“Have you ever felt a strong urge to pack your bags and explore the world?” That’s how I feel every day.
In this article, I will share how my passion for travel grew from a state of curiosity to a constant little voice in my head and a never-ending passion in my soul.
My lust for travel and adventure came from my parents. As a family, we started camping in the summer of 1958 when I was only 6 months old. That was back when camping really wasn’t a thing. There was not all the modern convenience of today, no electricity, or running water, you had to pump the water from a well and bathroom facilities I can still smell the unbearable odor that came from them.
When I was a bit older, my dad took me to Pittsburgh Airport. It was a great, low-cost activity for a 6 or 7-year-old. On the upper level, there was an observation deck where you could step outside and watch the planes. I recall looking through the tiny windows of the airplanes and seeing the passengers settling into their seats. I was curious about where they were headed and what kind of adventure awaited them. The roaring sound of the engines and the smell of fuel filled my veins, right then and there I became addicted to airplanes and the adventures they can take you on.
As a teenager, my idea of a great Friday night date with my high school sweetheart was grabbing a pizza and parking on a road at the end of the runway. We’d lay in a field and watch as the planes would come in for a laying, their wheels would be down they were so close we felt like we could reach out and touch them. It was an incredible feeling- the sights, sounds, and smells filled me with a sense of wonder. I yearned to be on one of those planes, going anywhere and everywhere to the unknow. I wanted to see the world!
After high school I went to travel school then took my first job in the travel industry, I stayed in the travel industry for 15 years, it was a wonderful time. Airlines would call you and beg for you to join them on a fam trip to a destination they were promoting, I was able to travel to places until then could only see in brochures, The Virgin Islands, Grand Caymans, Aruba, so many other places I can’t remember them all.
As we all have experienced life gets in the way, I got married to someone that didn’t share my passion for travel. Had my sons and even though I still traveled I was not getting my full fix. I wanted to take my sons to see the world, but someone must pay those darn household bills.
Once the internet came about the travel industry began to shift, and travelers were able to book their own reservations from the comfort of their homes. This opened a whole new world not only about how we could book travel but how we could explore destinations and places you would want to explore.
Then there was that dreadful day in September 2001, when the travel industry came to a complete stop, and the world changed forever, things were never like they were. I had to move on from travel to feed my family even though I left the travel industry, the passion for traveling stands in my heart, I never really found that passion and love that I had for travel.
As I am turning the bend in my life and seeing the sunset down the road, I decided it is time to go back to what gave me passion, that is why when others are thinking of retirement I am thinking “Let’s get going”. I want to ride the wave into my later years going something I love. TRAVEL.
That is why I started a travel agency at the age of 65 and this public journey of my adventure. My hope is that I might be able to encourage or inspire others like me, a mature older female that wants to travel. I also say, if your current friends don’t want to travel, it is time to make new friends.
Tick Tock time is a wasting away, where is the next adventure?
Susan