Birthdays Around The World
I have celebrated my birthday in eight countries around the world and am set to add a ninth in 2023.
For Globetrotter’s December challenge, I wrote about having spent Christmases in both the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. Although this article is not a direct response to January’s challenge, hold on until the end to see where I plan to travel to in 2023.
South Africa
Until the age of twenty-one, I had spent every single one of my birthdays in my country of birth, South Africa.
As my birthday is in early July, it always fell in the winter school holidays so as a child my school friends were often away on vacation for my birthday parties which doesn’t appease an unhappy child! Some years my party was scheduled early to avoid disappointment and some years it was just a family affair as we, too, headed off on VA-cay-cay. Most celebrations were your usual kid’s birthday — balloons, cake, waaaay too much sugar, and games like pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs, and some such.
There were no bouncy castles — not a thing in 70s and 80s South Africa — no pony rides, no unicorn or clown impersonators, just food, drink, games, and music.
Although I’d spent a Christmas in England at fourteen, was an exchange student in the US at eighteen, and backpacked around Europe at twenty, I’d always made it home for my birthday… that was, until after I turned twenty-one.
USA
Nine months later I headed off to Westlake Village in California to be an au pair. It was here that I had my first birthday out of South Africa.
The family I was living with took me to T.G.I. Fridays for my twenty-second birthday and made a bit of a fuss which was great. The waiters came up to me one by one and tied balloons to my arms and wrists followed by a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday. Heading to the bathroom was an interesting endeavour, the balloons bobbing around my person as I made my way across the crowded dining room.
I remember that… I do not remember whether I returned to the table to untie them before attempting the restroom!
New Zealand
At thirty, my ex and I emigrated to New Zealand where I celebrated an additional four birthdays.
As all of my pictures are in boxes in Australia and I can’t seem to find many from New Zealand saved on my laptop, a picture of Wellington — which is where I lived — will have to do.
During this time my birthdays weren’t particularly spectacular, usually a quiet affair at home with my partner and a gift.
Australia
Shortly after my thirty-fourth birthday, I moved to Australia where I celebrated eight more trips around the sun.
I had some bangers in Australia as I’m sure you can see from the smiles and laughter in the pictures above. My 35th was quite the event as I removed all the furniture from my open plan living/dining area to create a restaurant atmosphere where we dined on a range of curries followed by birthday cake and ice-cream, plus a little dancing in my courtyard.
I was still celebrating in the winter but Perth’s mild temperatures allowed some outdoor time.
Although I lived in the sunburnt country for ten years, two of my birthdays were spent elsewhere. I returned to South Africa for my fortieth birthday to celebrate with my family. A few days afterward, I flew back to Perth and celebrated again with my Australian tribe.
I turned 120 that birthday as I had three separate celebrations in two countries.
Thailand
Whilst living in Australia and as a forty-second birthday treat, I headed over the ocean to Thailand for some much-needed R&R.
On the advice from a friend, I booked myself onto a trip to see the hongs (donut-shaped caves) in Phang Nga Bay, located between the mainland and the island of Phuket.
It was a long but wonderful day.
After sailing out into the bay, we were loaded onto inflatable kayaks, each with a guide, to paddle us into the hongs. We had to lean back flat to enter some of the low entryways and keep still as we sailed under bat caves, the inhabitants ready to scatter at any sharp sound.
Part of the tour included a lesson in creating an offering of thanks to be placed in the sea after a lovely dinner and spectacular sunset. Bobbing on the water with my lovely Thai guide and watching the candles light the night was the perfect way to close out yet another year of life.
Costa Rica
Leading to my forty-sixth birthday I was living in Costa Rica and teaching English as a Second Language in San José.
A friend came to visit and took me to Santa Teresa on the west coast of the country for a birthday treat.
We stayed in a lovely little hotel tucked into the hills of the jungle and wandered down into the main stretch for a birthday dinner on the beach. Apart from my hong tour in Thailand, this was the most unique birthday celebration I’d had thus far.
Canada
A mere few months after the pandemic hit, I was living peacefully in Ontario, and as luck would have it, the virus relented long enough for me to have a good summer birthday!
A friend and I went off to a local dude ranch for a lovely long trail ride which soothed my soul. After a little rest in our respective homes, we headed out to dinner with a third amiga. As Canada was doing well in July 2020, outdoor dining had opened up a few weeks before and I celebrated my forty-seventh in style at one of my favourite restaurants in the city.
I’ll never forget the night before this birthday, there was a full moon, fireflies were darting around my backyard, and there were sounds of happy people laughing and celebrating again. The sublime summer evening preceded a day I had been looking forward to, and I was filled with the relaxed contentment that only warm July nights can bring.
As I whispered into the audio recorder on my phone, I captured the feeling of that evening so as to remember it forever.
The Netherlands
My forty-ninth found me in Tilburg in the Netherlands, in the southern province of North Brabant.
As much as it pains me to say it; this was probably one of my least favourite birthdays.
I was taken to dinner by a friend of a friend but it was an awkward evening. I felt uncomfortable and unable to be myself. Although the view was lovely, the food delicious, and the intention from my host thoughtful, I realized a few weeks later why I hadn’t been able to relax.
The more I seek kindness, the less comfortable I am around harsh and judgmental behaviour.
Mexico
Moving on to happier thoughts and the long-awaited announcement that I know all of you can’t wait to hear… my 2023 travel plans.
I’ll be heading to Cancún, Mexico to spend some time with this delightful creature, my friend Rebecca. With any luck, I’ll also be heading off to Baja California to spend some time as a hippie with a Canadian friend who is currently living and travelling in her van.
From Mexico, I’ll head to Brazil for a couple of months to visit some friends, as well as a little time in Argentina and possibly Uruguay before heading back to Cancún to ring in the big 5–0!
I’ll head back to Costa Rica to see some friends, possibly Panama, Columbia, and Cuba. God alone knows where the travel winds will take me once I’m down there!
After I return home to Canada, I’ll be packing up and moving over to Calgary, so there’ll be a heap more for me to discover in 2023.
Bring it on!
I really enjoyed reading these 2023 travel plans, hopefully you will too!
Oh Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages, be still my beating heart: Greece is still on my bucket list and I’m super jealous!
Hey JoAnn Ryan, maybe we can make a plan to get together whilst I’m down near your neck of the woods!
As I plan to move to Calgary later this year, this article by Aarti Tailor made me salivate.
And yes Sandy Maximus, “there is no charge for dreaming and visualizing when it comes to travel.”
