your first time Focusing on children is profound. It is a primal moment filled with strong emotions. I admit that in my case, not all of these feelings were selfless.
So, as I thought of Alexander's little face resting in his mother's arms, a series of questions arose in my mind.
Shall we connect? How long does it take for that to happen? And, even more embarrassing, how long can it pass if your preferred schedule has been prone to mania before resuming your career as a travel writer? Is not it?
In 2016, the year before Alexander was born, I traveled 18 times to 15 countries including Bhutan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Canada, Japan, Spain, and Portugal.
By the end of the year, I'm mindful of the cute human bomb about to explode in the middle of my life, decline my calendar of potential travel, set aside my annual bucket list, and change my usual plans. Abandoned process.
My wings were clipped at the moment, but I was sure that as soon as he transitioned from breast milk to the relatively hard stuff of stewed apples and mashed bananas, he would soon dig out his passport again.
And that proved to be the case. After months of flying, changing diapers, and wiping up vomit, I started traveling again, heading off to Japan, Australia, and Indonesia in quick succession. All in all, these three trips were particularly memorable. The stories I've created about Kobe's retro soul scene, the 2,000km Nullarbor Links golf course spanning 18 towns in Western Australia, and Jakarta's immersive dining landscape are among my writing highlights to date. One of his.
But somewhere in the middle of all this, my partner sent me a video of a little boy hesitating on his first few steps. As I watched him stumble triumphantly around the playpen and then fall on his face, I realized he had his priorities wrong. The FOMO I worried about scaling back my efforts as a travel writer was nothing compared to the painful regret I felt from voluntarily stepping away from these milestones in my son's development. .
While I love going on long hikes and epic expeditions, I felt, and still feel, that being with my son and spending time with him was a better use of my time. Let’s be honest, there will always be golden sunsets and Michelin-starred tasting menus. A child's formative years can never be recreated.
that wouldn't be true I can say that I have become a complete stay-at-home person. As a long-term travel addict, I still crave resolution from time to time. And luckily, Alex has someone willing to accompany her father and son on their trip.
My son's passport is already heavily stamped. These trips may be less focused and restrained than my more debauched adventures, but they're just as rewarding. In fact, each journey has been a marker of his growth. Over the years, we've cruised Sydney's harbor, hung out with hippies on Koh Phangan to survive Thailand's coronavirus lockdown, and improvised on candy-striped sun loungers and parasols at The Standard Hua. I enjoyed playing hide and seek. Hinn, and rode bumper cars at an amusement park in Scotland.
As he grew, his tastes also evolved, adding more depth to the travel experiences we shared. He has graduated from being a tiny toddler who was reluctantly wheeled around the hilly terrain of Naples, a very rugged city, to being an aficionado of kids' clubs, and from banana boat safety standards in Hua Hin to highland castles. I became an avid questioner on a variety of subjects, ranging from the history of the world. .
Upcoming father-son trips include a return trip to Scotland (my home country, after all) and a jaunt to Legoland Asia in Malaysia. Although he's not ready for more intense adventures, he plans to take him to Vietnam's Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park soon to explore some of the world's most spectacular caves. But his rapidly improving iPhone camera captures show him to be a potentially permanent wingman for the trip. This is what daddy needs forever thanks to his rudimentary photography skills.
In fact, I miss my long-time photography partner very much, who moved to the United States a few years ago. A new collaborator would be perfect…and after all these years of hard sacrifice, what could be better than the father-and-son team of writer and lensman? we are working on it. For now, I'm happy to keep my travel schedule modest and have him as my curious companion.
Illustration of Lede and Hero by Patra Sally.
