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My mom and I are probably the world’s most incompatible travel companions. Our travel styles clash — big time. She has no desire to hike up Machu Picchu, explore the streets of Mexico City, or step foot in the Middle East like I do. And, there are plenty of places she would like to go that I would rather not — it goes both ways.
I’ve nailed down packing lightly (for the most part), while she packs bags stuffed full of clothes for every season and brings tins of homemade treats. I hardly ever have a set plan or itinerary, she thrives off having a plan. And, she'll ask 1,000 times “what’s the plan today” if we haven’t gone over an hour by hour play of what we’re doing.
But none of that matters. There are so many things that I love about traveling with my mother. Seeing her experience new things for the first time is something I will always cherish (Yes, I’m talking about that one time she went down water slides at a park in Brazil). Watching her caring, inclusive spirit come to life while interacting with local people is a gift I admire her for. I always learn something new about her, whether it's how she reacts to certain situations or things about her childhood. And, to just be able to spend time with her — which is hard to come-by when you live 16 hours away from each other -- is something that I'll always treasure. There's just something so damn special about traveling with your mom as an adult.
So here's to always traveling with my mom. Let's start planning our next trip, mom! 😊