When I was a teenager studying abroad in Paris, I did the requisite backpacking/railpassing and visited Switzerland, Germany, Prague and Italy. I ate like a local in Greece and danced in public squares and private clubs in Spain.
When I was a single thirtysomething, I took myself on a three-week adventure to New Zealand’s South Island, with a wonderful pitstop in Sydney. Solo travel could be spontaneous, like when I went to Madrid for Fashion Week, or for work, like when I went to Uganda from Paris.
Before Andrew and I had Parker, we went to Buenos Aires and Caribbean islands, staying up late, sleeping in late, eating late… the days and nights had limitless hours.
Now when I travel, it’s mostly vicariously.
Having a family was the first game-changer. When you’re raising a kid, the thrill of traveling without them is tempered by the angst of leaving them. Traveling with them is fun, but limiting. It’s not only your itinerary, whims and appetite to consider.
Moving to Connecticut, where the closest major airport is an hour away, was the second game-changer. No more quick, easy taxi rides to the airport. It’s a haul, it’s rarely direct and over the years, my inclination to make it happen has waned.
But though logistics may limit me now, my mind is forever primed. I go deep while writing travel articles, I keep a list for ‘one day,’ I revel in the memories from far-flung cities and coasts when it was cheaper, easier, more organic and authentic to travel.
I also try to see the local through a traveler’s eyes. My coastal town is beautiful, providing craggy tidal pools, beaches strewn with shells, and patches of wild to hike through. There are nearby towns with historic farms, renowned trails and emerging restaurateurs. There are faraway-so close destinations like the North Folk, Nantucket and Maine that we can hop in the car to see and feel millions of miles away.
Traveling is a luxury, but it’s also essential for learning about the world, other cultures, and ourselves. My trips aren’t as frequent but I’m still traveling at my desk, in my mind and sometimes IRL.