“When I was 19 I had a little rust bucket of a car, 2 mates and a ferry ticket to France”
This little adventure is what turned me into a travelholic.
The travel bug; some people have it while some people don’t, it’s just the way it is. Some people are quite content staying close to home their whole lives, whilst others have itchy feet that won’t ever stop.
I think people who have the travel bug need to have it brought out of them by something.
I’ve pinned this ‘something’ down to 3 things.
1) Your parents have it, pass it on to you and share their experiences with you.
2) You have an experience that makes you realise you have it, such as a short trip.
3) You’re surrounded by people who bring it out of you as they are travelling/want to
If you’re a self-confessed travelholic I’d be interested to see which categories you think you fit into.
In a way I think I fit into all three categories, allow me to explain…
Covering point number 1 about your parents; both my parents travelled extensively when they were younger. My father spent a whole year in Australia when he was 21 on a working visa (something I will be doing in the next few years) and my mother spent months working in Israel as well as travelling across Europe. I think your parents stories and photos show you the light.
Covering the whole experience thing, this was probably the most influential one of the 3 for me. When I was 19 I had a little rust bucket of a car, 2 mates and a ferry ticket to France. We drove to Dover, took the ferry across to Calais than drove down to Paris. We stayed there two nights in a great little hostel that I forget the name of. We met a bunch of South Africans and explored the city by day and had plenty of beverages by night. I remember driving back to London planning my next little adventure, I was hooked on travel instantly.
Now point number three is an interesting one. There’s a saying; you’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time around – I find this to be very true. Yet growing up, and even now, I don’t know many people living a life of travel. Instead, what I did was surround myself in the world of online travel. I would regularly watch Youtubers such as FunForLouis, JacksGap and CaseyNeistat. I would read articles from National Geographic and watch David Attenborough documentaries. Who and what you surround yourself with has a huge impact on who you become.
Once you’ve caught the travel bug its both wonderful and frustrating.
Frustrating because you want to travel more than you do. Its probably never enough for a travelholic – work and life take over!
But it forever remains wonderful. You are constantly thinking of and planning your next adventure, you keep the excitement in your belly and you’re known by the people around you as ‘the traveller’.
You’ll regularly hear people ask you;
“Hey, where are you off to next?”
“Anywhere”
So accurate (and easy to read)!
Glad you liked it!
Loved this and oh so very true!!! Great work
Great 🙂
Love this read 🙂
Thanks!
Reblogged this on #TRAVEL TO #INSPIRE.
So accurate
Thanks! happy blogging!
Just discovered your blog and am loving it! The travel bug is a very real struggle hahaha, I’m definitely number 2 in your categories. Getting lost in Greece and discovering the most incredible spanakopita of my life was it for me; I knew travelling was going to take over my life from that very moment. Looking forward to reading more of your posts as I get my own travel blog going 🙂
Thanks for the kind words! Glad my theory of the travel bug applies to others as well as me! Greece sounds awesome, definitely on the list! Happy blogging!
You encapsulated the idea of the ‘travel bug’ really well in this post. Very interesting. I’m also fan of FunForLouis, and watching Youtuber’s like him inspired me for a lot of my travels.
Thanks! I think there’s many dimensions to the travel bug. Yep, i think youtubers really help inspire people to travel. Happy Blogging!
Very true! 2 points for me, a solo trip (and my first solo) to Japan when I was 19 ensured I got the travelbug. I returned 5 months later so I obviously got bit bad! My dad also used to tell me stories of his travels all over the world touring with his band when he was younger. Planting the seed as they say ?
Thank you for sharing!
Sounds like we had similar experiences! Happy blogging!
I defiantly agree. Both of my parents travelled for years and we lived in Australia for a while when I was young! When I left school, I taught english in Thailand and traveled around of six months and ever since then, I cant wait to book my next ticket away!
Great example of your parents passing on the travel bug! Teaching is also a great way to travel – I say why in ‘4 Ways to Travel’. Happy Blogging!
My parents took me on vacation every year- basically my choice. So I find myself extremely lucky in that department. However I would say I officially got the travel but when in London and Ireland this past summer. Finally being in Europe and experiencing an entirely different culture as before I had always travel in the U.S. I watch way too much youtube which is also another reason. I would love to be known as the traveler eventually.
Your travelling sounds great! It helps you grow so much 🙂 I’m sure you will get there! Happy Christmas!
Travelling should be the #1 priority for everyone!
Agreed!
A nice post, found your blog after your visit to mine to read about In Search of El Bosco. I’m unsure how our travel bug arose but it certainly wasn’t one of the three possibilities you mentioned. The one about parents passing on made me laugh: my old dad only went abroad once in 1940 and came back pretty quick from a beach at Dunkirk, my mum only went abroad once when I took her to Normandy to see the D Day beaches. I didn’t leave the UK till I was 36 to visit my wife’s home in Kathmandu, quite a first for a foreign trip! On the other hand your post has made me reflect on what DID lead to my travels over the years and it all seems connected to three interests: wine, mountaineering, culture. Wine takes us annually to France, mountaineering regularly to The Alps and Himalaya over a 10 year period, and cultural curiosity to Prague, Budapest, Madrid, Rome, Bruges across 2016. So I guess travel has been driven by other desires being met or itches being scratched I couldn’t get at home. Discuss! ????
Glad you gave other examples, always interested to hear others opinions! Seems like your parents are prime examples of not having the travel bug whilst you do!
Reblogged this on Dream Big, Dream Often and commented:
Meet The Wandering Broski!!
This makes a great story! Interesting concept too! Ever since we were young my mum always encouraged me and my sister to go on school trips, she took us abroad once a year and to London all the time. We were very lucky to have this upbringing. My Wanderlust was definitely triggered by my first trip alone, to Thailand. Perhaps my mum did have a strong influence however my sister is very happy at home and has no desire to travel. As you said, you either have it or you don’t 🙂
A great example of people having the travel bug or not having it! Thanks for sharing your story! Thailand is awesome isn’t it?!
Never let work get in the way of your travels, just work in other countries.
That’s the dream!
Fabulous post and SO spot on….as I sit here Pinteresting the Scottish Highlands wondering how to break the news to my husband that we need another trip to Scotland stat. 🙂
Haha I’m sure he will agree! Might be a wee bit cold at the moment! Happy blogging!
#4 being forced to move along, as local conditions are intolerable and never finding a place that is any different.
#5 the “bear went over the mountain” syndrome.
#6 it is your job. Such as a sea captain….
Interesting thoughts! I’m not sure being forced to move is catching the travel bug, I feel like its more something that you want to do! Thanks for the contribution!