There’s something about the moment of take-off. The plane hurtles down the runway, the wheels lose contact with the ground, and everyday life is left behind. Let it go…
After a massive year for the GradyBunch I’ve been dreaming of the moment where the craziness of our daily routine shifts to holiday mode. It’s precious time to hang out, share new experiences, and expand our perspectives on the world we live in. This time we’re heading to Norway and Iceland to chase Northern Lights, Vikings, and Sven.
This is our 6th significant overseas adventure as a family. I started the daily email update on our first trip to the US & Canada in 2011 to keep our families up to date. When I got home, I realised how valuable it was to have a record of our activities as so many things are forgotten in the experience overload. Since then we’ve captured Vietnam 2012, UK & Europe 2013, Turkey 2015, India & Nepal 2016 and South America 2018. Looking back, I realise that it also makes me more present on the trip.
When we first started travelling with the girls we agreed to alternate ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ countries. In Vietnam we realised how much we enjoyed stepping out of our comfort zone, so there’s been a definite leaning to countries and experiences that challenge us physically and emotionally, and help reshape our view of what’s really important in life.
This trip is about our planet. We’ve watched countless documentaries that had us marvelling at the Northern Lights so they’ve been on ‘the list’ for a long time. We’re looking forward to a trip that’s filled with cities, snow, and oceans, as a contrast to our past trips filled with countryside, heat and hills.
Day 1 is all about Singapore… Singapore Airlines and an 8 hour transit through Singapore Airport. How do you entertain yourself? Continue our activity streak and do a lap of Changi airport to find out how big it is… over 6km later…
They must have known we were coming because the whole airport has been taken over by a Frozen Wonderland to celebrate the release of Frozen 2, and countless kids are wandering around with their plush characters – ‘only $8.90 with every $60 spent’.
Meanwhile, our own Elsa and Ana (you can decide which is which) have grown enough to explore the airport on their own. They’re currently off searching for butterfly and cactus gardens, and Olaf. Personally, I think the chance of him surviving in 30 degree Singapore are as slim as us getting rid of the Let it go, let it go… earworm!
My big observation for the day is just how much technology has changed the way we travel. We turned up at Brisbane International without a piece of paper in sight. Everything is on line, and the days of folders of printed bookings and itineraries are long gone… thank goodness!
Finally, for those who know of the GradyBunch challenge to travel as lightly as possible, I am proud to say I took out the title with 10.3kg of luggage, with Chook only 100g behind. There is some conjecture about whether I’ll feel like I’m winning when it’s -16 and I’m wearing everything that I brought and wishing I’d packed a whole lot more. The cold doesn’t bother me anyway…
Let the adventure begin!!!
Cheers, the GradyBunch!
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