I caught myself saying something this week that surprised me. “I think I need to go to Japan.” If you’d asked me that five years ago, I probably would have laughed. Japan just wasn’t on my list. It wasn’t that I had anything against it. I just assumed it wasn’t for me. When I pictured Japan, I pictured Tokyo with its busy streets, bright lights, and crowds of people. That’s where my mind always stopped. Then I started planning a client’s trip.
As I dug into the itinerary, I kept finding places that made me stop and wonder a little bit. I researched small towns tucked into the mountains. I saw pictures of peaceful gardens, historic temples and food that looked absolutely incredible. I learned about traditions that have been part of daily life for centuries.
Before I knew it, I wasn’t just planning someone else’s vacation anymore. I was adding another destination to my own wish list. Now I wonder if this is something that happens to all of us. When we’re younger, the world feels so big. There are places that seem too far away or too intimidating to even think about visiting. We stick with what feels familiar.
But then life happens. My kids grew up, my schedule changed, and now I have a little more freedom to explore. If you’re anything like me and entering this nearly empty-nest stage of life, you may be looking at a map differently than you did twenty years ago.
When I was twenty years younger, I was more interested in the beach escapes. Don’t get me wrong…I still love a good beach escape! But now, I’m open to more. I’m interested in history and culture in a way that I wasn’t before. And I’ve noticed the same thing happening in so many conversations with clients.
My clients are asking for an Alaska cruise when they only explored sunny destinations before. They’re asking for a river cruise through Europe when they only explored destinations in the United States. Sometimes they want Germany, Ireland or Scotland to explore the places their grandparents or great-grandparents came from.
I think travel has a way of keeping us curious. The more we learn about the world, the more we realize how much there is to see. Places that once felt so far away begin to feel surprisingly within reach. Maybe that’s just one of the gifts of this stage of life. We finally have the time to explore places we’ve only dreamed about or places we never dreamed about until someone told us their story. If you’re ready to start dreaming, you can schedule a planning appointment with me any time. I’d love to chat about it!
Kendie
