The longing to travel

(But having to do most of it vicariously through the adventures of others)

It’s amazing how the adventures of others can trigger so much wanderlust.

This last week or so, several of the people I’m enjoying getting to know here at Medium have been on travel experiences that are making me jealous.

My new Ukranian friend, Anastasiya Mozgovaya, has been exploring Paris, a city I’d love to visit again having not been since a young child. The pictures from her trip on her Instagram feed stirred up more than a little jealousy!

And Kimberley Flanagan, from Johannesburg, is currently enjoying time in Cape Town, a city I love and can’t wait to explore more if I can ever save up enough pennies to visit South Africa, the country where my wife and I honeymooned, again.

While no parent should publicly admit to the downsides of having children, a reduction in the amount of travel opportunities is definitely a downside! (Not that I’d return my girls or anything. Obviously.)

But I do miss exploring new countries and making and visiting friends all around the world. I won’t be wishing my two girls away to university, but I will look forward to the chance to explore more of the world again when that door reopens.

For now, I just need to avoid becoming too jealous of the travel adventures of others and simply enjoy the world vicariously through their adventures. (And thank the good Lord for Instagram which makes enjoying other people’s travels so much easier.)

Photo: Kasuma