I took Rhys traveling around Finland for a week and by the end, couldn’t help but think to myself… I got a really great travel buddy.
We talked about our “big snowy trip” for months. He got real familiar with the Finland page of his world map book. He triple checked with me to make sure the wolves and wolverines would stay within the woods of the Taiga and not be in our way.
Kid took to the adventure with all the enthusiasm and curiosity that comes natural to a four year old, but also with a sense of adaptability and teamwork that many adults struggle with. In the end, he had a great time. I had a great time.
I kept thinking of our first year together. Him as a squish and both of us cooped up at home. At some points it felt like I might never travel again. A part of me was okay with that, and another part was dying. Four years later, I can be both dad and backpacker. We get to walk together to find the right train platforms and food markets.
It’s brought me so much joy to hear him share stories from the trip with the rest of the family in his own words. We did so much cool stuff, but what was really cool was getting to do it with him.