Turning 10: Taste for Travel Begins

My first snow experience!
Skiing in Sweden with dad.
 April 1994 (age 10).

Growing up in the world's most isolated city has it's perks, but also disadvantages too. One issue faced by many West Australians is the massive distance separating them from the rest of the Western world. Literally. Distance is a BIG thing in WA, where reaching another capital city requires a flight or extremely long, flat drive along a straight stretch of dusty road through the 'treacherous' Aussie outback ;)

Cultural isolation is something my family has always epically persevered against. Dad committed to taking each of his four youngsters on an overseas adventure the year we turned 10 to open our blissfully ignorant eyes to the big wide world.

So around the time of my 10th birthday it was explained to me that I would be joining my dad on a trip to Sweden, London and Paris to 'see the world'. I took extended leave from primary school and spent a month exploring. From my first steps in snow, being awed by Stockholm's epic ice-sculptures and getting bogged while tobogganing - Sweden immediately captured my interest. "These people eat cheese and jam on biscuits for breakfast!" I chirped down the 'telephon' to mum. ('Telephon' being the only Swedish word I was able to pick up with ease throughout my two week stay). I visited a Swedish high school where I was interrogated by classmates with dreadlocks and nose-rings sitting with their feet on desks asking if I really did own a pet kangaroo called Skippy...

Internationally recognised brands blaze
brightly on electronic billboards over
London's famous Piccadilly Circus

The rush of London nearly bowled me over as I clambered to the top of red double decker busses, elbowed through crowds to see the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace and join masses of minors enraptured by the magic of Hamley's Toy Shop. Posing by red post-boxes and trotting through the Tower of London I viewed various highlights of old England with my dad and uncle by my side. Grandma was so proud of us all!

Parisienne cheese shop...
Gourmet gurus eat your heart out!

Three days to fit in Paris would exhaust even the most experienced of travellers. Plus with the Parisian metro on strike we were forced to conquer the city on foot! Nonetheless we climbed the Eiffel Tower, visited the Louvre, Arc De Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral and Centre Pompidou, plus took the Bateaux Mouches along the river Seine. All the while re-energising with croissants, eclairs, baguettes...

Needless to say, my first trip abroad was an extremely eye-opening experience. It definitely highlighted how different the real world was outside of my familiar comfort zone and whet my appetite to see more of the big wide world. Much, much more!