I was very naive growing up. I knew little about the world around me and I didn’t really think too much, or care for that matter, about what could be happening just further than the end of my road if I’m completely honest.
I spent the last half of my childhood and my early pubescent years in Spain. I integrated with the culture, I spoke the language fluently – after a brutal first year of understanding jack shit, being put to the back of the classroom with a pen and a notebook and being expected to take notes. Seriously? – I managed, and believe me I am so grateful to have a second language under my belt. It has been a handy tool growing up and it most certainly came in handy when Brad and I went to Mexico for our friends wedding and decided to leave the resort for a few days to explore. Although, I think perhaps Brad wished I didn’t just forget he was there, struggling to keep up while I was getting lost in conversation with the local people. Oops!
Yes, I really didn’t think travelling would be for me. I always felt I was quite happy where I was, in my bubble. But, I guess I just never stopped to take in and truly appreciate the fact that I was in another country, that I had learned the way of another culture and that actually I had done this quite a few times already!
When you are young though, all you want to do is be with your friends, have sleep-overs, play with Barbie or your Bratz doll and stay up all night talking about that Sponge Bob episode you were watching earlier that day or discussing how much you wished you were a teenage witch like Sabrina. – Come on, don’t pretend like you haven’t. –
Fast forward 10 years to the point of my life where I was reintroduced to the world and it’s many cultures, landscapes and let’s not forget all that damn food! At 21, I was still in fact so naive about the world, but at least at this age, I was curious to find out what lay across the massive great pond.
My husband is a romantic man, he would prefer to make memories for a special occasion by organising an activity or whisking me away on a short city break. Our first date, in fact, was a few hours of rock climbing somewhere in the woods near Ash Down forest.
Brad definitely had far more life experience and had also been to several parts of the world already. He had been to India twice and Thailand once, before going a third and second time with me. He would tell me stories of his experiences there and become drunk with nostalgia talking about the beauteous beaches of Goa and the infamous full moon party of Koh Phagnan.
It certainly made me feel like perhaps there was a lot out there that was worth seeing.
