I used to start the year with a bucket list, of places I wanted to tick off visiting. But I’ve gone off that idea over the last few years. People would say, oh away again, and for whatever reason it was we wanted or needed to be away again, they had a point! Travel shouldn’t bring out the capitalist but the adventurer. It should make us happy and be a treat. In the last 18 months we haven’t travelled a great deal, for obviously excellent reasons, but every trip we’ve taken has been an adventure. Sometimes just getting to the shops or into the office feels like a major travel event, which is another reason why my travel wishes have changed!
In time, I want to show the little one the world, let him live a life of adventure and new experience, understand different cultures and where he sits in the world. But we live in a beautiful place as it is and adventure and experience is everywhere around, we don’t need to go far for now. And he’s growing up in a different climate and travel dynamic than we have, where carbon footprints matter. My offshore sailing days are over so I won’t be sailing the Atlantic with him like Greta, but it’s something important to think about in how we bring him up to travel wisely and how we do better ourselves.
That said, of course when we travel we have all loved it.
Mr P and I love to get away from the hum drum and the day to day, we like to be in a new place and we like to relax. It can be easier to do that in a hotel than at home, although it can be harder with a little one too!
Little P likes to have new adventures each and every day, he doesn’t much care where to but we’ve seen him thrive on holiday, spending quality time with us. Even in the midst of teething and a fever. If only he knew the weeks spent planning these trips!
In 2019 I will freely admit I didn’t take enough time off work. I ended the year with a lot of leave to roll forward, quite exhausted. But because I have every Tuesday off work to spend with the little one I didn’t feel like I needed to take holiday as frequently at the time. And I worried that by taking an extra couple of days off in a week, people would wonder if I’m ever at work. So that is learning for me, I was wrong. My day off is no day off. Traditional days off are still needed.
2020 is our tenth wedding anniversary and so we are hoping to take a long weekend as a family somewhere in the UK for it. Undecided where and undecided what. It may well be that this April anniversary times nicely with a need for us to be away from home, when they knock the back wall through into the new extension! Here’s hoping timing is everything!
I’m a great fan of a family hotel type holiday (in 2019 our stays in Abu Dhabi and Cornwall were perfect), complete with swimming pool, childcare and soft play. But I’m a bigger fan of space to spread out and function normally, and there’s some incredible cottages to be found that tick this box. I need to get researching, as April is fast approaching.
In May we are heading to Scotland for a long weekend for a wedding. I’m sure I muttered something in September about never taking a toddler to a wedding again… But it will be fine, he’ll be older and wiser, faster and naughtier… A happy day for a great friend of both of ours!
In June we’ve booked a week in Greece. We both love Greece, having had amazing stays near Monemvasia and in Crete. We loved the Peloponnese so much we are headed back there. This time cashing in some of Mr P’s many thousands of hotel points for the first part of our break and then the second part of the trip I found a gorgeous AirBnB with stunning garden and pool.
But that’s it, that’s all the travel plans I am making. Work travel will kick in for me and continue for Mr P. Weekends and days off will continue to be sacrosanct. By the early summer our extension should be finished and we can bask in a bigger house that’s just as we want it. We’ll adventure near home. Maybe have another night or two away from the little one, or head to see friends independently, or take some little trips in the UK for long weekends?
And that’s more than enough because life has changed a bit! Going to the zoo is an adventure. A walk through the bluebells, poppies or sunflowers is spectacular. Stumbling across a tractor is basically Christmas. It’s all new learning and full of new experiences. We live our adventures through his eyes now and are finding joy in the simplest things as a result, even a rain and windswept England.
The little one has changed us in many good ways and I think one of them is how we travel and adventure! We fill his imagination with adventure and experience and I think we all do better as a result. Bank balance included, which is good because the builders will be here for a while!..
Obviously I do have a wish list of hotels, I’m only human to have a dreamy list of places to one day may be visit!
Linking up for the first time in a while with the lovely Travel Linkup ladies Adventures of a London Kiwi, SilverSpoon London, Binnys Food and Travel Diaries. It’s back to basics for January’s topic and bringing in the New Year with a bang – Travel Wishlists and plans for the year of adventures ahead.
I love getting family travel inspo from you, Anna!
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Thank you, exciting times!!
Love your reflections on how travel has changed for you over time as your family has grown! Good luck at that wedding in Scotland 😉
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Thank you, it will be lovely to be in Scotland, taking lots of toys!!
Gosh, I know that phrase too well…’oh you’re away again I see’! Well…yes, yes we are and I’m not even sorry!! ;o)
Em x
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🙂 It’s one of the reasons why I started the blog, so I didn’t need to post on facebook!
hope you have wonderful new adventures in 2020!
Tanja/The Red Phone Box travels recently posted…10 small pleasures (Christmas edition)
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And you too lovely, with your family
Ahhh travels with a little one are different, but oh so magical! I think slowing our travel down is a good thing. It is something we intend to do this year too. I hope your littel family has many amazing adventures xx
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I love how much magic there is in his eyes just from a trip to the park!
Aww I loved reading this! And your little one is just the cutest ever! I feel the same as you this year with mine on the way I have a feeling my travels will be slightly different! I’ll have to catch up on all of your baby posts now! Xxx
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Ah, thank you! Glad to have a new reader! Enjoy the new adventures, they’re better 😍
Really enjoyed your post Anna! I wish you a 2020 full of lots of family adventures. xx
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Thank you xx
I love that you’re now making every day an adventure that the three of you can enjoy! And enjoying what’s on your own doorstep is something I fully intend to embrace in 2020 x
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It’s just so much easier too, and I love what we have near home. That said, I really can’t wait to be in a hot place again too, I’m over winter already and it has barely started!
Your 2020 already sounds pretty fantastic – little P is going to be quite the adventurer!
Emma @ Adventures of a London Kiwi recently posted…Things to do in Dubrovnik | The Relaxation Edit
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And quite the bruise and scrape collector too…
Change is good, as they say, and it sounds like you are making the most of having this wonderful different travel style now. Wishing you a fantastic year of travel in 2020!
Jessi (Two Feet, One World) recently posted…My Favourite Adventures of 2019 and a Wishlist for 2020
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A change is as good as a break of course! Happy new year to you too xx
Hi Anna,
Love watching your lil family! My husband and I are planing to start a family this year..Can’t wait until we’re expecting to go traveling too… All in God’s time right. All your tips are going into my important baby notes notebook.
Sipu recently posted…Best Baby Walkers to Buy in 2020: Top 10 Review!
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Good luck with your plans this year, exciting times