I’ve decided. It’s taken a long time and it’s going to mean some upset, but I can’t take it any more. I go to work every day, sit in a office, and miss the whole wide world around us. Every time I see a picture of some marvelous place on Facebook or Pintrest, I want to travel. It’s not that I don’t like my home, just that I want to see more of the world.
So, I’ve quit my job.
I’m currently arranging a three month lease on an apartment in Paris. After that, I’m moving to Rome. We’re all going, of course. Seeing the world will be at least as good an education for my daughter as middle school, and my wife is (mostly) convinced it’s a good idea.
I’m going to write, too – in libraries, and bookshops, and cafe’s all across Europe. We’re going to soak up the history and antiquity of thousands of years of kings and queens, of wars and revolution. I’m going to sit in weird oriental bars and type away. I’m going to look out at Sidney harbor bridge and finish chapters. I’m going to bargain with sellers in far east markets and write them into my stories.
We’re going to walk up mountains, and travel narrow roads on busses that carry as much livestock as people.
As a family, we’re going to come back knowing there’s so much more to life than just going to the mall to buy a “No Fear” t-shirt on the weekend. I just can’t wait to begin.
At least, that’s my dream. What’s yours?
Cheers!
Congratulations! That is wonderful news. I am jealous and excited for you. And feeling very inspired… 🙂
Sorry to disappoint Emma, but that was my dream. I wish though.
Cheers!
You realize, of course, you hooked me with the pictures and the adventures. I can think of no better adventure for a family and for a writer than to immerse in other cultures; appreciate the world for more than job-induced time restraints. Your children’s education and life experiences? Enhanced exponentially.
And, then, your last lines…
“At least that’s my dream. What’s yours?”
My dream is free-to-be-me traveling vacations with a home base in Texas. I’ll write in log cabins leased for weeks or months at a time, and mooch off the many friends I’ve met online. I’ll collect Starbucks mugs from across the continent, and learn the names and family histories of people I meet.
Back to your last line. Was the dream your stated benefits and experiences as part of this adventure? Or, was it quitting the job, and jumping into an across-the-pond immersion life?
Yeah, oh-writerly-one. You hooked me. Now, I have to turn the page to discover the answer. [In blog-speak, that means I’ll be back to check your response.]
Hi Gloria. I did a lot of world traveling while I was single. It would be great though to be able to stay somewhere long enough to live like a native. Course, quitting my job would be fun too! Problem is that these rectangluar things keep turning up in the letterbox each month. Dang!
Good luck with the mooching 🙂
Cheers!
Hi, Nigel! Wow, I admire your adventurous spirit! What a wild ride you and your family are about to begin! Glad the wife and kiddo are on board with it. They sound pretty special. Keep in touch, and send pics so we can live vicariously (and turn green with envy).
Is this for a year? Just wondering about the nuts and bolts of how one goes about this sort of thing.
Sadly, Kathy, I’ll be living vicariously, too! I do know a couple who did this. Leased out their house, packed small bags, and went round Europe. They used public transport everywhere. I think the biggest struggle was adjusting back to normal life!
Cheers!
Wow!
Congratulations, Nigel and the rest of the intrepid Blackwell family!
How exciting that you’re going to live the dream? And even more exciting that you’ll be a hop, skip and a jump away from me!
I feel a trip coming on!
Hi CC. Hop, skip, and jump – sounds like an approach to paying bills! Sadly, it was my dream, although my wife seems pretty interested, so you never know. We will probably be back in blighty next year sometime, so maybe we’ll call by the frozen north and say hello!
Cheers!
I am pretty sure if my husband could walk with out crutches we would be doing something similar. When we were stationed overseas we didn’t get to travel much. His dream was and still is to see the Coliseum. Now that is 1 dream I want to make happen for him. Good luck on your trip.
Hi Irene.
The Coliseum would be a great place to see. There’s so many places it’d be hard to choose even if you had a year. Sadly, it was my dream, not reality. I still have to go to work in the morning 🙁 But it’s good to dream 🙂
Cheers!
Wow, Nigel! How cool is that!?! So excited for you and your family. What are you going to do with your dog?
All the best to you guys. Please say you’ll be posting from the road so we can all vicariously experience your wonderful adventure. 🙂
Duh. You got me. 🙂
😉
My dog was very happy to hear it was only my dream.
Cheers!
My dream – sell enough books to be able to travel all I want to. My travel will be mainly in the U.S. and Canada, with maybe a trip or two Down Under if I can ever convince myself to sit in a sardine can – I mean airline cabin – for 20 hours. Watch out, fellow bloggers. If that ever happens, your doorstep might be one of my destinations. There are so many of you out there I’d love to meet or see again.
Hi David.
Yeah, the worst thing about traveling, is the traveling.
Cheers!
That’s a fabulous dream! For you, anyway… 🙂 My dream would look more like a quiet place in the country right here in Canada. And the ability to teleport so I could pop over to all those exotic locations for a day at a time to taste the food and drink the booze and then come home and sleep in my own bed.
I know. I’m such a wild woman…
Hi Diane
Oh, the teleport thing sounds like we all need one of those, or are they restricted to wild women?
Cheers!
I’ll let you know if I ever figure it out… 😉
Oui, oui, Paris, Rome, Sidney, you name it. It sounds like a dream! Well, what do you know. Nigel, you very clever man. Lol. Love it!
Ah oui, Paris c’est bon! Even if it’s a dream 🙂
Cheers!
Nigel!! You had me going, LOL!! I was like, “I wanna go!!”
<3!
Good! ’cause I really wanna go, and dreaming about it is about as far as I’m likely to get!
Cheers!
As dreams go, this is pretty close to mine. Mine has a husband (who normally hates the idea of traveling) looking forward to the venture as much as I am…
Though… I do have to say “why is it just a dream?” Go for it! At the worst, it’s a bit of time out of your life that you’ll probably enjoy completely. You may wish that you were more fiscally well off, but.. check out some of the Hospitality groups out there. Or groups that do home shares… If you can save the cost down to just trasportation and groceries, travel can be pretty cheap.
Hi Eden
You’re right. It is a dream, and the weight of the ordinary world often stops us from achieving our dreams. You never know …
Cheers!
Wouldn’t that be magnificent, Nigel?! I’d join you on the trek through England and Ireland. You could give me the sights with the proper accent. 🙂
As soon as I win the lottery we can all go over for a weeks tour. I’ve been doing the lottery for ages, and it really must be my turn next 🙂
Cheers!
Dammit, I thought you were serious at first, until the end of your post. Sigh. Sounds pretty good though.
I’d travel too. I’d go to European archives and rummage through all the amazing documents and artifacts, I’d help restore old historic structures, I’d sit in cafes and drink coffee or tea and talk to people and see things and soak it all up.
Sorry to disappoint! Isn’t it a great feeling, even if only for a moment, to think what if?
Cheers!
Well, if you have to dream…dream big! Hi Nigel, we are new to your blog by way of mutual blogging friend Carrie Rubin. We’ve always wanted to travel. Me, France, Switzerland, England. Inion’s dream is Ireland & Scotland. As writers we expand those dreams to fit within our world of writing living vicariously through our characters. But nothing makes up for the real experience. We enjoyed the adventurous nature of your post though & the pictures as well. It’s fun to say the words aloud, that way you don’t forget those passionate dreams that live within us.
Hi guys! Exploring the world through books and writing isn’t a bad way to go. Cuts out all the tedious hanging around in airports for sure. And you never know, maybe one day you’ll follow your characters path!
Cheers!
Hi Nigel, You had me going there. Just as I was thinking “Good for you” and “you jammy beggar” I realized the truth which left me a bit deflated although it was good while it lasted.
Ha ha! “Good while it lasted.” Story of my life …
I’m listening to a combination of The Clash and Bob Dylan. You still playing?
Cheers!