HOW MY NIECE MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH TRAVEL (AND WHY YOU SHOULD COPY HER)

To anyone that’s ever glimpsed my blog, I think it’s pretty darn obvious that I adore to travel. Lest, I live for it. However, I recently found myself Instagramming another flight with the caption ‘bored of this whole flying everywhere all the time thing now.’ The second I posted it I realised just how much I’ve spoilt myself with globetrotting, and settled into a “same-old, same-old” attitude. It had become such a regular occurrence that I was tired of it. Tired! Can you believe? That was until I got my ten-year-old niece Frankie to tag along on an adventure to the heart of Turkey, where I was reminded of why I love to explore in the first place. Travelling with a beacon of energy and excitement is something that everyone needs to do – and here’s why.

THEY MAKE YOU MORE BRAVE/ ADVENTUROUS

I’ve always considered myself relatively brave, traipsing cross-country solo and putting myself in deeply uncomfortable (and sometimes sliiiightly unsafe, oops) situations all for the sake of a little adventure. But faced with a plate of fish, un-filleted, I almost blanched at the idea of decapitating a floppy fish corpse myself. However, Frankie took one look at my reaction and stated “I can rip the head off for you if you can’t do it yourself.” I found myself not only prising off the head, but also peeling off the tail, scales, spine, and tiny bones myself, just because I am the adult and I should be able to fillet a fish myself. Frankie was proud, I was proud, and the waiter was glad that he didn’t have to de-bone a fish for the millionth time that day.

THEY GET YOU INTO SITUATIONS YOU WOULD RATHER AVOID

The reason I would have never found myself blackmailed into getting my fortune told by a rabbit by a rotten-toothed cad was because I believe myself to have an ounce of sense. However, kids seem to lack this quality, and dive head-first into mega awkward situations just so that they can pet the rabbit and wear the free bracelet. By the time the guy had attached rope around both of our wrists and egged his magic rabbits into telling us that we were both going to be exceedingly rich very soon, he tried blackmailing us into throwing our money at him. Luckily, Frankie is more adapt at being exceedingly rude, so we got out of that situation pretty easily. However, I personally don’t like having to yell at a guy to free us from a curse. Love being held captive against my will.

THEY PUT A SPIN ON YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS (FROM ABOUT FOUR FEET OFF THE GROUND)

On the third day of our sojourn to Turkey, we found ourself in the heart of an ancient market. It was insanely beautiful, so of course I wanted photographs of myself standing in front of the ruins. Doubting Frankie’s photographer skills – because she is literally ten years old – I double-tie the strap around her and leave her with my Nikon. I should never have been apprehensive, because she’s actually pretty darn good, and I’ve never had photos taken from such a refreshingly low angle before. I’d hire her in a flash. Downside – she wanted photographs in return, and is not camera shy at all (half an hour in front of one wall so she could pose? Alrighty then).

EASIER TO ASK RANDOM RUSSIAN BOXERS FOR A PHOTOGRAPH

When you’re travelling with a kid, you find yourself more enthusiastically confident when you find a massive Russian boxer and want pics to show your gym-addicted friends. There’s always the excuse of, “pardon me, but my niece here would love a photo of you” when you bump into someone interesting. Never again will you have to take the blame for being a fangirl again.

THEY MAKE YOU A MILLION TIMES MORE EXCITED

Especially to the seasoned traveller, I found myself slightly bored of the humdrum of travel prior to the trip. Boarding the plane, I had the attitude of “let’s get this part over with then.” Frankie, on the other hand, was inconsolable with excitement. “I’M SO EXCITED I COULD DIE,” she yelled as we passed the air stewards. Everything is regenerated and you see the world through their eyes, where everything is shiny and new and the world is full of possibilities. Whilst you may not get excited about pancakes for breakfast for the sixth day in a row, it’s impossible that a kid won’t still be insanely enthusiastic to arise to twenty pancakes day after day.

YOU CAN DO KID THINGS AND NOT LOOK LIKE A DERANGED ADULT

There’s a kids play zone, with incredible twisty slides? There’s a disco that looks cheesy and hilarious? Bam, now you’re travelling with a tiny human you’re suddenly allowed to fling yourself into a ball pool and not look like you’re off your anti-insanity meds. Somehow, travelling with a kid means that you are also capable of doing kid things, even if you will end up getting stuck on the waterslide. Also, people are a lot less judge-y if you’re holding three ice-creams whilst stood with a kid, even if they are all inevitably going to be consumed by you.

YOU NOTICE EVERYTHING

Obviously you have to be aware of your surroundings in pretty much all scenarios anyway, but when you’re travelling with a smaller, less wary human, you have to be extra vigilant. It keeps you on your toes, and doubles your independence – if something goes wrong, both you and the child are screwed. You notice things you wouldn’t, and with a kid at your heels, things you otherwise wouldn’t clock are pointed out. A boring old adult wouldn’t notice the insane candy store 80 feet away, but you can bet your ass that a ten year old will. Also, you suddenly know everything and are a bask of all wisdom – travelling with someone who believes you know everything in the universe is also both refreshing and likely to result in a god complex.

And so, I found myself regenerated and raring to go on new adventures again. My niece may have just saved my relationship with travel, and made me feverish with excitement for exploring every inch of the planet.

Could you guys ever see yourselves travelling with a family member that won’t understand at least half of your jokes, because you’re too boring and adult-y? Let me know in the comments below!

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