Prepping for journeys

Here I stand on the brink of another road trip, this time to Northern Arizona and I can’t help but think back to the many journeys I have taken in the past. On the brink, waiting, waiting to hit the road.  That breathless excitement of the trip. I’ve experienced ranges of emotions. As little as mild nervousness on my short first trip up north alone to bat-sized butterflies in my stomach as I head to the airport for my flight to Ireland.

Each time is a unique experience in preparation. Some trips have been unassuming, my road trip with mom across the country when I was nine. This trip I only focused on bringing things to stay amused in the back seat. I also remember thinking how great it was that I’d have the whole backseat of the car to myself. I didn’t have to share with my brother and I was so excited about that fact. I remember going on trips in high school when I was still home and without a car. I didn’t have to worry about a working vehicle and in some cases, like Disneyland with school or church or seeing the pope in Colorado, I didn’t even worry about gas. Just packed my bags and hopped in the van.

Early college, my friends and I had cars, tight budgets, and lots of aspirations. We scraped together enough money to pay for a hotel, gas, and cheap eats and headed off to destinations in California like Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags, and the beach. Those were early tastes of independence, times when we stretched our wings and were treated as adults when away from our families but still played like kids when the mood struck.

As an adult the trips grew into more into having a better planning, slightly larger budgets, and hotels that were a little nicer. We grew savvy in knowing do’s and don’ts of traveling. With my closest friend, road trips to California were still the norm. They didn’t happen quite as often as they did when we were younger. With adult life came adult responsibilities, school, work, a kid (hers) and it became harder to take trips. The trips though, they were so much fun. Planning was done carefully, trip slightly outlined with a destination in mind but still a chance to relax and go where the wind blew.

More recently it has been bigger trips, bigger adventure and definitely major steps out of my comfort zone. A trip to Ireland with my mom. A short journey to Dana Point, CA again with mom and a longer road trip with her up the coast of California. Most recent were two journey’s all on my own. A week long road trip in November and then a couple months back I went to Houston (by plane).

Every trip has its own level of excitement, of interest, and of curious wonderment of what was to come but every one of them shares one thing in common. Priceless memories. Unique experiences. And every single one packed full of treasures to recall for many years to come.