Helping your Mum catch the travel bug

It’s a wonderful thing to have your mum understand your travelling, and enjoy it with you also. Seeing sights together really is something to behold, and you will have memories and photographs to cherish. Despite this, it’s not always easy to convince someone of an older generation that getting out and about, and not always relying on the package holiday of back in the day, without the safety net of a travel agent, is the best way to see the world.

We all know that travel is a life affirming thing, but how can you help your mum see your gallivanting ways in the same light?

Take care of all the details

We’ve already mentioned that your mum probably grew up in the era of the package holiday, where everything was sorted out for her, and she didn’t have to worry about a thing. One of the major stumbling blocks you will come across is probably her aversion to travelling alone, or sorting out details on the hop. A good way to get around this is to meet her at the airport, and have her come stay with you in your home, or an apartment you have booked, so she can stay for free, and she doesn’t have to worry about a thing. Taking out the worry means a smoother journey.

Factor in relaxation time

Another misconception of travel from the older generation is that it’s all about trekking mountains and doing yoga with locals. Factor in some relaxation time, either lying on the beach or by the pool together, so it feels like more of a holiday for her. Encourage her to stock up her Kindle with some good books, for more R and R time, so it really is a break away from the norm.

Do some research on places you want to see together

It’s a good idea to get your mum excited about places she wants to visit, so have a chat beforehand about sights she might like to see, or activities she might want to do, and book the in plenty of time, giving her something to focus on. Try not to hit her with the adventure bug straight away, so maybe keep your bungee jumping idea to yourself, and instead ask her what she would like to do. If it’s a case of shopping, or just walking, go with it.

Help her see your way of life

We all know that living somewhere and being on holiday are two very different things, so it’s important to show your mum that you are actually living in this place, or places, and that you don’t see it as a holiday all the time. Yes, we’ve said to factor in pool and beach days, but you would do that anyway. What you need to do is take her to the local markets, cook at home, have sleep ins, or go for coffee at your favourite coffee shop – do mother and daughter things away from her normal settings, to show her that it’s not so alien to do these things in a different country, and it can still feel very normal. It’s also important to show her that not staying in a resort can really open up the destination with new eyes, which is what travelling is all about.

Eat like a local/live like a local

Whilst it’s a good idea to mix it up, just to calm the waters at first, head out and eat street food, try different things, keep it cheap and cheerful, and show her where the locals go. This is experiencing and that is again what we should be doing when we travel.