Travelling Soul Sister

I have caught a bug. A bug that produces rapid heart rate, wide eyes, heightened senses, this bug gives feelings of awe and wonderment, but also a sense of fulfilment, of contentment, of appreciation. I think I may have been born with the bug and have loved it since the moment I can remember. Yep, I have a untreatable bug and I’m not ashamed to say it, in fact, I adore thing little guy, and as far as I’m concerned it can stay, for you see, this bug, is the TRAVEL BUG!

Travelling to me means exploring, experiencing, seeing and smelling, touching and feeling. New places, sights and surrounds…..if I had endless funds I would travel my whole life, returning home to see loved ones before jetting off again. Setting off on a never ending adventure.

To travel is to learn, to appreciate, to experience new sights, to taste new foods, to discover different cultures and traditions, to respect, to grow and expand our mind, heart and soul and more often than not, it is also a chance to expand our bellies! As for me, the culinary tastes and experiences whilst travelling is as important as the exploring and sightseeing side itself!

My travelling bug started young, I was incredibly fortunate to go on some amazing overseas holidays with my family from a young age. My first overseas holiday was onboard ‘Fairstar – the fun ship’ a P&O passenger cruise liner, decommissioned and sent for scrap metal in 1997. I distinctly remember the smell of the oiled deck, I instantly loved the rich, woody aroma. It’s amazing how a certain smell will trigger a memory and all of a sudden you are taken back to when you were 9 years old standing on the deck of a ship that to a kid seemed as big as the titanic.

Some time has passed since my last Overseas journey, I have two young children now and so the overseas travelling has slowed down. When my eldest Son was 8 months old we bundled him up and set off to Japan and China for 4 weeks. A fair haired blue eyed baby is quite the attraction in Japan! I sent the travel bug into hibernation for a few years whilst I concentrated on raising my Sons, amid nappies, toddlers, sleepless nights and cutting back to one wage, there wasn’t much time or money left over for overseas holidays.

My travelling experiences for the past few years has taken place in my own home town of Melbourne, Australia. I have become a tourist in my own city and I am loving the experience of exploring and unearthing amazing sights and destinations that the beautiful state of Victoria has to offer.

I have always kept a diary whilst on holiday, at the end of each day I would write an entry on the highlights, food and experiences, I have a pretty poor memory you see but with my passion for writing, it was a wonderful way for me to remember, so here I am, switching from good old fashioned pen and paper to the world of online blogging. I’m pleased to say the bug has come out of hiding, back with a vengence! So I hope you enjoy reading the adventures of the ‘Travelling Soul Sister’ as much as I enjoy writing them.