Round-The-World Travel, Then and Now

{Possibilities} by Lucky Jackson

I love living vicariously through the experiences of round-the-world travelers (especially families taking on the adventure with kids in tow like The Wide Wide World) and hopefully, one day I will do it, too. Which is why I was so enthralled by this story on maya*made – In 1934, Maya’s Grandmother Bev (who turned 88 two weeks ago – Happy Birthday, Bev!!) set out on a Round the World trip traveling by steamship. Today, we may take for granted the fact that we can hop online and see pictures of the most remote corners of the globe, chat with someone thousands of miles away, and even have a video call with a friend on the other side of the world. Many of us have friends, relatives, or colleagues who live in another part of the world. If taking a round-the-world trip is still a life-changing adventure today, imagine what it would have been like for Bev, at 13 years old, to embark on a steamship journey to places she may never have seen photographs of. Now that’s an adventure!

Bev kept a magnificent travel log and journal with detailed drawings of the steamers she traveled on (above), lists of places visited (they were many!), along with her thoughts and observations. Do you or your children keep a journal when you travel? There is something so personal and lasting about a journal filled with handwriting and sketches that even the highest quality digital photos and most up-to-date blog entries can’t compare to. Looking at these pages, lovingly saved for the past 75 years, reminds me of the importance of recording our own family histories…and it’s fueling a serious case of wanderlust!

To read about Bev’s amazing story and peek inside a trunk filled with treasures from her journey read Maya’s beautiful post, Celebrating My Hero.

A big thank you to Maya for sharing the photos of Bev’s journal!

Related posts:

1. Saving The World, One Elephant At A Time
2. Off The Beaten Track Travel ~ Equitrekking
3. Announcement Time!