This weeks Globetrotter is a special one as it’s my lovely Mum – Debbie
My mum and dad are solely responsible for my sisters and my traveling genes. They took us on our first overseas trip when we were little and that started us all off on trying to see as much as the world as possible. They are always off seeing or doing something new. From walking the Kokoda track (REPEATEDLY!), hiking in Nepal, exploring India, cycling through Europe or just exploring new places within Australia they truly are #travelgoals. I mean any two people that can take 3 girls under 9 on a 30 hour flight must have some awesome travel resilliance. She’s also managed to wave her daughters off from most airports and whilst I know she misses us all dearly she wants us to go and explore and see the world. As a previous teacher she knows just how important the life lessons you get from travelling are.
You can find a lot of travel stories and pictures on both Debbie’s blog and Instagram and links are below. On the blog Debbie covers all topics so you will get travel as well as lifestyle, books to read and lots of fun stories about our family. She manages to get herself into rather hilarious travel mishaps which thankfully she blogs about. Debbie was the main reason I started blogging. She has been blogging since 2011 and it was great to see her have her own creative space to share her stories, thoughts, photographs and travels. If she didn’t start her blog all those years ago then The Wandering Darlings wouldn’t be here! Thanks Mum x
So with out further ado everyone say G’day to my Mum – Debbie…
I made my travelling debut 25 years ago when we exchanged jobs, houses, cars and lives with an English teacher and his family and took our three young daughters to live on the other side of the world. We loved the Teacher Exchange program which saw us move from a small town in Australia to the village of Cheddar in Somerset UK for a year. I’ve been travelling the world ever since with my husband, my daughters and even on my own. I favour active holidays, think climbing mountains in Nepal, cycling through France, Belgium, Croatia and New Zealand, hiking in Papua New Guinea, skiing in the Italian Alps and visiting past Rotary Exchange students in Sweden, Denmark and Finland – just to name a few! I love adventures and always seem to be caught up in some excitement. I was made redundant at the end of 2016 and my husband retired in 2017 so we now have lots more time to make travel plans. I enjoy blogging, reading, writing, cycling, running, hiking and spending time with family, especially my three daughters who have also lived and travelled all over the world
What is your favourite type of trip/holiday?
Adventure/active trips with my husband. Think biking and barging from Paris to Bruges, cycling and sailing in Croatia, trekking to Annapurna Base Camp, walking the notorious Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, cycling the Otago Rail Trail in New Zealand’s South Island, Friendship Exchange with Rotarians in India. I love visiting family and friends overseas and always try to add in a little adventurous side trip.
Why do you enjoy travelling?
Our family’s motto is borrowed from a Danish saying – To Travel is to Live. I enjoy seeing new places, interacting with people, experiencing new things, leaving a part of myself behind when I leave home to become a new person while travelling. Travel is freedom, it tests you and your relationships with others, it’s stressful, it’s fun, it’s hard, but it makes you feel so alive despite all the hurdles.
Our first experience of travelling was moving to England with our three small daughters on a yearlong Teacher Exchange back in 1992. It was a pivotal point in all our lives and has set us up with a love of travel and adventures.
Quotes to live by:
We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.
Travelling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.
It’s all the little moments that make life a very big adventure.
Tell us the funniest story from one of your adventures?
Where do I start?? My life is full of adventures and funny stories but one that I love telling is this.
Driving through Denmark with my daughters and saying “there’s a big castle around here somewhere, but I can’t see it”. Looking, looking, looking…they said is it that one right in front of us? I couldn’t see it for looking.
What is your favourite photograph from your travels?
That’s hard! This my most favourite recent travel pic. The Moeraki Boulders in New Zealand
If you could go anywhere in the world right now where would it be?
My dream place to visit is the Greek Islands and I will get there one day! I’ve just heard Mykonos and Santorini are among the most expensive places to visit in the world.
What is the best piece of travel advice you could give?
Sorry I couldn’t leave it at just one so I’ve listed three!
1. Always dress and pack for where you’re going to not where you’ve come from.
2. Be organised but also be spontaneous and ready to take opportunities should they arise.
3. Don’t live the trip through your camera or phone, put them down from time to time and just soak in the sights with your whole being.
To find more from Debbie check out the links below
Oh wow!! t’s all about me 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing my travelling story and ultimately that of our family too. Love it xxx
hahah it is all about you!! Thanks for being involved xx
My pleasure, anytime you need me just call 🙂
Reblogged this on Deb's World and commented:
My daughter has featured me on her blog today – it really is all about me!!! Thanks Melanie, it’s a great post 🙂
thanks for reblogging!!
Great post! I especially love the advice “Don’t live the trip through your camera or phone.”
I know it can be so easy to do as you want to take so many photos but sometimes the experience just needs to happen away from the screen. Thanks for stopping by and commenting
I loved it, and was nodding my head a few times 🙂 Love hearing parents taking their children on adventures. Brilliant photo of the boulders, cloudy days seem to always make a photo more dramatic. Look forward to hearing more of your adventures Deb 🙂
Thanks so much for commenting Suz. Agree about the pic of the boulders it’s beautiful isn’t it!
It is, and an interesting place to visit. We lived fulltime in our converted bus [motorhome] off and on for 10 years and visited the South Island quite a few times.
Oh wow that sounds amazing!!
It was fun, cried when we sold the ole bus!
Very nice to “meet” your mum! Glad she managed to visit my home country Belgium. 🙂 What a great example to have as a mother. My Moeraki Boulders, unfortunately, didn’t come out as well as hers.
She fab and has gone to some amazing places that I can’t wait to get to! I’ve not seen the Moeraki Boulders in the flesh but all the pictures of them look amazing
Great post! Sounds like you have a great mother.
Yep she’s the best!
Woah! I follow both of you and had know idea that you are Debbie’s daughter! 😀
Yay for both of you having lovely blogs.
Haha if you met us it would be very obvious we are related 😂 bit of a blogging family.
Blogging family with wanderlust! Sounds awesome!!
My mum is always a bit confused why I would wander around the world!!
I love Debbie’s quotes, especially the first one!
My parents also instilled a love if travel in me, I’m so grateful for it.
And the tips are a timely reminder for me since I just packed my bags to head to France for a couple weeks with my own mom!!
Great post – what an interesting story you have, and especially liked the quotes!
This so lovely and thoughtful..I once said your mum has all the fun….
She really does! She can’t sit still for long