I was 23 when I got my first passport. It was my 'ticket' to go and explore the United Kingdom, something I had dreamt of for many years.
Monet is 3. Her first passport application is in. It is her 'ticket' to 'London' and our other destinations we have carefully planned out. I feel really proud to be 'opening' up her world with this passport at such a young impressionable age. She is going to see some things she'll never forget and experience a lot of things that adults dream about doing, but never do. I know she will learn so much when we visit cities in Europe and I'm sure we'll be hearing about them in times to come.
Her eyes light up when we talk about our impending trip. They really do. She has a map she points to and the world globe. She'll point to where she lives (spot on) and where abouts we'll be going. I don't know if she knows just how a 'huge' trip it is going to be and what it all entails, but I know she kinda 'gets it'.
She's been talking so much of seeing Auntie Kim and Uncle T, big red double decker buses, the 'big clock' (Big Ben), the 'huge Ferris wheel' (the London Eye), black taxis, 'the queen' (her home anyway!), the 'tallest tower' (the Eiffel Tower), the merry-go-rounds (Paris' carousels), let me tell you, the list goes on.
She's been talking about what clothes she's going to take, because she knows it going to be a lot cooler there than here ("I'll need my scarf, my hat, my gloves, my coat") and which actual teddy bear gets the privilege of travelling half way around the world with her (and that would be 'Pickles the Bear')
We've begun to book our accommodation and I'm busy organising our 'schedule' (coordinating train travel with city accommodation).
Can't believe it is three months today to we fly off in our Cathay Pacific Plane headed to LHR via a Hong Kong stopover. How wonderful.
How old were you when you got your first passport? (If you have one that is!)
Monet is 3. Her first passport application is in. It is her 'ticket' to 'London' and our other destinations we have carefully planned out. I feel really proud to be 'opening' up her world with this passport at such a young impressionable age. She is going to see some things she'll never forget and experience a lot of things that adults dream about doing, but never do. I know she will learn so much when we visit cities in Europe and I'm sure we'll be hearing about them in times to come.
Her eyes light up when we talk about our impending trip. They really do. She has a map she points to and the world globe. She'll point to where she lives (spot on) and where abouts we'll be going. I don't know if she knows just how a 'huge' trip it is going to be and what it all entails, but I know she kinda 'gets it'.
She's been talking so much of seeing Auntie Kim and Uncle T, big red double decker buses, the 'big clock' (Big Ben), the 'huge Ferris wheel' (the London Eye), black taxis, 'the queen' (her home anyway!), the 'tallest tower' (the Eiffel Tower), the merry-go-rounds (Paris' carousels), let me tell you, the list goes on.
She's been talking about what clothes she's going to take, because she knows it going to be a lot cooler there than here ("I'll need my scarf, my hat, my gloves, my coat") and which actual teddy bear gets the privilege of travelling half way around the world with her (and that would be 'Pickles the Bear')
We've begun to book our accommodation and I'm busy organising our 'schedule' (coordinating train travel with city accommodation).
Can't believe it is three months today to we fly off in our Cathay Pacific Plane headed to LHR via a Hong Kong stopover. How wonderful.
How old were you when you got your first passport? (If you have one that is!)
20 comments:
I was 11 when I got mine. I went on a skiing trip to Italy but then I didn't get to go abroad again until I was in my early 20's to France.
Your trip sounds awesome! What is your final itinary? How many countries are you visiting? I love travelling and I am excited for you!
I love that Monet is learning so much from travelling already! I really think it is a good thing for children to do and can broaden their world outlook so much! Seeing as you will be in the UK, would you consider meeting up with a Brit blogger to say hi?
I was about 30, and quite proud of myself as well. My girls all had them in theri teens and the CP is already a world traveler at 3. ravel is a wonderful experience. I think expoing children to it gives them confidence in all kinds of life situations.
I was 11 or 12. I went on a school trip by coach and ferry to the north of France, with daytrips to Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, and a few days in Paris at the end. From then on during my teens I went abroad twice a year: to visit my sister in Amsterdam and to go on the German or French exchange. And now since the early 90s I've spent more time outside Britain than there!
I don't have one. I've never travelled overseas - I had grand plans but one thing after another got in the way and it never quite happened. Oh well... one day. In the meantime we're exploring as much of our own backyard as we can.
Sadly, beleive it or not, I don't have a passport and have never had one! That's right, I've never travelled overseas! The closest I got was just before we decided to have Holly - we were planning on going on an o/s trip but given the very loud ticking of my biological clock, decided we would try to start a family instead. I am glad we did - we plan on going overseas in a few years.
I think it is fantastic to be taking your little one overseas, what an amazing time she will have, I hope you will be blogging while you're 'on tour'!!!
I was 25. It's very exciting that you'll be off on this adventure!
My mother just applied for hers. She has been to the Bahamas and Canada but you didn't need them until the dreaded day and the Bush administration. But we are going abroad in November and I told her to hurry up because the US is very backed up!
Gosh....I don't remember exactly. But I think it was 1969 and I was about to turn 38 years old! I had never traveled out of the country before where I needed a passport(Had been to The Caribbean, Mexico, and Canada)...But I was going to the South Of France....so...That was my first trip where a passport was needed....!
I think it so very exciting that Monet will be seeing so very many wonderful places and many cities....! I hope you documemt it all! Because things she night not retain because it's a lot to take in and she is so young...The pictures will be such a great reminder....!
I'm fairly certain that I got it for my 7th birthday. We had been living in Holland for about 18 months and I was annoyed that I was listed on my mother's passport - which you could do at the time with UK passports. Almost all of my friends had their own, and I wanted one for trips "home."
As for my kids, the big girl got her passport when she was about 20 months old, for the trip to Iceland just before her 2nd birthday, and the little girl just got hers this past summer aged 2 1/2-ish for our trip to Scotland.
I cannot flamin' believe it is three months to this day that my Father also flys to the UK!!! But, with Singapore Airlines from Bris. How uncanny is that?!
We have some weird stuff going on you and I.
I can imagine how bloody busy you are co-ordinating all that accomm/transport and I know my Dad will be asking me the same things in the next month so look out, I might be asking for your advice if you don't mind.
So happy to hear that Pickles was the lucky bear, I was hoping that would be her choice.
Ha ha ha, just re-read the last bit of your post again and yes, Dad will also be stopping in HK!! You'll all be walking past each other I bet. I'm gonna tell him to look out for the little blonde girl with the teddy, I bet there are 50 of them.
I went to NZ when I was 16, and then to the USA when I was 18.
Then a drought until I was about 26 ? I think ?
MC got his passport at 6mo old, and went to London and Prague at 8mo.
This new baby needs a passport as soon as it's born as we're off to the US when it's about 3mo old.
It's a bit difficult actually, as we've all got our tix, but until the baby is born and named, we can't do anything !
I was 11, - we went Spain, of course.
Ooh, I'm getting excited for you all, including Pickles the bear.
I was 16 when I got my first passport, although I was on my parents passports before that. My first passport took me to Australia to emigrate and then I let it expire until we moved to Switzerland. My boys' first (Aussie) passports are just about to expire. I hope to get them all their first British passports this year!
Melody I'm 41 and STILL do not have a passport. I really need to broaden my horizons :)
All kidding aside I have a great deal of respect for those of you who travel abroad. It takes a lot of effort and determination. The payoff must be great.
I know you're daughter isn't old enough to fully appreciate what a great thing you are doing for her. However there will come a time when she looks back and says "Man I've got a great mom!"
Exciting times ahead! But do you really think Monet is going to remember it all? I can barely remember a thing before I was 5...
Kimbofo - Monet is like me. She has a memory like an elephant. She remembers stuff from living in Melb!! True. I know she won't remember *everything* but she'll remember bits and pieces...This, I know.
Well, I have been getting the application packs from the post office for about 20 years now - does that count?
3 months to go - good luck!!
I have had one since I was 1 year old - at least I was on my mother's passport then (that's how they used to do it).
My parents migrated from Scotland, so there were visits to see family throughout my childhood.
Three is a great age to be doing this trip - sure Monet won't remember everything, but things that make a big impression will definitely stick with her. We went to New York and London when my youngest was 20 months, and unfortunately she won't remember any of it.
Its been a while since I looked in here! Lots of changes in my life. I remember your trip here well, in our springtime which was cold! I got my first passport when I was an adult, it ran out 10 years ago and I've never renewed it! Have a fantastic trip, I look forward to hearing how Monet enjoys it, and I think she should definately be allowed to take some photos, she has a photographic eye!
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