{"id":19130,"date":"2018-11-28T08:03:47","date_gmt":"2018-11-28T08:03:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/?p=19130"},"modified":"2018-11-29T13:33:41","modified_gmt":"2018-11-29T13:33:41","slug":"confessions-of-a-travel-addict-aged-11-and-3-4s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/confessions-of-a-travel-addict-aged-11-and-3-4s\/","title":{"rendered":"Confessions of a Travel Addict aged 11 and 3\/4s"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Zugspitze<\/p>\n

If there were to be one thing I could say that I have successfully imparted to all three of my children (apart from my general clumsiness), it’s a love of travel –\u00a0 helped along by the fact that everything is such a huge adventure when you’re small (OK I am chancing my arm as to whether the 3 year old loves it as much as the rest of us, but indications are that he does!)…<\/p>\n

My 11 year old has been used to a life where just popping across a border to explore on a weekend was completely normal.\u00a0 \u00a0We would think nothing of packing the car up on a Friday and driving down to Venice to get up at dawn<\/a> to explore while it was empty for example, so coming back to an island (that he still doesn’t really know!) has understandably been a bit of an ordeal at times (and not just for him!).<\/p>\n

\"empty<\/p>\n

I have explained that whilst we are back we are incredibly lucky with the amount of travel connections we have on our doorstep from the UK, so it’s not unusual for find him scouring travel sites and planing where we might visit in the future (via Munich a lot of the time funnily enough!)…<\/p>\n

He’s very lucky in that he’s had some amazing travel experiences in life so far, and I have a sneaky feeling that wherever we end up living in the World, he will be the first of my offspring to pack a rucksack and head off on slightly more dangerous adventures one day (he’s currently reading Levison Wood’s Eastern Horizons – Hitchhiking\u00a0 the Silk Road – which gives me reason to be slightly apprehensive!)…<\/p>\n

When he does wander off, I will comfort myself with the fact that he was a global child and quite a seasoned traveller, and he should<\/em> be OK, even if I have the following memories that often cause me to laugh out loud when they pop in to my head at any given time…\u00a0 Children quite often see another side to a place than grown ups do, and he has definitely chosen to see places in a different way across the years (I think out of all three of my siblings he has given me reasons to laugh the most so far whilst travelling….).<\/p>\n

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Cat whispering in Santorini<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From the time we sprinted across Chicago Airport with him with one shoe in hand to make a flight to Florida (he was absolutely livid we didn’t have time to stop at a Cinnabon.\u00a0 So was I come to think of it)… To the time he spent as a cat whisperer in Santorini<\/a> (everywhere we went he would have to spend at least half an hour talking to some cat or other when he was convinced he was some kind of Doctor Doolittle!\u00a0 This was the same trip both he and his sister surprised the canoodling honeymooning couple by leaping into their cliff edge<\/a> plunge pool, which was more than mortifying!)….<\/p>\n

\"meeting
Meeting his own kind in Alsace<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Fighting vikings at Ribe in Denmark<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Then there was the time he lost his temper with a huge Viking in Denmark<\/a>, and attempted to take him on with a wooden sword even though he was a fraction of the “Viking’s” size and<\/em> age!\u00a0 \u00a0And who can forget the day he got his head stuck through the railings at the top of Copenhagen’s Rundturn (and his finger stuck up a lion’s nose in Frederiksborg<\/a>!!)….\u00a0 \u00a0Or the day he decided he was an Ewok (literally from dawn till dusk!) at the thermal baths in Lake Garda<\/a>, or when he recently became a break dancing champion<\/a> at a huge Italian wedding…<\/p>\n

\"break
break dancing at Italian Weddings – he’s the blur in the middle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I will forever treasure the memory of when he suddenly decided to sing for Saint Nick<\/a> (and around 150 other people) one cold dark night in Austria (this is one memory that almost makes me cry rather than laugh though) and despite being brave enough to take that on, was completely petrified of bumping into Krampus<\/a> on the way back to our apartment (understandably!).<\/p>\n

He almost caused a security issue at Munich airport (takes after his father there!) after packing his own carry on luggage complete with beyblade guns<\/a> that showed up on the scanners (I check everyone’s bags every single time now!), but perhaps most embarrassingly of all (and one I still can’t believe happened!) –\u00a0 he managed to set off the alarm on the Imperial Palace in Kyoto<\/a> that was so loud it resounded through the entire park after accidentally stepping through a security laser.\u00a0 The image of clouds of birds rising into the air at the noise is etched on my memory!…<\/p>\n

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Just before accidentally setting the alarm off on Kyoto’s Imperial Palace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s probably no surprise then that he’s now a mini travel addict!!\u00a0 \u00a0I have loved sharing these adventures with him and his siblings over the years, introducing them to the world has been nothing short of amazing – even if it can be slightly mortifying at times…<\/p>\n

A good few years ago now, his Christmas list looked like this (I couldn’t actually do anything about Number 6 funnily enough!)…<\/p>\n

\"Christmas<\/p>\n

This year Christmas requests involve football boots, technology, and perhaps not surprisingly, a map of the world on which to plan future travel adventures – which is why, when The Future Mapping Company<\/a>\u00a0got in touch to see if we would like to take a closer look at one of their beautiful magnetic maps, I knew immediately who would appreciate one the most.<\/p>\n

\"travel<\/p>\n

They come in a range of styles and colours (and hanging systems!) – choose from cities, countries or continents as well as the entire globe – there’s even a constellation map<\/a> that’s just beautiful.\u00a0 \u00a0 As the map is magnetic it doubles up as a notice board, and the tiny magnets that come with it are already dotted on a few of the 11 year old’s favourite places.<\/p>\n

Despite the fact that this beautiful map is now hanging in the 11 year old’s room (which is usually a tip!),\u00a0 I find myself spending quite a lot of time studying it closely.\u00a0 There’s still a huge amount of the world I didn’t know existed!<\/p>\n

I would really recommend The Future Mapping Company as a great place for a unique and educational wall map (for Christmas or beyond!) for the travel addict in your life however old they might be, and even if they might secretly plan future dangerous adventures on it…\u00a0 You only get one life and all that!<\/p>\n

PS. The Future Mapping Company is also a small independent UK company which is another good reason to shop with them.\u00a0 \u00a0I am trying to do as much Christmas shopping as possible from indies this year!…<\/p>\n

We were gifted a future map for review purposes.\u00a0 All words and opinions are completely my own as always.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Suitcases<\/a><\/div>\n

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