Wanderlust

There are times that I feel an overwhelming wanderlust. It's not just a desire to jump on a plane for a weekend city break. It's a calling to pack everything in - my job, my public duties, sell my home, throw away almost all my commitments.

I know I am not alone. My partner Ana sometimes suddenly declares that we should go and live in Paris for three months next summer, or that we should simply travel for the rest of our lives. The human brain is fascinating. One moment you are struggling with your ordinary life. The next you are backpacking through the Himalayas.

At the beginning of this year we decided we would travel. We somehow agreed that we would visit five foreign countries this year. Life and money get in our way. But we decided that we really would travel so be just bought tickets, booked a hotel and spent Valentines week in Paris. We always knew that we would be visiting Bucharest in June for Ana's sister's wedding. We also managed to spend a few days in London at the beginning of May and will be returning soon. We also spent a week in Llandudno (North Wales) while I was at a conference. I did not spend much time at the conference. 

We are planning trips to Ireland, Spain (most likely Barcelona) and Italy or Germany this year. Looking ahead, we have plans to visit a lot of places in the future. Amsterdam, Venice, New York, Spain (lots of places) and Japan are high up on our list. South America is also a long-term goal.

What I love most about travelling is that its inspiring. When you stay at home for a long time you start to get too regimented in the peculiarities of your community. Travelling not only changes the scenery and exposes you to new cultures. It allows your imagination to be set free and to inject a new creativity into your thinking.

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