Friday, April 15, 2011

soul food friday ~ travel and your inner kid

You know by now, most of you, that I'm on the wrong side of 50...a little more than just and not enough for a lot. It's not so bad. Mostly. After all, I do have two quite nice twenty something offspring to show for it!
So I like to think that I'm at least marginally grown up and possibly a tiny bit sophisticated, based solely on the amount of time I've been on the planet...no choking on your toast from those who know me, ok...
I've been to lots of places...after last month I can now put a tick against all of these, but there have been quite a few others :)
...but you know something...when I travel, I feel like a little kid. In a good way.  Not in an "oh hell, I don't know what I'm doing or where am I going, or why did you bring me here, or are we there yet kind of way..."
No. It's in an "oh crumbs, just get a load of that, can you believe it, isn't that amazing, why didn't I know it would be this good" kind of way...
People talk about seeing things through the eyes of a child. Mostly they mean through the eyes of the child they're with.
Not me...my kids are too old for a start (although I'm sure they're as likely as anyone to slip back into childlike delight)...but when I travel I feel as if I'm much more capable of playfulness...of being awestruck...of finding wonder in everything around me. 
Even if it is wondering why the nice people from homeland security insisted on unpacking and unwrapping every single item in my carefully packed and oh so finely crammed carry on luggage when I left JFK last month! 
Those beautifully beribboned Tiffany boxes...they just weren't the same after that little exercise!
I'm also more inclined to make allowances and be more tolerant, but perhaps that's just the grown up, wiser part of me.
There's a Diane Arbus quote: "my favourite thing is to go where I've never been". I like that, and it doesn't only apply to travel of course.
But what is it about going somewhere new that brings out the inner child...that makes you look and linger with delight at the simplest of things...like a squirrel in Central Park...or spotting one while you're in the bus that's picking up people on the way to the airport...(yes Mary, I took more squirrel photos...nuts, I know)
or a kid kicking a ball...
or steam coming from a subway vent...just in case you missed it the first time...
or a musical that really shouldn't be a surprise to you, but somehow is. But perhaps that was the absolute pleasure that the Italian tourist sitting next to me was feeling...it was completely infectious.
Or just loving the dingy tiles in the subway...I'm sure my mother wouldn't get why I took this photo! You do though, don't you.
It's a great gift travel, isn't it? In all sorts of ways. And a very special privilege. I never lose sight of that.
Are you like me? Do you unleash the inner kid when you get on your bike and head off into the unknown?
images: first two from we heart it, tiffany box from google, all others by me

13 comments:

  1. Still think it's funny you taking pictures of squirrels but then we see them all the time. AND since they love to eat tulip bulbs, they are not very welcome at this time of year. And yes our older children can still act like little ones when they travel. When we took our 3 back to Germany when they were finishing university (just can't write that as uni!), we would have sworn that they were 3 and 5 again when we stepped back into the bakery we went to every day. They were so excited to see that everything was exactly the same and in the same place (and probably the same woman behind the counter only 20 years older!). It is rather magical to know that we are always children at heart! Have a great weekend! Mary xx
    PS: Mark figures that they opened the Tiffany boxes because they were lead crystal and the xrays couldn't tell what they were. My carry-on ones were okay but one in my suitcase was opened and a nice little note left behind.

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  2. I am totally like a kid when we travel...constantly whining until we get to our destination and then crying when we have to leave. Doesn't everybody?

    I thoroughly enjoyed your NYC pictures, I must have missed a few posts. Time for a tantrum!

    XO,
    Jane

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  3. Oh yes, I'm very much the same Kerry. Just the oter day when Lyn and I went to the Taronga Zoo he was laughing at the way I squealed and ran over to the elephant enclosure, just like the 500 or so little kids around me :)
    Have a lovely Friday!

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  4. I so miss travelling. We don't do enough of it now that we have the three boys. I totally get how you feel. xx

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  5. Being a stranger somewhere nice is very exciting, yes.

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  6. That is so funny. I was thinking between the inner kid and inner granny there must be a middle aged woman lurking inside me. I started a running progam a couple of days ago and there is a fight going on in my body. The inner kid, can't wait to go again, the inner grannies muscles are a bit sore and the middle ager is trying to be sensible about the whole thing.
    I love seeing that steam picture again. thanks.

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  7. The wrong side ?? There isn't a wrong side :)
    I like the t-shirt and of course your post about travels. I wanna travel more now.

    Have a wonderful day

    xo
    Anci

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  8. I love the tshirt, I am sure it has a lot of people scratching their heads and saying mulliwhatby???

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  9. the image of the kids was just to cute. loved it..and great post by the way.

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  10. I love your posts Kerry. The open road (and traveling in general) makes me feel "new".

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  11. I'm exactly like that and on the same side of 50! I spend a lot of time in NYC and eyeball those same snapshots. Fun post!

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  12. Yes I can totally relate and love how a little relocation can unleash the true child within.
    Being an expat for the past 23 years has also had a similar effect on me. Changing one's perspective is always a good thing!

    Weekend hugs to you.

    xx C

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  13. I also totally get why you took that photo! lol
    People pay huge $$$ for photographs of signs or words. I love your photos and your decorating style.
    Addicted to your blog,
    Kay

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I love it when you comment...I feel excited, chuffed and tranquil all at the same time! Thank you.

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