Anna Campbell

July 2007

 

Anticipation – Is It the Best Part of Travel?

MFTJul07-1 Firstly, I hope you don’t mind the pictures of Scotland. It’s just I’m going to be there in a few weeks and because I love it so much, I thought I’d steal an opportunity to share some of the gorgeous landscape with you.

I love to travel as anyone who calls in on this site regularly knows. Right now, because I’m writing this column well ahead of its appearance, I’m in the middle of getting ready to leave for a trip to the United Kingdom and the United States (and I suspect somewhere there I’ll be flying United Airlines!).

It’s wonderful discovering lovely new places in foreign climes. Or returning to old favorites, which I’m doing a lot this time. London, York, Edinburgh, Morar on the west coast of Scotland. Can’t wait.

But strangely my experience when I travel is that one of the best bits is the time before I go. It’s all in the anticipation! When I imagine myself swanning around overseas places, it’s all so easy. I’m not worried about getting my laundry done or struggling with a heavy suitcase or dealing with surly locals or with public transport that’s late or fails to arrive all together. I’m not stressing over finding where I catch the bus or where I’m staying for the night or where I’m going to have dinner. I don’t even particularly worry about the horror flight from Australia although I’ve done it often enough to know I don’t cope with the long haul journey very well at all.

MFTJul07-2Instead, I’m picturing what gorgeous places I’m going to see. Everything is glamorous in my imagination. My clothes are always clean and ironed. The weather is always perfect. The scones are always feather light and the jam is always homemade. The locals are always smiling and welcoming and full of charm and fascinating stories. Mind you, that last bit often does come true, I’ve found. Nearly all the people I meet when I travel are lovely and welcoming.

I’ll arrive home in six weeks tired and over-stimulated and full of wonderful memories. And absolutely delighted that I can stay in one place for a while. Until the next time my itchy feet start to make themselves felt…

May all your travel be as wonderful as you hope it will be when you’re anticipating the journey.