Always Want To Go

I have had farsickness all my life and Fernweh, similar to wanderlust, is a German word used to describe farsickness. It is a need or desire to go to or see places you have never been to before. I came across this word and definition the other day and decided it fits Steve and me perfectly. How lucky are we to have the same sickness? I expect most of you have, at one time or another, experienced this feeling, right? It’s pretty much 24/7 for us. We always want to go!

Why?

There are so many reasons people want to travel. A few of mine are:

• Discovering new places
• Meeting new people and learning different perspectives
• Getting away from my everyday routine
• Visiting with and renewing relationships with old friends
• Recharging and relaxing
• A search for adventure
• The food!
• Whittling down my bucket list

This is my shortlist, and travel means different things for different people. Each of your travel lists will be a little different. Is it the history, culture, scenery, restaurants, beaches you enjoy most? For me, it is all of those things.

We always manage to discover unexpected fun and exciting places as we travel. We found the most remarkable museum and soda fountain in Kansas because we followed a sign we saw along the highway with an arrow pointing to the Kiowa County Historical Museum. Read about that adventure here.

The most enjoyable aspect of our trips is meeting new people. We love visiting with strangers we meet along the way, even if only briefly. We learn about different lifestyles and perspectives folks have in other parts of the world.

Very little is everyday routine when you are traveling. Every day is a new adventure. We have to hunt for laundry facilities. That, admittedly, is not always fun, but it is an adventure. We usually have most meals in the RV, but they are often not the same meals we have at home. Cooking is, yes, an adventure while we’re traveling.

During our RV travels in Kansas, we have had the opportunity to spend time with several family members and friends who were all out of our reach for a day visit.

I enjoy the drives in the RV to and from each destination. I don’t think it is quite as enjoyable for Steve since he has to keep his full attention on the road all the time, but we do both enjoy seeing all the sights along the route as we drive. Recharging and relaxing begins in earnest after setting up our campsite and relaxing in a comfortable chair with a cold beverage or a good book.

We are always delighted by the unknown, unfamiliar and unusual. Adventure for us does not mean mountain climbing or diving off the coast of Africa. Our adventures include driving to a new town, touring a museum or botanical garden, plantation, historical home, historic fort, finding a megalithic site, or a beautiful beach. These are our adventures.

We do love to dine out at interesting restaurants. We have enjoyed so many outstanding, unusual, delicious meals as we travel, as well as many great campfire and RV kitchen meals we have prepared and shared. Here’s a speedy and easy recipe we enjoy on the go.

There are so many destinations and world wonders we want to see and experiences we want to have. A few of our favorite places checked off our bucket lists are Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle. There is so much more to see and do, and a bazillion places to visit right here in the United States. What’s on your bucket list?

Why not?

Regrettably, in my mind, at least not everyone can or chooses to travel. Some people have no desire to venture away from their homes. They are content in their own worlds. There is nothing wrong with that. We’re all different. Some of you may have family obligations, illnesses, or situations that prevent you from traveling. Money, of course, is often a big stop sign. Often the money obstacle can be overcome with creative and long-term planning, but that is not always the case. For us, travel is a tremendous privilege, and we appreciate every travel opportunity that comes our way.

Benefits

We have found that traveling improves our mood, makes us feel good, probably even more so now, in our senior years. We know that we will have made new friends and have unforgettable memories to take home with us at the end of each trip.

Travel removes us from our comfort zone by placing so many new adventures in our paths. Every travel day provides totally brand new experiences or merely different scenery to look at.

Often I carefully research a travel destination. Sometimes I do not have a plan, and we arrive at our destination with very little information about the place. In those instances, we rely heavily on recommendations and information from locals. We end up making new friends, and we learn much more about a location from a local than we ever could from a guidebook.

Not always lollipops and rainbows

Fortunately, we have not encountered any overwhelming problems, tragedies, or terrifying events during our travels. We have had a few “situations,” however.

Once, we were unable to fly from Brisbane, Australia, to Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays because storms had damaged the runway. All passengers were put on an hour and a half flight to Makay. Then, we were put on a charter bus that drove us the additional hour and a half to Airlie Beach airport. The Australians were very accommodating and turned what could have been a bad situation into an entertaining adventure. What great people!

When we returned to Brisbane from Airlie Beach, we were unable to locate our B&B. We had a paper map and constant phone contact with the owner, but no GPS. She even got in her car and tried to locate us! We never connected, never found the B&B. After several hours, the B&B owner and I decided it might be best to find other accommodations. Again, it all worked out fine.

These are just a few of the tiny snafus I recall. There are so many more. We did not, however, let these problems or hiccups ruin our trips. We are on an adventure, after all, and what’s an adventure without a few missteps, right?

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So, you can see that I have a severe case of farsickness. Fortunately for me, Steve is also afflicted. This is a very long story to illustrate that travel, even in today’s Covid world, is possible, even easy. You never know what is out there to see or do, and most importantly, you never know if you are just about to make a forever friend.

Our backup travel plan is RV travel and we are thoroughly enjoying it. There are fifth wheels, travel trailers, Class A, Super C, Class B, pop-up campers, and even tents for those with no brittle bones. RVs are just as comfortable as a hotel and can be as luxurious as you want them to be.

There are primitive “boondocking” campsites and very fancy upscale RV resorts. RV parks do not always have to be out in the backwoods. Sometimes RV resorts are right in the middle of a shopper’s paradise or on the beach. We prefer simple, boondocking, and backwoods. You may prefer the lazy rivers, pools, clubhouses, and scheduled social activities at a resort. There is an RV lifestyle for everyone. I very much recommend giving it a try. You’ve got nothing to lose and might have a wonderful experience. If travel is your thing, if you are suffering from fernweh, you will find a way.