The Joy of Travelling

Travelling: adjective

"the action or activity of going from one place to another, typically over a distance of some length"

Trains have always held a romantic spot in my heart. The rhythmic sound of the wheels on the tracks, the gentle sway of the carriage, the smell of old leather. If you close your eyes you can hear the clickity clack, clickity clack, clickity clack ...

Looking out the window watching the world go by, people going about their busy lives, the cows in the paddock, rolling hills, vast plains, clickity clack, clickity clack, clickity clack ...

The gentle roll of the carriage slowly rocking you to sleep, clickity clack, clickity clack, clickity clack ... dreaming of the adventures ahead ... clickity clack, clickity clack, clickity clack ...

Jolted awake as the train comes to a stop you blink your eyes open. You have arrived at your next destination, a new place you haven't been before. The adventure begins!

The joy of new places, new faces, new adventures, new opportunities or maybe they are familiar and that brings comfort and joy. Of course not all travel is exciting and romantic, sometimes we travel for work and our time is filled with meetings or business commitments, other times it might be to visit a sick friend or relative.

The iconic Daly Waters Pub we visited in 2015

I have always liked travelling, by train is my favourite, the most popular is by car with a caravan. I have a tendency to get sea sick and I haven't done a lot of air travel. I don't mind travelling by bus but it usually comes with time and destination restrictions which doesn't sit well with my gypsy nature. I know the same can be said of train travel but it's just different somehow. The ability to drive yourself wherever you want, whenever you want, at whatever speed you want, with whoever you want, is a freedom that is hard to match.

Sunset view from the back hill of a homestead stay, outback QLD somewhere

My Favourite Part

It's difficult for me to pick a favourite part about travelling, I find joy in all of it. The planning, the research, the execution, the flexibility to change plans. The known yet unknown excites me. I know I'll meet new people but what will they be like? Will I try new foods, will I like it? I know I will explore new areas but how interesting will it be? One of the most grounding parts is connecting with new people and hearing their stories.

I'm sure many of you have met people on your travels that you are still friends with today. Humans by nature are supposed to connect with one another, in my opinion. For me the joy of travelling doesn't just come from the people we meet, it's everything from the decision making, the planning, the journey there and back. Even when I'm unpacking I'm thinking about whether I will take those same things on the next trip, a sort of stock take on what was worth packing or not. I might even unpack some new clothes from the trip!

A boat trip through a gorge in the top of the NT

A short trip can be just as good as a big trip, near or far. A weekend away or a long trip overseas, you can still meet new people and see things you haven't seen before. Different seasons mean different scenery. Exploring your own local area can reveal hidden gems if you look at it through the eyes of a tourist, give it a try. We have started doing this as a couple now the kids are older. Weekends away within a few hours allows us to spend quality time together, away from the never-ending to-do list at home, with time to see things through a different lens of life.

Many people have childhood memories of family camping trips and our is no different. Not always glamorous, usually far from it! Setting up in the heat/cold/rain, cooking outside, sleeping bags full of sand or dirt. Tired kids and the occasional hangover. Would you remember it if it wasn't filled with all sorts of adventures and mishaps? The memories are often recalled with joy as adults and the pull to re-live those memories leads us to subject our own children to the same experiences.

I've seen first hand the look of joy on someone's face when they ask a cousin or sibling about a family holiday they spent together. Both faces lighting up as their mind transports them back to that time in history.

Easter camping, Lake Eildon VIC, 2005

A family bush walk somewhere in the NT

The simple pleasure of cooking with fire while camping

When the Trip is Over

The joy of travelling continues well after you have returned home and have settled back into your routine (if indeed you come back!). Sharing stories with friends and family about your travels means you get to re-live it, cementing the memories made. They will ask questions about things that you found uninteresting, offering another perspective. Different people will find different things that interest them on the same journey. For me, I sometimes use these questions as a guide on what things I might look for in future trips.

A short cruise to Moreton Island, QLD, for a friend's birthday

Travelling doesn't have to be expensive either. You can certainly go places on a small budget with careful planning. There have been plenty of times when we have "roughed it" or even "winged it" adding an extra layer of joy and excitement. A favourite line of mine is used by Dustin from 'Destination Adventure' on YouTube - "The no-plan-plan".

A family cruise to New Zealand, Dec 2013

From basic camping trips close to home to cruising the fjords of New Zealand, by yourself or in a group. No matter how you do it you will make memories and have stories to tell. People will want to hear about it and you will want to tell them. Keep some sort of records if you can, photo album, journaling, Facebook, YouTube, a way to SHARE the joy with others.

Enjoying the departing view leaving Sydney on a cruise

Cheers! See you out there!!