An adventure manifesto

Well, FINALLY! We have made our way across the seas to begin this family adventure in Europe. Turns out, to get the Passport Office to print a passport you need to have an ACTUAL MELTDOWN on the phone to them- crying doesn’t cut it, that’s been happening for weeks. 

So, 90 days around Europe, spanning summer, autumn and a little bit of winter…. here we go! We have been having a think about how we can embrace a bit of the wildness during this trip, to really make the most of this family time together and we felt it would help to jot down a few thoughts.

Here is our Adventure Manifesto:

To skim the stones. To pick the fruit.

To splash in every water source- the fountains of the city and the waves in the sea.

To leave a gift in every new place – a kind word or a cross-stitched message of hope.

To receive a gift in every new place – a welcome smile or an unexpected city happening.

To drive and drive and drive, all the way to Croatia, if we want to. Or just stick around the first wonderland we reach, and not get very far at all, really.

To skinny dip. To write our names in sand.

To dance – when there is music and when there is just the rustling of leaves.

To embrace every chance to eat with people. To taste the local menu.

To belly-laugh with strangers.

To join in with each collective moment – a crowd watching a busker, an open air exercise class, a march.

To let our children lead, to explore the world on their terms and be abandoned to a song of childhood.

To stick around for 5 more minutes to watch the sunset from a bridge or shore.

To climb the rocks and to clamber along walls. To play chase on every bit of grass.

To follow the sun. To jump in puddles and spin in the rain.

To love the earth in every local spot; to choose to walk and mind our diesel use.

To be carefree in activities yet careful in attitude- resisting a throwaway lifestyle.

To tune in to our instincts.

To let go of the need to achieve something; to perfect the art of doing nothing.

To pause.

To sit in the silence of a cathedral.

To be still in the forest.

To be idle in an inbetween place.

To stretch and do yoga.

To watch the army of ants.

To sweep the floor and pack up with joy.

I hope to tell you some stories about the strangers we meet and the peculiar things that travelling throws at you. I’ll be trying to blog from different places so please keep in touch. Follow through Facebook or Bloglovin or even just enter your email to get them pinged into your inbox. I won’t be spamalot, promise!