Walkabout

When each of our grandchildren turn eleven or twelve, Carolyn and I have committed to take them on a walkabout. Like the aboriginal walkabout, we want these trips to be a right of passage that includes three elements.  First they are for an extended period of time.  A month seems to be about right. The second part of their walkabout is separation from family and friends.  This will move them out of their comfort zone as they have to handle a barrage of new experiences.  Finally, every trip includes a visit to another country to emphasizes that the world is a very big place  Taken together we believe this is a modern version of this aboriginal rite of passage.  It's a trip into the unknown where you have to use what you know in new settings. In doing so you shed the shell of childhood for a new mantle of adolescence.

Carolyn and I look forward to planning each trip with the individual grandchild in mind. The rewards of the walkabout are many, both for our grandchildren and us. The child has a chance to stretch their adolescent wings and have life experiences they will never forget.  We get to create a lasting bond with each grandchild. As an added benefit we also get to see the trip/world through their eyes.  Win, win, and fun for all.  

It's an Adventure Before We even Start

This trip west had three main goals, a walkabout for Lily, to visit my life long Canadian friend Page, and so Carolyn could see the far west.  Planning started six months in advance.  We needed to get reservations for AirBnB's in Santa Fe, and Chicago. This year is the 100th anniversary of our national parks so, reservations for Yellowstone and Glacier had to be made way in advance.

A month before we were to leave, Carolyn's mother was diagnosed with a heart valve problem.  Getting ready for her operation has required Carolyn to stay with her mother through the 17th of June. So, for the first half of the trip, it was just Lily and me. Big change, but that is why we call each trip and adventure.