1,000 Places to See Before You Die could be considered the “bucket list” for intrepid travelers. There are so many places here that we hope to visit, but it’s going to take a while! So many unknown places to us. Many are exotic and others a bit dangerous. Are we up to it? You bet we are!
We’ve found traveling to be a great family experience. I’m not just talking about being a tourist, but being a true traveler, experiencing the culture as closely and intimately as possible. We’ve done this with our young daughters since their birth. Puerto Rico, Mexico, Panama and other Caribbean islands have been a true experience of life lessons for our girls. Some typical scenes from these travels that have made such lasting impressions on our girls are shown below.
Culebra was one of those trips that our only daughter at the time will not remember. She was only two. But, her continuing interest in other cultures was born, we believe, in these early experiences. Local teenagers are especially interested in getting to know “the strangers” in town. Our girls have been incredible catalysts for our better understanding and enjoyment of the places we visit.
What can I say about Panama? Parts of the trip were so far outside of “normal” for us. Yet, our daughter took it all in stride. The universal language of “candy” is understood even by the most remote tribes of the world. Candy is a great ice breaker for kids! The game of “chase” also is universally understood. So what if you are playing chase underneath roundhouses with naked indigenous kids running around. It’s all good.
Get to know your hotel staff. Leave tips! This fellow was the only cook at the hotel restaurant. He became very aware of our daughters’ preferences in food, and made sure to try to accommodate them as he could. Great guy, and the pleasure of both parties can be seen on their faces.
Our younger daughter can be relied upon to make sure you meet the locals. She loves being the center of attention, and quite often will take it upon herself to make sure she doesn’t miss a thing. Leave it to her to get to know the local restaurant workers and locals. Did we get good service? You bet!
Get out and experience the town! Walk to your destination. Who cares about a little dirt? Sun dresses, sandals, dirt and cows are just find coexisting when you are exploring a new destination.
Folks, don’t wait until it’s too late to expose your kids to other cultures. It teaches lessons, molds minds, impacts attitudes and generates a desire for more travel experiences in them. I truly believe that travel is one of the best learning tools for our kids.
Go visit 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Get ideas. Become intrigued with new places. Take your kids outside of your comfort zone and go out and explore! Enjoy it!