Travel with Kids Archives - Italy Travel Planner | Consultant | Once In a Lifetime Travel

Travel Inspires Conscious and Curious Explorers

Andi Brown — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 17:26:53 +0000

Ciao tutti! It’s been awhile since I’ve been here. Don’t worry, things are going great. Incredible even. Think dreams coming true, as in I’m having trouble sleeping at night. I have never felt more inspired, more energized and ready to take on the world.

So I wanted to thank everyone. My cheerleaders, my amazing clients who often become friends, my family and my friend families.

I also want to share all this energy that I’ve got oozing out of me. I want to send out my encouragement, push you along no matter where you are at in your dreams. Travel dreams, business dreams, family dreams.

Today, a client of mine responded to a story I send out via email and I read my own words again like I was seeing them for the first time. I wanted to share this with you.

Here’s to life; crazy, wild, unexpected and beautifully messy.

Are you feeling a little more comfy with your dreams? You two should be starting to feel like good friends instead of distant acquaintances.

I want to share a personal story about my daughter.

She is a freshman in high school this year (how did that happen). When she was little we traveled everywhere together, of course it was easier then because it was just the two of us. I took her to Italy for extended trips when she was two and four. I had lots of people, friends even, tell me I was stupid and wasting my money. She’d never remember. It’s impossible to do alone.

I hate being told I can’t.

So we did.

Fast forward to a recent Facebook LIVE session where she was asked about her travel memories.

I don’t really remember traveling, not anything specific. But sometimes there is a smell or a taste, like when mom cooks her pasta, and all these feelings rush through me. I always want to see new things and explore. I love adventure and I know I can do things on my own.

(I love being right)

Travel is crucial for all of us. Travel is not frivolous. We need to be open-minded, conscious, curious explorers. We all need to experience the world around us, whether is in the next town or the next country. Travel is the key to strength, courage and compassion.

A presto,

Andi

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Ode to Travel

Andi Brown — Wed, 24 May 2017 01:11:52 +0000

Ode to Travel

by Eryn Brown

You let me see the world

Now you are my soul.

My addiction.

You gave me a taste of freedom,

and I will never give it back.

Every time I go with you,

there is the excitement of learning to walk again.

You showed me the greens and reds, and blues.

The smell of he ocean and oranges and sourdough.

The taste of fresh fish and pasta.

You allowed my mouth to taste the sweet wine of life.

I saw new cultures and people.

New environments.

Accents.

I will always be able to forgive you,

because I will never be able to thank you enough.

(Not too shabby for 14 years old). This is why you travel with your kids as soon as you can, where ever you can and as much as you can.

Who we are:

Once in a Lifetime Travel is a passionately run company focused on mindful and fearless travel through authentic experiences and connections. We feature small, fully

guided group tours to Italy for women

. Our

Italian travel consultant

services feature focused itinerary reviews and detailed

Italy travel planning.

Go Travel, and Travel Fearless.

Andi Brown, Once in a Lifetime Travel

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Top Ten: Reasons Traveling with Kids is Cool

Andi Brown — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:06:50 +0000

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me I was crazy to take my toddler to Italy by myself I would have never come back. You are wasting your money; she will never remember anything. She will be a mess on that long flight. How will you pack everything by yourself? She won’t stand going to museums or sitting through long dinners. Jet lag, potty issues, getting sick, being bored. I heard it all.

But one month after my daughter’s second birthday I defiantly boarded a flight to Rome armed with a backpack of her necessities, one suitcase for both of us, a stroller and Benadryl. I could see that look in the other passengers’ eyes. You know the one. Everyone hoping we were nowhere near their seat; thirteen hours with a small child in an even smaller space could be considered a version of hell on earth. To the shock and relief of those around me she was an angel on the plane; she devoured her ‘fancy’ meal, watched a movie and then proceeded to pass out. I can’t say the same for many of the other passengers.

I quickly found out that traveling with my daughter did two things: opened doors to experiences and got us free stuff. People who would have done nothing more than complete their transaction with me or more likely not noticed my presence were suddenly whisking us behind counters and showing us part of the real Italian life I had not seen before. We met dogs; we met grandkids. We watered plants and learned to make pizza. We held rabbits and petted goats. And I haven’t even gotten to the free stuff. My daughter learned a simple smile meant extra scoops of gelato or little candies in her hand. I don’t think I went anywhere with her that some old lady wasn’t trying to feed her. She was the star at dinner, our waiters taking pride in her appetite. Did I ever pay for dessert? Maybe my own?

She loved the Roman Forum, although it was the beetles not the ruins that caught her eye. Every new hill town was exciting; who knew how many kitties would be hiding in the narrow cobblestone streets. Trains were a marvel. Maps became new toys. Piazzas her playgrounds. My passion for travel deepened with each new discovery she made.

Maybe I was crazy and it is true that she doesn’t remember that trip. But my daughter has no fear of the unknown and loves new experiences. I have since taken her back to Italy (see the photos below) and she now has her own travel bucket list. The lesson to be taken here is that having a family does not mean your travel dreams are over. They are just different. I may not be able to travel as much as I did before, but I never use children as my excuse to stay home. Travel is good for them. They begin to understand the world is a bigger place and differences are to be celebrated. Travel is good for you. You will find indescribable joy watching your child experience another culture.

I could list the top ten reasons why traveling with kids is cool, but I think these pictures do a better job.

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