When we were in the incredibly special country of Bhutan (all Bhutan blog posts here) last November, we bought a book called A Field Guide to Happiness: What I Learned in Bhutan About Living, Loving and Waking Up. It's one of the more famous books about Bhutan and we were excited to snatch up the last copy in the Paro airport before our departure. Doug started reading it straight away but got sucked into another book, so took a break. I swooped in and have been reading it on & off over the past months. Each chapter focuses on a different life lesson from the author's time living & thriving in Bhutan. It's an easy, but profound read.
With each chapter taking on a new angle, it's the kind of book you can easily leave for a while & pick back up seamlessly. Last night I was reading one of the final chapters, entitled "See the World with Your Heart". Every time I read the book I am instantly transported back to our time in Bhutan and relive how much I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our time there. It remains in my top 3 countries ever visited. I find myself rationing my reading time of the book, because I just don't want it to end; I don't want those lovely reminders of a special place to stop. I already know it's one of those books that I'll reread.
Last night I stopped in my reading tracks when a realization hit me . . . As we traveled, we casually kept a list of things we missed about home. It dawned on me that as we're "home" here in New Zealand (or as close to a home as we're going to get anytime soon), there are so many things we miss about traveling that I want to capture. I grabbed my phone and immediately started jotting down notes. Within minutes I had jotted down over 40 things that I miss about being on the move & traveling the world!
Here goes, in no particular order . . . Some items are a bit repetitive, but I've intentionally kept them all in here, because I believe they capture slightly nuanced aspects of things we miss.
What I Miss About Traveling (Sarah)
I miss waking up not knowing what the day holds
I miss each day being different than the last
I miss the vibrancy of new places, especially those in Asia
I miss that people look & sound different to us
I miss genuine smiles from locals
I miss learning from locals about their unique everyday lives
I miss getting insight into how other people live, thrive and stay joyful, in spite of very minimal resources and challenging environments
I miss the flavors of local food
I miss the energy of local markets
I miss looking different from other people and being welcomed for it
I miss each day being a new adventure and a new possible connection
I miss being kept on my toes
I miss having no routine
I miss the anticipation of meeting family & friends along our travels
I miss making new memories with others
I miss asking other people about their lives and learning from those conversations
I miss the beauty, buzz and commotion of cities
I miss fumbling our way through conversations, trying to communicate in a language we know nothing about
I miss learning hello & thank you in each new country's language, and saying them daily with a smile
I miss being in awe of places that thrive unbeknownst to us
I miss exposing the girls to new things
I miss the excitement of showing up in a new place and new "home"
I miss sending postcards to family & friends
I miss figuring out plans on the fly
I miss being opportunistic
I miss good, reasonably priced massages
I miss socializing with strangers
I miss seeing how resourceful others are in their lives
I miss having new experiences
I miss getting a glimpse of different cultures
I miss finding off-the-beaten-path locations and experiences
I miss being spontaneous
I miss not knowing the day of the week, whether it's a weekday or weekend
I miss looking forward to our next country or destination within a country
I miss planning our next moves, accommodation, travel logistics & experiences
I miss having daily reminders of how alive it feels to expand your understanding of the world & its diverse people
I miss being on the move
I miss getting stamps in our passport
I miss trying coffee in different countries
I miss different cuisines, flavors & spices
I miss feeling pride in our family resolve to stay true to ourselves & the experiences we value during our travels
I miss gritty, unpristine places
I miss looking out and being fascinated by the hustle bustle life on the streets (commerce, animals, people)
Doug, Paige & Sadie Add-Ons
Going out to restaurants for meals (S)
The colors (S)
The food (S)
Being able to try different foods without having to cook them (P)
Different stamps in our passport (P)
Being in different kinds of outdoor places (P)
Beaches (P)
Encountering new people almost every day, fellow travelers or locals (D)
Trying different foods every day (D)
Going for runs & getting lost in different places/communities (D)
Watching the girls eyes opening wide to new things on seemingly an hourly basis (D)
General excitement associated with being on the move (D)
Seeing the hustle & bustle of airports (D)
Geographical diversity: beaches, mountains, jungles, etc. (D)
General cultural buzz of Asia (D)
Upon reflection, there's clearly a lot we miss about traveling!
Much like the current chapter of the Bhutan book, I miss seeing the world with our hearts. Here's to getting back out there. Some day, some how!
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