Travelisms: The Importance of Traveling with Friends, Family and Significant Others

I love to travel! If I had known that obtaining a passport would be one of the most freeing experiences of my life, I would have asked my mom to get me one as soon as I popped out of the womb! I am by no means a world traveler yet. I have some fears I still need to overcome, like long flights and the fear of the unknown. This world is crazy ya’ll! My husband just got his passport and we can’t wait to get our kids their passports so that we can travel the world together. Growing up, my parents provided EVERYTHING that we needed. Traveling to us was going to Disney and fishing in the Florida Keys! That was awesome for us! Little did I know that there is a whole world out there to explore and now I know the importance of being able to travel and why traveling with different groups can provide different travel experiences. God has blessed me to be able to travel with my husband, my friends and my family and I want to share why it’s important to experience travel with different people.

TRAVELING WITH YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER WILL KEEP THE FIRE GOING:

Traveling with your mate is VERY important. It allows you to rekindle your love in a new atmosphere, build memories that only the two of you share (I still giggle every time I see a moped) and provides an opportunity to learn new things about each other. It’s important to take advantage of the time you spend alone. Not just sexually (that’s always great and important too) but intimately. Do things you have never done before, talk about your relationship and make plans to keep the fun going when you return home. This is the time to let your hair down, not have a care in the world and truly just enjoy each other! If you have children, try to go back to the time before the kids and indulge in each other. Trust me, as parents you don’t get these times very often, so take advantage of it!

Traveling with other couples can also be healthy for relationships. It’s important to choose the couples wisely. Choose people you are comfortable with and trust (remember you are here to have fun). Sometimes being able to see how other couples interact with each other can teach you a lot about your own relationship. Keep an open mind on these types of trips, have fun, and most importantly be respectful of each other. Everyone needs a support group at some point in their lives and I feel that couple retreats can provide opportunities for people to be vulnerable to open up about the joys and trials in their relationships. It can be therapeutic, knowledgeable and lots of fun!

TRAVELING WITH YOUR FAMILY CREATES MEMORIES THAT LAST A LIFETIME:

Traveling with your family can be nerve wracking at first but in the end it’s all worth it. If you have children, parents, siblings; travel with them. Family travel is a time to strengthen the unit and expose your children to healthy family practices. We traveled with our children for the first time internationally last year. I must admit I was nervous at first because now I have 2 little people I have to worry about in an atmosphere full of strangers. It took me a little while to get comfortable with the fact that my babies wanted to be independent in such a new environment. They didn’t want to be up under their parents the whole trip. They wanted to be with kids their ages and explore the ship (we went on a cruise) just like we did! At the end of it all, I was so glad that my children were able to be independent, follow directions we had given them and most importantly HAVE FUN! Now we have opened up a can of worms because they want to travel all the time, I wonder where they get that from. LOL I can tell you that the most rewarding part about traveling with your family, is knowing that you helped them build memories that will last a lifetime that they can one day, share with their own families.

TRAVELING WITH FRIENDS CAN CREATE STRONGER BONDS & LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES:

If you are anything like me, you have friends that you always travel with. These trips are equally as important as traveling with your family and significant other. When I travel with my friends, whether it’s a road trip or a destination getaway, I come back home with a better sense of who my friends are and a glimpse of what makes them tick. Now I must say that finding the perfect combination of friends to travel with may be challenging for some, (not for me I get along with everyone LOL) but that’s a part of the process. People have to remember that when you are in groups you are dealing with different personalities, attitudes and characteristics. It’s important to stay positive when emotions are running high and also take responsibility for your own actions and vibes you bring to every situation. It’s ok to step away from the group and get some alone time when things get a little tense to allow some time for re-calibration. You are here for a good time (you spent your hard-earned money on it…you better enjoy it). Remembering these small, but big things, will ensure a great time! Once you find the right group, there is no limit to amount of fun you can have and the memories you can make together (that dang frog LOL *insider*).

Traveling with your friends is so much different than traveling with your family because it’s a different type of atmosphere. These are people you don’t see or talk to everyday so it’s a great time to catch up on life, act silly and just do what friends do. For me, traveling with my friends allows me take a break from everyday life and recharge so that when I return home, I have a better appreciation for the life I have! It allows me to miss my family and for them to miss me! Absence does make the heart grow fonder.

Once you get bitten by the travel bug, it’s hard to shake the feeling! Not every trip is the same (that can be a good thing or a bad thing) but keep an open mind and do what makes you happy! Get out there and see the world. Sometimes we forget how AWESOME GOD IS until we witness amazing sunsets, vibrant sea-life and mountains that touch the sky! So get out there and live, love and travel BLOUNT-ly!

Live Blount-ly