n.
a strong, innate desire to *rove or travel about
n.
a very strong or irresistible impulse to travel
*I love this word. Rove. I need to start using it more often.
I’m not exactly sure if my wanderlust is innate, but I do know it surfaced when I met Billy. He opened my eyes to the reality of something I had only dreamed about.
His spontaneity and zest for life was so attractive to me. As someone who did a lot of second guessing and over-analyzing, he taught me there was a better way to live.
At the risk of sounding dramatic, our life 2 years ago had an innocent undertone that was (somewhat) taken away when Billy’s father passed away. We moved back to Dallas from our Expat island lifestyle in Belize, and things were serious. And sad.
Even in the midst of mourning and adjusting, I started to see the disguised blessings right away, and I had faith that God’s plan for our life was unfolding just as it should. That doesn’t mean it was easy. It wasn’t easy. But through the past 18+ months (unbelievable how time flies!), there is now an ease in our daily life.
We did some “growing up”, but that doesn’t mean we’re not still young at heart…
We got engaged while wandering through a California road trip from Napa to Los Angeles, and we made a decision to forego a typical wedding + reception, and opted for a month-long adventure wandering throughout Europe.
Where am I going with this? Well, it’s probably not too surprising that Billy and I still love to travel. International, domestic, or a 3-hour drive to Austin. We both have work responsibilities here in Dallas, but our mutual wanderlust has us brainstorming and planning something amazing for our future. Planning? My spontaneous Bee??
Yep. I think his increased responsibilities have propelled him into a new gear.
One where our dreams will become a reality…
I find comfort in my faith, knowing wholeheartedly that life is unfolding exactly as it should for Billy and me. I write this post as a reminder for myself on those days when I get busy and perhaps lose sight of that faith. Because it happens.
Are you a planner?
Do you have even an ounce of wanderlust in you?
Where do you long to travel/live?
~Bird
{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
I think I am 95% wanderlust! I just got back from the most amazing two weeks in Tuscany where we visited the Carrera marble quaries, hiked part of the Cinque Terre, explored the coastal cities between Pisa and La Spezia, went to the top of Montecatini Alto, experienced the excitement of Il Palio and so much more!!! Memories that will last a lifetime and experiences that cannot be replaced with tangible goods. Keep the faith and the adventure alive in your spirit Dorry, you are an absolute inspiration!!!
Hugs –
Lisa
Oh, Lisa! I bet you had the most incredible time! I couldn’t agree more that the memories and experience of traveling is more valuable than tangible goods. Of course it’s nice to have a comfortable home to come back to, but Europe is so magical to me because of all the history. It definitely puts our lives in perspective! Thanks for your sweet comment, and for reading my blog! Means a lot to me.
oh I am stealing this word! and yes, I have it…..BAD! luckily, i have been able to go to a few places with the hubs. now we all just need to to get to new zealand!!
New Zealand probably isn’t TOO far off for y’all, is it?? You know Billy and I will come visit you and James!
What a FANTASTIC word. Must use it. I itch to travel quite often too, and try to plan smaller trips each year…I have never been overseas though, and would love to travel through Europe! What a fantastic opportunity you had to do that. And hopefully you’ll have the chance again soon too
I hope you get the chance to go overseas to explore Europe. It’s life-changing! I can’t wait to get back over there…and beyond.
This is a beautiful, real, honest post <3
Aww…travel is SO fun! I definitely LOVE adventuring and exploring with the Kiwi…experiencing and discovering new places and things together is wonderful! It would be incredible to do what you two did…travel for your wedding and honeymoon.
I know exactly what you mean about growing up FAST when sad things happen – you go through them together, and support one another through that grief and experience. Tom's mother passed away in the Christchurch earthquake in February. We had spent a month out there over Christmas, December-January, and then only 3 weeks after we returned, we flew BACK to Christchurch for another 2 months, very shocked and with lots of things to sort out and work through. It was incredibly full on and devastating. But in many ways, amazing (under terrible, terrible circumstances)….people come together and support one another in incredible ways. That was when I found your blog, and it helped me so much knowing you had gone through something similar. Thank you for the comfort and strength your blog gave me at that time, Dorry <3
Can't wait to hear your plans! xyx
xyx
I’m reading this with tears in my eyes! Thank you so much for your kind comment, and for sharing your difficult time with me. You are SO correct about finding the beauty in the midst of tragedy. I am so incredibly sorry for the loss of Tom’s mother in such a devastating way. I know he must be so thankful to have someone as precious as you in his life to lean on during that hard time. You undoubtedly gave him strength and hope in a time when his world was crashing down. It sounds like you and I have even MORE in common, and I truly am so thankful to know you through our blogs! xoxoxoxo
no words just smiley face and warm heart…thank you so much for your beautiful response, it means the world to me
<3 xyx
I am LIVING exactly where I want to live, and this time of year it’s like a vacation every day!
I traveled and had adventures before him, but when I met Jason he helped me see travel in a different way. He who took off after college to Italy and lived for months out of a backpack and a conga drum. I would travel for my experiences and so would he, but in a different way and I don’t know if I can even describe?
I am most definitely a planner, and WITH my plans I can be spontaneous.
That is so wonderful that you are so content where you live! Although there are aspects to Dallas that I LOVE, it’s definitely not my best fit in terms of what a city has to offer. I need more nature, for one thing. But Billy and I have our eyes set on an international adventure…
I love the thought of Jason with his backpack and drum. I bet he has incredible stories.
I love this – especially loving where you and Billy are in your life right now, feeling more at ease is a wonderful thing. What an incredible journey the past 18 months have been for you both, one filled with quite the range of emotion, but also one filled with growth. I am looking forward to seeing where this “roving” feeling of yours takes you both. Intrigued
Thanks, Jess! You summed it up so well in this comment. Lots of emotion and so much growth. We are excited about our plans, and I can’t wait to share them when the time gets closer!
Hi Dorry, found your blog through Leslie’s. I love this post. To answer your questions, I am a planner to the T. Sometimes drives my husband crazy (praise God He brought me someone who is very laid-back!). I definitely have the travel bug/wanderlust – all the time! We took a trip to San Francisco for our 5 year wedding anniversary just recently and I’m already thinking (and saving) for our next trip. Not sure when it will be though! I want to go back t Seattle to visit family and then to England and the Philippines to visit more family there. Sigh. Just gotta take things one day at a time
Hi Michelle! I’m so glad you stopped by and left a comment! I adore Leslie’s blog.
I’m the SAME way – praising God for bringing Billy into my life. We definitely help to balance each other out. I love San Francisco! What a fabulous place to spend your anniversary. We are going there in October for a friend’s wedding, and I’m really looking forward to it. You are right…take things one day at a time, but still have those fun daydreams about traveling. I often think about it before I fall asleep…
i love your hair in the messy bun-type thing in the Eiffel tower pic.
i used to have wanderlust. still do a bit, but it’s way down deep. i have had my chance to roam through Europe, parts of Asia, West Africa and South America. while at time it hits me with a deep desire to travel and see things with my favorite man, those moments are few. for now, i have a deep peace about my quiet life – it wasn’t what we’d planned or thought we’d have (fairly typical suburban family), but I’m satisfied and content and feel that at this stage, I am completely within God’s plan. and thankful I feel that way, because for a while I wasn’t. But… we have big plans for a huge Europe trip – not sure when, but my artist husband has GOT to see the Louvre!
I love that photo of the Eiffel tower! It’s nice to travel with Billy because we both love to take photos, so we get quite the range of shots. I think it’s wonderful that you’ve been able to travel to so many places. I’m fairly certain Billy and I will feel settled and peaceful wherever we make a home and have children…we just have a little bit more to do together on our own before that happens. But I know the biggest adventure for us will be having children! Keep your eyes set on the dream of traveling to Europe with your husband…it will happen!
wanderlust is SUCH a great term because it is so anti-”over-think, overplan” – which is my natural way of looking at life!
i love how you and billy did a month in europe as opposed to throwing a traditional wedding. and how you lived in belize – that is just so exotic!
last year at this time, i was in florida, and it was a totally fantastic experience. i knew which cities (and beaches!) i wanted to hit but had no fixed or firm plan. it was the best!
i would love to take a few MONTHS and do that type of wandering vacation across parts of the US – arizona, new mexico, california. it WILL happen when the timing is right!
thanks for sharing, as always, dorry!
Florida is a beautiful place to visit! I’m so glad you got to experience that. It’s not Aruba, but it has a lot to offer.
And I like your attitude about your travel plans – it WILL happen!
I’m definitely a planner. I feel like I do have some wanderlust in me, but it’s scary because I don’t know anyone else close to me that does. The rest of my family finds it weird and I’m terrified of being stuck where I’m at, but scared to take off as well. How do you get over that?
Places I’d love to go: Costa Rica, Peru, Turkey…everywhere!
I honestly used to be scared, too! I lived in Dallas and never booked a flight to go anywhere. And then I met Billy. He opened my eyes to it. And now we almost always have a flight booked somewhere. He figures out how to make it happen, so I am extremely blessed to have him as my husband. Billy spent a month in Costa Rica (during the year before we met), and he loved it! The photos and stories he has are incredible.
Hi Bird! I haven’t commented in a while, but I always appreciate your thoughtful posts and beautiful photography
I have a serious case of wanderlust right now!! I’m currently planning a trip to Australia so my feet are extra itchy AND my boyfriend is talking about buying land in Belize so we can build a house (we met there), but I’m not going anywhere for a while! However, I feel so grateful that I can even talk this way and plan such trips..
I so admire your decision to forgo the traditional wedding and travel Europe instead.. amazing!
Oh my goodness – so excited for you to plan a trip to Australia! That is definitely on our list of places to visit. I also know Belize is a hot spot to buy land/invest in property right now. It’s becoming quite the tourist destination. I agree about feeling grateful to be able to talk about and plan trips. I’m thankful that Billy opened my eyes to traveling, because I was fearful to do it alone. Thanks for your sweet comment!
I am such a planner — and Jason is so NOT a planner
We definitely balance each other out. We used to travel around quite a bit when we first got married, but our financial situation had prevented us from doing that any longer. we’re getting to a place where we feel comfortable getting back into traveling again.
There are so many places that I want to see! And there are many that I have seen that I want to see again with Jason — starting in the US: Wash DC, Mount Rushmore, San Fran, Disney World, New Orleans, NYC, Seattle, Montana, then out to Hawaii and Alaska. I want to go back to Germany (I was there for school) and I’d love to visit London, Italy, Paris, Greece (!!!), etc. So many places. I know we have time. I just want to get going!
It’s fun just to dream about and plan trips for the future, ya know? I’ve never been to Washington, D.C. and would love to visit Seattle, too! I hope you get the chance to visit London, too. It’s a really cool city! I feel like I could live there.
I am a huge planner and even more so now with kids…but I love love love traveling and wish I could do it more. I really hope Peter and I save enough for a great anniversary trip like we’re shooting for next year.
And I still can’t get over the pure awesomeness that you and Billy traveled for a month over a wedding. Best idea ever.
I’m such a planner in my day-to-day life. I have to be! With Billy and I sharing a car, we have a detailed Google calendar that we share, and it keeps us organized. I really hope you and Peter get to go somewhere amazing together for your anniversary! You deserve an incredible, romantic vacation.
am i a planner?! oooo that is one big can of worms! i live by lists- i’m horrendous. trying to lighten up but it’s so hard as i’m quite compulsive by nature. any tips?
also sign up to dictionary.com’s daily word email! i did it last week and i’m LOVING learning a new word every day
today? ‘assay’… intrigued? sign up!
also, pop by as i’ve been awol for far too long and miss my blog being a nice chatty place
I still live by lists/calendars, too! I have to keep things organized between blogging, workouts, cooking, working at lululemon, and sharing a car with Billy…organization is a must! But I try not to obsess about it. Life has become more of a routine with our schedules, and we just try to go with the flow when unexpected things come up. I love the idea of learning a new word everyday.
One pus-side to planning is the anticipation….it gives you something to look forward to. And sauy you have a rough day…you can think “I’ll remember this when I’m in [ ] and doing [ ].
Also, when I plan for something it helps me from being spontaneously irresponsible in the meantime….like “Do I really want those $40 shoes or would I rather have the $40 when I’m in Italy…”
Pus side? Oh sheesh.
PLUS side.
While I’m at it *say* not sauy
Love your train of thought about this! Very true about deciding what to spend money on when you know you have something amazing planned. Let’s go to Italy!
Oh I love this. I am a planner but am trying to learn that you can’t plan everything. Sometimes the best things in life are the unplanned. I would love to be able to afford to travel more and to places like Italy and Greece.
I’m a planner, but I love the idea of a spontaneous trip, and have been wanderlusting for one so bad lately! After moving cross country w/o jobs, we kept expenses to a minimum and have since only done family vacays or quick day trips. The two of us are both yearning for a European adventure, though a California beach trip would do for now
You and D would have the most incredible time traveling through Europe! I can see you hiking in Interlaken. It’s so beautiful there! Or a road trip down the California coast.
i want to paint that word all over the walls in my apt it sounds so pretty!!!
you and billy have a fantastic tale and it needs to be turned into a movie.
so glad you two have eachother.
id love to travel to iceland. All of the travel deals i see everywhere for it make it seem pretty affordable! Maybe next year…
We are coming up to NYC in August! I’ll email you soon with details.
My husband and I are just the opposite! He’s the planner, and I’m always wanting to just take off and ROVE! How do you two balance out spontaneity and planning-ness? We’re still working out the kinks ourselves
We’re a work in progress, too! It’s easy for me to give in to Billy’s travel bug because he’s such an amazing vacation planner. It’s his passion so he loves to research flights/dates/hotels, etc. I just go along for the ride!
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