Courtesy of Varisha Tariq
- My dad prioritized travel over possessions, leading our family to visit 20 countries together.
- He prioritized family trips to places rich in culture and history.
- These shared travel experiences strengthened our family bonds and inspired lifelong gratitude.
When I was 10, I remember preparing for the most exciting adventure of my life — so far. My family and I were going on a cruise from Mumbai to Lakshadweep Island. I could hardly stand the anticipation.
My father, in those days, was still an up-and-coming businessman, and paying for our travels didn't come easy. But he always made sure to prioritize travel. To me, it seemed that we took the nicest flights, stayed in beautiful hotels, and had the best time on the cruise and on the trip.
From the moment we got home from one vacation, I waited patiently for news of our next family trip. My family made a point of traveling somewhere new every year, often visitingplaces that were rich in history, culture, or biodiversity. Memorable destinations included Singapore's fabulous bird sanctuary, Sri Lanka's pristine beaches, and going on a Kenyan safari.
I always came back from our travels feeling so enriched. The world, after every trip, seemed so much bigger, but also so much closer to us.
Courtesy of Varisha Tariq
Of course, traveling with family can be stressful
Were the trips always pleasant? Of course not. Sometimes we fought because we didn't always agree on the proposed itinerary. Sometimes we struggled because of lost cameras, bags being stolen, someone getting sick, or getting bad news from back home. We also have been incompatible on trips, our differences of opinion getting the better of us.
Courtesy of Varisha Tariq
But looking back, those aren't the memories I hold dearest. Instead, I remember the time my family sat together at a park in Switzerland or when my dad jokingly got down on one knee in front of my mother while we were near the Eiffel Tower. I feel so much joy whenever I look at our travel photos.
We still travel together, even though my siblings and I are grown
At family gatherings, we often tell stories about our travels. We'll recall the almost missed train of Geneva, the Primark-obsessed shoppers of London, the Bailey's farm of Ireland and its delicious cheesecake, or my weeping face after I realised our camera had been stolen in Malaysia. Or, most recently, the taxi driver who scammed us in Dubai. Dubai was our 20th International trip together, a significant milestone.
Courtesy of Varisha Tariq
Last year, I decided to take my sister on a European trip, ending with us attening a Taylor Swift concert in Amsterdam. We are the first women in our family to travel internationally independently. I remember that day, gelato in our hands, sitting on a park bench somewhere in Central Florence, we just started weeping. In that moment, we felt grateful for the life our parents provided for us, one filled with many adventures and memories, which gave us the confidence to go on our own adventure.
When we returned home, we thanked our father. In a typical dad fashion, he didn't show any emotion to us, nodding his head. I'm pretty sure his eyes shimmered with unshed tears, though.
I'm grateful for the trips my father made happen
My father instilled a love for travel in all of us, especially me, inspiring my career as a travel writer and dreams to one day begin taking my own family on similar trips.
More than that, he broadened our horizons to an impossible level. Travel is one such experience that puts to the test all your familial bonds, but for us, they have also been stories that have become highlights of our lives, and I have so much gratitude for knowing this.
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