Although I am no longer young, neither am I definitely old. But it's within view. My husband refuses to travel anywhere, mostly because he has too many health problems to travel comfortably, and partly because he feels safer at home where everything is familiar. So if I want to travel, I have to either do it alone, or with friends or family. I have done both.
In 2009, 2014, and 2017 I did road trips to the Midwest with each of my three adult children. (The 2009 travel companion was only 17, so technically not yet an adult.) Each trip was quite different, depending on which of the three I was traveling with. Each trip was enjoyable in its own way.
In 2018 I drove with my sister and brother-in-law to Port Townsend, WA, to explore the area. We had a grand time.
In 2019 and 2020 I flew alone to Arizona to visit another sister for a few days in the winter. I don't like flying, but I had no problems.
Now I'm five years older, five years tireder, and feeling less adventuresome than I once did. All I formerly had to do to get the urge to travel was to look at a map. Now that urge isn't as strong. But if I do decide to travel any more, it will likely be by myself, and I will consider it "me time" and self care. Here's why:
My life is very full and busy. My husband relies on me more than he realizes for many things. I spend a great deal of time with my adult children and my three grandchildren. I always have projects going on in the house, and outdoors as well during the summer. It seems like I'm always on call to help out whoever needs a hand. I have to go someplace else in order to truly take a break. So hopping into the car and going for a drive is my golden opportunity to listen to my favorite music, think my own thoughts without interruption, and really relax.
It's nice to share an experience with someone else, but it's also nice to be able to stop whenever I want to look at whatever I want, and to keep the daily travel times short enough to avoid upsetting any body parts. Some folks want to press on, as if it was a race to the finish. I prefer to enjoy the trip as I go.
