It’s NEVER the Right Time to Go
JM and I have been dreaming of taking a year off and traveling for as long as we’ve been together.
Before we met, I had never been outside of Canada except to drive through the US on the way to other parts of Canada. But JM had backpacked through South East Asia for a couple of months as an undergrad, where he met a very cool couple from Guelph. They had quit their jobs and were backpacking around the world which made quite on impression on JM when he met them in Bangkok. We decided we were going to do that too – in 2 or 3 years, because we were both working on graduate degrees part-time and working full-time and it wasn’t the right time to go.
A few years later we moved to Silicon Valley. (We’re still there, 14 years into our “2-year stay”.) We decided to see America while we were here and did a bunch of back-country hiking trips in various National Parks. Every time the backpacks came out we’d talk about our plans to travel around the world. We still planned to do it – in 2 or 3 years, because it was the dotcom bubble and both of our careers were on fire and it wasn’t the right time to go.
We got married and bought a house. We did our first big international trip together as a couple – the Galapagos, which was AMAZING. It was three weeks of the most incredible scenery and animals and fascinating people and it got us excited again about the idea of taking a year off and traveling. We were still definitely going to do it – in 2 or 3 years, because the dotcom bubble had burst and there were layoffs everywhere and it just wasn’t the right time to go.
Iguanas sunbathing in the Galapagos Islands
Then we had our two beautiful but very high-maintenance babies, and it was ABSOLUTELY NOT the right time to go.
Now it’s 2010. The kids are five and six and do best with structure in their day. JM has an early-stage start-up that needs constant care and feeding. The business I’ve spent the last five years growing has gained a lot of momentum and being gone for a year will definitely disrupt that. Our parents are starting to have health issues – and so are we. The economy generally sucks. And the sprinklers seem to break every week. So now is not the right time to go either.
But this time we’re going anyway.
Two more days…
Hooray for going anyway!!! Can’t wait to read of your adventures. 🙂
Very excited to hear all about your adventure! Thanks for blogging about it. I know what you mean that it’s just never the right time…but go anyway! Travel is the best education we can give our children.
Mary Ann
@enchantedtravel
http://www.enchanted-traveler.com
Diane, I knew you were a great writer from your professional blog but WOW. This is so well-written and really moving. You described the dilemma so well – it’s never a good time to do the really exciting stuff because the day to day tends to take over. It’s just so amazing that you’re doing this.
By the way, the “14 years into our 2-year stay in the Valley” – sounds familiar! 🙂
I’m so proud of you, and a little envious of you, and excited for you! Well said and well done! I’m sure there will be things to adjust to and I’m also sure you’ll look back on this time of adventure with no regrets. At least nothing that the dry cleaner can’t take care of … 🙂
This is very well written, and spot-on. There is never a “right time” for any major undertaking.
Good for you! It’s never the right time, until you go…you’ll discover it was the perfect time!