Finding Magic

Our boat left the beach of our hotel at around eight in the morning to take us on an island-hopping adventure. The bright sun and low tide made it easy for us to see the bottom of the sea. However, in the distance the sky above the island that we were visiting looked cloudy and dark. It seemed like we were going to race against the rain. Let’s see who would reach the island first.

Halfway to the furthest island on our island-hopping itinerary, the wind started to pick up and made the waves grew higher. It made Tori super nervous. She moved closer to me and I gave her a tight squeeze.  We closed our eyes and just hugged. (This was nothing compared to our boat trip from Bali to Nusa Penida. I am pretty sure I would not want to do it again, ever!)

I could hear the boat’s engine slowed down. It let out a calmer hum compared to how it was before. I opened my eyes and saw Tori did the same. Our boat was getting closer to the shore, away from the choppy water. We were mesmerized by the calm and shallow turquoise water. And it seemed like we beat the rain! The dark clouds were still further away!

Look at this island! Doesn’t it look like a perfect setting for a fantasy story of trolls and other magical creatures?

Approaching Lengkuas Island
On Lengkuas Island

The minute I set foot on the island, I was really there, present, not lost in my thoughts as I often would be. I think THAT is the magic of nature: a combination of beauty, dramatic scenery, and ruggedness – all traits that made easy to disengage from daily worries and routines. Those are the magic that I keep finding whenever we travel to nature. The change of scenery and activities have always been successful in leaving me feeling wowed and renewed. As we sat back on the boat to continue our trip, our guide jumped back into the water to pick up a big shell and gave it to Tori. A gift from the sea. A memento from this magical place.

All photos and videos are mine

Taken at Lengkuas Island, Belitung, Indonesia

July 2023

Harini RianaLeave a comment

Why Travel with Kids?

Traveling with kids is much more than a memory building activity. I think traveling with them could provide so many benefits for both parties.

Are you a traveler like I am? And now you have young children? Do you feel a bit anxious to travel with them? Surely, traveling would look a bit different from what you were used to before. But, it is still very doable. Just have to be a bit patient to move in a slower pace. Here are a few nuggets that I have compiled from my own personal experiences:

  1. It provides a chance in getting to know our children better: Being in the present moment with each other lets us in on special journey in getting to know more about our children. Children are independent thinkers and great observers. Pay attention and find out. You might be pleasantly surprised by their opinions or ‘sides’ that you did not know before. Okay, let’s be honest, most of us have so much screentime these days that we could be sitting across from each other but not say a word. Traveling together ‘forces’ us to be in a situation where there would be plenty of things to see, experience, and discuss.
  2. It fulfills children’s hard core need of connection: What do you think children crave the most? I think it is our solid and undivided attention that they want the most. OMG! So much, right?! We might as well call it their magic drug, really. But, I mean…why wouldn’t they crave our affectionate attention, our touch, and gentleness. Truly, those are keys in human development, right? Traveling together allows us to really be in a situation where we could focus on each other.
  3. Develops and defines our very own “Family Time“: We, as parents, develop a good grasp of what it takes to make traveling enjoyable for everyone. It is a good exercise as a family to understand our own pace and style in traveling together. Once we get used to traveling together, it would feel so much easier where you would just be able to pack up and go without too much of a hassle.
  4. It helps us to be more present: No one is more present than young children. Look, just like anyone, many times my head feels so full of to-do list, ideas, and work worries. I spend a lot of time with my thoughts. There are moments when I have to let it be, but during these travels with my child is when I am able to snap out of my thoughts and be present. Children have that ability to rescue us from these relentless thinking.
  5. It helps us to be more flexible: When we combine all of the above along with the joy and laughter that we collect during the trips, I think we all benefit. Sure there are things that might not go according to plans, but you know what, being able to be okay with that is also a skill. Young children get tired and hungry easily. They are also tiny little humans “who just got here” and are far from being able to regulate their emotions. When we keep those things in mind, we would be able to insert flexibility in our mindset and also in our travel plans much better.
  6. Children become flexible and adaptable: Before you know it, our little ones become such savvy travelers. They know what to do and how to behave at the airport/security check/airplane/trains/ferry/car/restaurants/public spaces. They learn from mimicking our travel behaviors and from experiencing the whole journey with us. Be sure to share information with them about what the day would look like, how to get there, and what to expect. Treat them the way you would want to be treated.

Traveling together presents the opportunity for us to develop a very strong connection with our children. That connection is KEY to a great relationship and cooperation within the family. Here is to making the time to enjoy our family!

Harini RianaLeave a comment