off the boat and head back to your lives. You may not ever see these people again, but they were part of your trip and your experience. If you're lucky, you make some that stick. I have several FB friends that I still keep in touch with after I met them on a trip. 

I know this travel bug is going to stay with me forever. I have it bad. It's part of what defines me now. And as some wise person once said, "Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote. And I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life."