We would have driven up to the Gold Coast over two days, stopping at some roadside motel for the night. We stayed at the office owned apartment for a few nights at Broadbeach. I remember singing 'I've been working on the railroads' with my Dad as we walked back from the beach, me dragging a long plastic spade in the sand as we walked. I have no idea why we chose that particularly unbeachy song.
There is a preceding picture where I'm beaming, holding the dish of birdseed and the rosellas are feeding from the dish. Then this happened and I must have dropped the dish in horror, scaring the other birds. No doubt I then cried at the loss of the bird food. Anyone who has travelled with kids knows how quickly the fun can switch to disaster - child perceived tragedy; child induced drama. Yet that is all part of the joy of travel.
It's also why we need to take photos - the memories fade so quickly without a little help.
So to your child, "the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures" no matter how small. And the best gift to yourself, is to share them with her. There in lies the treasure of life.
(partial quote from Lewis Carroll).
Linking with #SharonsSouvenirs
I wish I'd taken more photos when my girls were little and we did mini adventures. Mind you with three under three and hubby away, packing the camera wasn't always a priority.
ReplyDeleteI think you also don't realise how much you'll forget - and how quickly!!
DeleteThe memories totally fade all too quickly as they grow up. I love this quote! Makes me want to be brave to chuck two little people in the car and go for a road trip!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that you have a memory from such a young age. My earliest memory of travel dates back to my elementary school years, although my family has been traveling since forever. Thanks for joining me for #TheWeeklyPostcard.
ReplyDeleteI need to print out my photos. Have so many stuck on all my devices. Bron x
ReplyDeleteI adore looking at old photos from family holidays and hope my kiddies will too one day. Love that shot of you :).
ReplyDelete#TeamMM
I love looking at old photos and it's a shame we lost a load of negatives when we moved. All the device ones are backed up #mummymondays
ReplyDeleteAh, beautiful. My most vivid memories from childhood are from our family holidays :)
ReplyDeleteThat's an adorable photo. I guess those little childhood dramas/disasters are what make the trips more memorable. I remember my first airplane ride very well. I was holding my favorite marble balls and they all fell from hands when we were taking off. I cried so loud that everyone on the plane helped searched for them. They were all found! I don't think it would have been that memorable if not for that little disaster.
ReplyDeleteI love that quote from Lewis Carroll - I'm going to look it up. Such a lovely first travel memory!
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ReplyDeleteWhat a great quote! I wish we did more travel adventures when I was younger and had taken more pictures. I lived on an island so it was a little hard and expensive to go on vacations. I'm making up for it now by taking my kids on many adventures and taking a lot of photos. Unfortunately, I don't have much time to put them into photo books.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree about creating treasured family memories. My son loves hearing me retell stories about our family travels.
ReplyDeleteWith or without photos you have an amazing memory of walking on the beach singing I've been working on the railroads; that is precious in itself.
ReplyDeleteI once had an almost identical photo also taken on the Gold Coast when I was about the same age as you appear to be. I think trips to Birdworld or whatever it was called must have been a rite of passage in Australia.
ReplyDeleteOh Lydia - I feel your pain. I was terrified of the birds landing on my head at Currumbin Sanctuary when I was a kid. I always wear a hat if I go there now! Your photo holds special memories :-)
ReplyDeleteMy blog is where my kids should go when they want to remember where we've traveled. It's funny that my youngest likes to re-read posts and reminisce whereas my oldest one doesn't read my blog at all because, as he put it, he was there. As for myself, I feel like there must be numerous trips I can't remember from my youth. I vaguely recall posing for a photo at the Grand Canyon and being afraid I'd fall over. I also remember leaving my precious Holly Hobby purse behind at a restaurant and crying because my parents wouldn't turn around to retrieve it. Memories get more cheerful as I get older.
ReplyDeleteThose traumatic childhood memories that eclipse the travel part. (Like the purse, my only memory of Fiji with my parents is vomiting in the jeep - that's it. We were there for a week!!)
DeleteThanks for sharing!! I agree childhood travels and everything that involves can be quiet entertaining and funny... after the fact!
ReplyDeleteMy aunt is a bit of a photo hoarder and has all the old photos of me and my family when I was small and before. Memories are lovely, and especially nice when captured in photos. Thanks for sharing your memories.
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