A Map For Saturday

I am watching “True Life” on MTV. I don’t usually advocate anything that plays on MTV. It is just the ultimate in junk. In fact, hubby and I decided our children will not even watch MTV until they can pay their own bills. However, this particular show is pretty interesting.

It basically documents one guy’s journey as he travels the world for 341 days – the endless Saturday. He starts out in Australia and makes his way through Asia, Italy, India, Brazil, etc. One thing I found interesting was how many other world travelers he runs into. So many people who have just left their jobs or recently had breakups or just wanted to get away. They pack light and just see as much in a year as they can.

These world travelers have always intrigued me. I wonder if I would have the guts to drop everything I have ever known and just go for it! I wonder if I could give up the material possessions that I love so much. I wonder if I could handle sleeping in a different bed (and in a different country, for that matter) every few nights.

I have the travel bug and I like to think that I’d be able to do it, but it sure doesn’t look easy. And I feel like if I actually did something like that – once I adjusted to a nomadic lifestyle – I’d never be able to go back to a normal life. To see such unique things and then come back to LA and have a job? I don’t know. Coming back from a normal vacation is hard enough. I feel like I would want to travel for the rest of my life. Or at least live in a new place every 6 months.

Regardless of whether or not I could travel for a year, watching this show reminded me of our trip to Rome and Paris last year. I have never really documented it, and I wish I would have written in a journal or something. We have about a million photos (seriously, we acted like we discovered these places), so looking at those helps me remember. But mostly I remember the feelings I had while we were there. The feeling I had when we walked down a busy street in Rome and turned a corner to see the Coliseum or the Trevi Fountain. The feeling I had in Paris when I first saw the Eiffel Tower or the Mona Lisa. How cool I felt when I understood the metro system and thought I looked like a seasoned traveler. The Sistine Chapel, the Seine River, the Luxembourg Gardens, Monte Martre, the Pantheon. It was all just so amazing. I cried when we had to leave.

We had our share of ups and downs – from lost luggage to delicious food. From sore feet to great shopping. From boiling heat to unexpected rainstorms. From getting lost to accidentally finding a favorite landmark. But that’s what makes it an adventure. I have perma-grin just thinking about it. *Sigh*

Anyone want to go on vacation?!
4 Comments
  1. ditto…lets do it! I would have to agree with my mom on not liking the actual travel part, but seeing and experiencing would be so fun. Right now I just want to go where it is WARM and relaxing! Maybe my first stop will be your house! Thanks for your comments on my photo blog…I am happy to know that you are my only fan! Loves to you!

  2. I would love a vacation right now. I felt the same when I was in France and Holland seeing things you read about in books. I love seeing all the History but I hate getting there. If we could just think about where we wanted to go and then snap your fingers and then you were there with all the stuff you need to enjoy your stay I would travel the world, well maybe the next life it will be possible!

  3. Traveling is totally something I have always wanted to do. Luckily Dave does too, so maybe after this bunch of kids gets bigger we will be able to. Thank you for the sweet comment. You are the best!!

  4. Count me in! Last year this time I was working on a best tan money could buy to get ready for a cruise with all the girlfriends! I have been back from Finland only for about four weeks, so I cannot complain about not going places. However, Finland was no vacation, but whenever I get to see my sisters, brother, mom and uncle makes even work seem fun! Traveling just for the heck of it – well, I don’t think I could do it either. I must have too much of a practical Finn in me!

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