As the waves hit our world-weary faces, the tensions seemed to melt away; there was laughter and there was warmth.
It is said that a family that prays together stays together. True that. But as a travel enthusiast, I would also say that a family that travels together, stays together.
Travel provides an amazing bonding experience to families. Traveling offers a chance to move away from the mundane dance of the routine. It’s a change from the daily drama of work, school, finances and relational entanglements. It provides families with an opportunity to forget the cares of the world; to unload the burdens of everyday life and to escape into the magic of faraway lands and idyllic retreats.
In today’s fast-paced world of technology, families do not have the time to have one meal together in a day. In fact, children and parents communicate with each other more through Whatsapp messages rather than through face-to-face conversations. Such is the reality of city life. In situations like this, travel offers the much-needed respite from the humdrum of everyday life and gives families a chance to unwind, relax and engage in fun activities in an unfamiliar setting. In fact, travel provides parents and children a chance to engage and connect with each other; something that is a rarity otherwise. Some of the best conversations that I have personally had with my children have been while we were on vacation in distant lands. It’s almost like we stop being mechanical faces and voices and start being human again.
Travelling not just involves leaving home for a while and moving to a new location. It involves a major shift in the mindset. Everyday worries that seem like insurmountable mountains appear to become insignificant molehills as the body and mind travels further from home. I remember once when my extended family was in the throngs of a relationship power struggle, the elders in the family suggested that we take a trip to the seashore. As the waves hit our world-weary faces, the tensions seemed to melt away; there was laughter and there was warmth. The entire family returned home in a spirit of camaraderie and bonhomie. I think this is because traveling connects us to the larger universe. We become a speck in the larger framework of life. We become a part of the family called humanity and in this we are one.
Travelling with Children
Traveling with children is personally my favourite kind of travel. Kids look at the world with a sense of curiosity and wonder that is really missing in us adults. The excitement in their eyes as we set forth on our journey, however big or small; nearby or distant is palpable. You can hear them screaming and jumping around in delight while we adults sort out the logistical nuances of a trip. Kids are awake and running in the early hours of the morning on days when trips are planned; much before us adults. While adults grumble about the dingy ride on potholed roads in rundown buses, children look out through the window and wonder at the shapes of the clouds in the sky. Once on a trip to Ooty, the adults in my family kept complaining about the huge Botanical gardens and how much they have to walk; while the kids spent their time counting the number of roses and figuring out their myriad colours. Talk about stopping and smelling the roses, right?
However, traveling with kids has its own set of challenges. With very small children, there are countless food and bathroom breaks that need to be taken into account. If you are visiting a theme park, there are a lot of rides that are off-limits for really small children and so it is better to go with a large group; then adults can take turns on the rides and watch over the little ones simultaneously. Also, air travel can be quite challenging with babies due to issues related to air pressure. Be sure to carry some candy for them to suck on. Similarly, extreme cold weather can be off-putting to little children. Be sure to cover them up. It’s actually fun and interesting to travel with kids when they are aged between six and twelve. Kids are very inquisitive and aware of the world around them at this age. Through their eyes, we learn to see the world a whole lot differently. Of course, with teenagers, traveling is a whole different ball game. They are hooked on to their smartphones and parents have to spend quality time convincing them to look at the world around them. Of course, teenagers love food and adventure sports and those are great ways to bond with them.
Finally, traveling creates cherished memories. Memories are what hold families and communities together. And when parents and children travel together, bond with each other and experience the world together; they create unforgettable memories that are carried forward through adulthood and old age. Be it sitting around a bonfire in Kodaikanal crooning Bollywood songs or rushing towards gushing waves in Kanyakumari or cooling off in sunny Goa, traveling with family creates wonderful memories that last a lifetime.
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