A wanderer.

Posted on July 29, 2008

Both of my parents were born into poor families.  My dad was a son of a Turkey farmer in Montana.  He  moved to Colorado with his mom when he was a teenager because his parents split up and there were no jobs for single woman in Billings, Montana.  That was the extent of his youthful travels.

My mom was the youngest of eight in a Catholic family.  Her parents moved to Colorado from Wisconsin while she was in utero.  There is some question whether or not her father is her father, and that may possibly be the reason for the exodus from Wisconsin.  However, nothing is confirmed (or denied) and she spent her adolescence in the Denver Metro Area.

My parents were married young (barely twenty,) and had kids young.  But that didn’t stop them from achieving.  My dad was in the Army Reserves and went to College while my mom stayed home with two kids under the age of three.  When they could finally afford a house of their own, they added another child into the mix.  They were poorish, busy, but full of ambition.  And they promised themselves that their kids would see America.

My Dad made good.  He received an accounting degree from DU and eventually his CPA license.  From that point on, we were travelers.

Every summer for as long as I can remember, we went on a road trip vacation. This was, of course, before car seats and seat belts were fully in effect.  However, airline tickets were still unreachable.  My parents loaded us up in a Volkswagen Rabbit, with the hatch back down, a blanket and toys, and bad recordings of our favorite Disney shows on audio cassette tape.  (I can still recite Robin Hood verbatim.)  When we weren’t listening to Disney films, we listened to our parents’ music.  My mom, Barry Manilow and the Beatles.  My dad was a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen, Pat Benatar and Blondie (Rapture still gives me the creeps.)

I can honestly say I don’t remember everything about those trips.  I was young, and there were other things in my life that were more important to me at the time.  However, I can say that I have been to every state in the United States (excluding Alaska.)  Of course, most of them I slept through, or just merely saw them from the highway.  But, I have physically been there.

The most important gift my parent’s gave me through all of these trips, was the sense that it was absolutely okay and worth while to GO.  There was NO adventure too small, no tourist trap too lame, and absolutely no museum worth skipping.  And I have to say, my parents are my heroes when it comes to travel.  They drug us (sometimes kicking and screaming) all across America, parts of Canada, and Mexico.  Since we (as in my brother, my sister and I) have left the house, they have traveled EVERYWHERE!  Cruises, road trips, flights to Vegas, introducing the grand kids to Disney, whatever the destination, they GO.  (They are currently on a cruise through the Hawaiian Islands)

Now it’s my turn.  I have the physical and financial ability to GO.  John and my first trip together (other than our honeymoon on a cruise through the Caribbean) was to Paris during new years with eight of our friends.  Since then, we’ve been to the Netherlands, the Netherlands driving to Germany and Back (while I was 6 months pregnant,) and back to Germany right after Chloe turned one.  And now we are planning our trip to Italy.  (Of course, if I have my way, this trip will include a road trip through Italy, Switzerland, and Germany.)

I am trying to be realistic about this trip.  We have a limited time (little over two weeks) and a lot of personal and financial variables to consider.   I try to plan every trip abroad as if it will be our last.  Of course, we absolutely hope that it won’t.  With oil prices rising, and with the possibility of turning our family of three to a family of four, it just keeps getting more expensive.  Of course, if we can’t travel abroad, I am sure we will take advantage of all that America has to offer (by car if necessary.)  But, I am worried that this might be my one an only trip to Italy.  And I hope I can take full advantage without annoying anyone else in our party.

That being said, the Ericksons are going to Italy for New Years!!  The details are fuzzy, but we’re going!  Look out Rome!