It’s to see the world, surely. After having been stuck in an island for almost three years (thanks Covid!), the need for it is even stronger.
At the height of the pandemic, I used to watch tons of travel YouTube videos, just to imagine how it would feel to be out there travelling again. Oh, the sights I would see and the food I would try!
I went to Europe in October 2022, finally. Well, Germany and Scandinavia to be exact. It has been a long time coming, what with the pandemic and me feeling too scared to travel again after all these years.
But over the years, I realised that the best memories are always in the little fleeting moments.
It’s when someone unexpected enveloped you in a tight hug after not seeing each other for four years.
It’s when you sneaked into the kitchen together to have some crackers because you were not full from dinner but too scared to accidentally wake the kid in the house up.
It’s when you met your best friend’s son for the first time, and he smiled shyly at you that you knew in an instant that you would get along.
It’s when your friend brought you hot chocolate in bed.
It’s when you sat with your friends at the cosiest cafe to hide from the cold.
It’s when the shy kid came up to you while you were reading to ask you to play with him.
Or even when you somehow ended up sitting by the lake on a freezing night under a full moon…
It’s when you realised that you had a bigger sense of adventure than the past few years led you to believe.
Some memories are special but hard to put your finger on why. And it’s all I can do to not let it slip through my fingers and remember it forever.
And to think that I was almost too scared to travel halfway across the world again. If I ever say that to your face, I’m giving you a free pass to tell me I’m a complete moron and just pack my bag and go already.
Because travelling makes me happy. Because to travel, for me, is to live.
missruslee 