Do you know everywhere you’ve been?
I’d like to know.
When I was around 5 years old, I flew out of the US to Ecuador where my father was born. I lived there for about 2 years in a house and went to school. Though I was young, the experience is etched in my mind. It’s an important part of my identity and it ignited my desire to travel.
As I grew up, I wanted to fly to El Salvador where my Mom was born. It would happen when I graduated high school, I told myself. Then it turned into after college and then it was just “some day”. Someday I’ll make that dream come true.
Today is the day for that dream. I am working on getting not just me, but my family on a plane to El Salvador and Ecuador. To finally tick those things off my life goals. I am calling it our Mini retirement trip.
Three years ago I wrote up a post about all the places I had been and I was surprised at what I found out. Even though I never made it to El Salvador or Ecuador(again) some how I had managed to still incorporate travel into my life. Without even planning it, I seemed to make a decision that would allow me to travel and explore new places during my university years.
As this new adventure approaches I want to take a picture in time and record where we have been. The whole family. So again I am doing the exercise and am surprised and happy at what I see.
My Map
The last time I did this it was May 2014 in my post 7 years of travel. If you want to see my entire list check out that post, I am just going to move forward from there. The new additions are…
- Denver, CO
- Charlotte, NC. ( for FinCon)
- Milwaukee, WI
- Big family California road trip
As a kid I also went to Las Vegas lots of times & Palm springs. I swam in the CO river via Laughlin, NV. And as I mentioned I lived in Ecuador for 2 years.
Mr. Roamer’s Map
Mr. Roamer who is from Michigan enjoyed family trips growing up and has traveled around his home state of Michigan more then I have of my home state of California. These are all places he’s spent several nights at.
- Michigan
- Roscommon, MI grandparent cabin 1/yr
- Lansing, MI big generational family reunions
- Grand Rapids, Detroit, Kalamazoo, Flint, Marquette,
- Gatlinburg, TN (playing in a brook & Smoky mountain hiking)
- Orlando & Daytona ,FL
- Myrtle beach, SC. St Louis, MO. Denver CO .
- Niagara falls & Blue Mountain Ontario
- Yellow stone national park
- Mount Rushmore.
- Chicago, IL
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA ( honeymoon)
- Milwaukee, WI.
He took 4 Caribbean cruises that ported in
- Cazumal and Costa Maya in Mexico, the Bahamas. Jamaica . US Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands
One of his favorite memories was a time he and his brother ( mostly he). Found a coconut on the ground and with determination broke it open with rocks. He says it was the best coconut he’s ever had in his life.
Jr’s Map
Jr has been to a few places thanks to the fact that I was a student in Michigan for half the year and an employee in California for the other half. This meant that while he was small he partook in several cross country road trips and flights. He also had been camping prior to our family road trip. Jr does more travel then us on a yearly basis because his dad also takes him on trips.
- Dearborn, MI
- Caseville, MI
- Flint, MI
- Port Huron, MI
- Chicago, IL
- Las Vegas, NV
- Kernville, CA
- Denver , CO
- San Diego, CA
- All the places on the CA road trip
Minnie’s Map
Even my daughter, still just 3, has more then a few dots on the map. I thought California would be the only point but family visits guided our travel to Michigan and Colorado. She’s flown on a plane ( I’m counting each plane ride) over 10 times. The road trip also made a huge impression on her and she is constantly asking when we are going camping again.
- Port Huron, MI
- Denver , CO
- San Diego, CA
- All the places on the CA road trip
Here I have recorded all our individual travels. Moving forward one map should do as most travel is done as a family.
Travel is a luxury
It amazes me to hear my son sometimes. He has had the good fortune to travel so much he thinks it’s normal. When I was his age I had traveled to Ecuador but that was the 1 and only time I had been on an airplane. That would be true until age 18 when I flew out to Michigan to tour my future alma mater. These are modern luxuries and I want to acknowledge it. It is easier now in the U.S. but can be very challenging and expensive for people from other countries.
It’s your turn! Are you into travel?
Take some time to sit down and mark up a map with all the places you have been. It’s a great way to reminisce and plan for the future. Are there places you want to go back to?
If you are in a relationship have fun sharing the stories of all the places you have been. You probably haven’t heard all of them yet.
Leave me a comment. Tell me where you are still waiting to visit? Or any other travel stories.
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Ciao,
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