For as long as Daniel and I have been married, travel has always been a priority. Even when Big Brother was born, we didn’t let a child stop us from seeing the world. Instead, we shared our passion with the kid, taking him along with us. Every year, we have the privilege of travelling abroad for a few weeks as well as spending a week at a locally rented vacation home. Even with a lower annual income (from being on parental leave) and career transitions, this year will be no different. The wanderlust is strong in us, and when distant lands calls, we answer.

Philippines

Daniel and I will be spending a month of parental leave in the Philippines with the kids. We leave at the end of this week! For the longest time, we couldn’t decide where to go and entertained practically every country in South America, Asia and Europe before settling on the sunny Philippines during the cold and dreary Canadian February. There are four weeks of island-hopping planned, jumping from Bohol to Palawan. An itinerary isn’t set; our only goal is to spend quality time together and soak up as much vitamin D as possible.

Camping

The first time I went camping, not having gone in over a decade, was last year- with a baby. Despite not being the outdoorsy type, I thought it would be great fun to spend a couple nights in the great outdoors with a then two-month old infant (who know’s what I was thinking; I was sleep deprived). With borrowed gear and a cooler filled with hot dogs, the family drove to Provincial park two hours east of Toronto where we slept in a tent for two nights. Surprisingly, the baby did well. More surprisingly, I survived and enjoyed roughing it. Wanting my children to appreciate nature and not squirm at dirt and insects like I do, we are making camping an annual family tradition. Oh, the things I do for my kids.

Last Word

With the weak Canadian dollar, it is definitely isn’t the best time to travel. The same can be said about our timing, being on parental leave with a reduced income and all. But, we see things a little differently: we both have the month off and we only have to pay for one kid. Why not now? Yes, travel is luxury, but one we save up for and are willing to pay for. According to a Capital One study, 85% of Canadians would rather have experiences over a luxury vehicle. It would appear we are in good company. We drive a used 15 year-old Toyota, so I’ll see you abroad!

What are your travel plans for the year?

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