Even though I know it isn’t always a feasible option for people, one thing I do feel strongly about is that I think people should travel if they can.

There are many reasons why people can’t or don’t travel – money constraints, family commitments, work commitments, health issues. But I think there are just as many reasons why people should travel.

You go places you never thought you would

I never thought I would be on a cruise ship in the middle of the Alaska Inner Passage looking at a giant glacier.. but back in 2013 I did just that. A chance chat with a friend and suddenly I was on a cruise with her & her family. I found some of my favourite places on that trip and I definitely know I want to go back to Alaska.

You get to experience different cultures first hand

When my brother announced that he was getting married to my now Vietnamese sister-in-law, and that the wedding would be in Ho Chi Minh followed by a few days by the beach in Mui Ne and then Dalat… it seemed like the perfect opportunity for a family holiday. Whilst I didn’t love Vietnam personally, I wouldn’t change the experience for anything.

You get to tick things off your bucket list

I love being able to tick things off my ever-growing bucket list. One thing I ticked off in 2015 was FINALLY getting to see the Edinburgh Tattoo. No words can explain how much this meant to me. I think that the Edinburgh Tattoo had been on my bucket list the longest. I just simply love bagpipes & to see the Tattoo in person, at the castle.. it really was a dream come true.

You get to make memories all over the world

For my 40th birthday I knew I wanted to do something special so I roped a couple of my nieces (wasn’t that hard actually!) into a trip to Hawaii. We proceeded to have 7 days full of fun, laughter and adventures. It was seriously the best holiday I’ve ever had. I know we would have had fun no matter where we were but to experience Hawaii for the first time together, well it was just really special. We’ll always have Teddy’s Burgers, girls xo

You get to experience things that will change your life

Going to England for the first time in 2010 really did change my life. It really did make me realise that no matter where you are, the world really is small. I might live a 24 plane ride away from England but to put that into perspective, when the flying boat originally flew from Auckland to Sydney it would take 14 hours – it’s now usually a 3-3.5 hour flight. The world isn’t big but our expectations of it can be.

You get to see some of the most amazing sunsets

I’ve seen some amazing sunsets around the world but until I went to Hawaii I didn’t realise what a crowd puller they were. People would run down to the beach just to catch the last rays of the day – mind you, with sunsets like this, why the hell wouldn’t you want to see them. Another place I’ve been that gets amazing sunsets is Vancouver – best vantage point is English Bay, right by Stanley Park.

You get to visit where your ancestors came from

Ok admittedly we aren’t sure if this ‘Goldworthy‘ is any relation to our ‘Goldsworthy’ but it kind of blew my sister & I away when we found it on a very small country road in North West Devon. We did however visit a couple of places where my dad’s paternal line came from. To go to the church at Clyst St George in Devon and see the grave stones with your family name on it was kind of a special moment (I would use the word ‘surreal’ but there is this whole hippo wearing a tutu & buttering toast thing that I would have to explain and that’s just exhausting!).

You get to live up to the reputation you have within your family 

So when my eldest niece and I get together, there can be antics. So much so that one of my brothers constantly says “Don’t get arrested”… I swear we don’t even plan these things. On our first day in Waikiki we had wandered down to the beach, as you do, and happened to innocently sit at a table that had a local druggie clientale also sitting there. We got chatting to them – it would be rude not to, and then the cops came. Firstly – we DID NOT get arrested. Secondly – we just had to get a photo with the local Po-Po 😀

You get to come away with some of the best stories that have years of use out of them

Like the time my sister & I were driving through rural England and we came across a live firing range. We may or may not have been driving with the windows down when said live firing range was active. The cop who we passed as we may or may not have driving with windows down and screaming at the sound, may or may not have laughed her head off at us.

You get to take photos of some of the most amazing places

I took this photo at Lake Tekapo, New Zealand in April 2016. To date – this is without a doubt, the best photo I’ve ever taken. I am actually surprised that I managed to get no people in the shot because on the day there were loads of tourists milling around also wanting that perfect shot. I am beyond proud of this photo and it’s one I don’t mind sharing over and over again.

I travel because…