Have you ever been wondering over the background for my very passionate travel interest?
Beside the more obvious reason, that I’m very curious and interested in a lot of different things, it has other reasons too. You see, I grew up in a family with 4 children. My father was working very hard to get us food on the table. Sweden weren’t as well developed as it is today and it was difficult to manage on one salary. At that time there were no such thing as day care centers. All Mom’s stayed at home with their children.
We simply couldn’t afford any traveling. We didn’t even had a car, so we couldn’t get around nearby either. When other kids where away in the summer holidays, I was most of the times (about 1,5 months of 2) without playmates. It was very educating though. I learned how to keep myself occupied in other ways. I only could dream about all other exciting places and countries that one could travel too. I never thought that I was going to be able to travel.
The only thing we did was to take the boat over to Finland to visit my Mom’s relatives over there, for a couple of weeks every summer. This was not anything I looked forward to, because everybody did speak Finnish and I did not. Since my siblings are all older than me, I went there alone with my Mom the last years. When I became 12 I refused to go there any more, because I felt sadly neglected.
I did say that I never would go there again and it actually took 33 years (!) before I wanted to take a trip to Finland again. That was my first trip with Mr Lifecruiser, after have known each other only for about 2 months. Remember that awful cruise? *giggles*
Once again, I say: I will never do that trip again, but this time I’m a bit wiser. You never shall say never, right? So I add: If I’m ever going there again, it’s gonna be by flight! Even though I have heard that the Finnish pilots can be a bit…eh… wild…. *giggles*
When I had grown up and was ready to leave home, I moved together with my boyfriend who I was engaged with then. This engagement went on for about 26 years… What can I say, I’m the loyal type 
This time I may have to kick myself in the butt for not doing something about it, but you see – he was so NOT interested in traveling. What was worse were that he was being very grumpy about me traveling by myself or with others, so that was clearly not an option if I would want to have any fun at all.
Yes, I know, don’t complain afterward if you haven’t done something about it, but sometimes it’s not that easy. I was a rather sensitive person and if he got bad-tempered, it kind of destroyed my pleasure too. Dumb really, when I think about it afterward, but never the less, that was the facts back then. Sometimes I could persuade him to travel a couple of days to the south of Sweden to visit a friend of mine there, but after a couple of days he got restless and it was no fun any more.
In the end of our relationship he started to weaken up a bit and could think about travel somewhere, but after a couple of years of asking if we shouldn’t go any where, I got tired. Totally tired of it all. What did I do? I did break up our relationship after those 26 years. So strong were my will to do something about my prison life. Yes, it felt like a prison. He was also very jealous. I couldn’t stand it any more and it was too late to repair the damage between us.
I would never have thought that I should do that. Remember, I’m the loyal type, but obviously even I have my limits. Maybe it has something with that age to do too, I was 44 years then (2003) and you start to think: how long life have I left? I strongly felt that I wanted to have seen a lot more of the world before my life ended. It was also the matter of my bad back that reminded me that we might not always be healthy enough to travel either.
I was planning on being single for a long while, but Mr Lifecruiser happened to cross my way soon after that and, big luck, not only are our love passionate, but also our travel passion. Mr Lifecruiser never says never to travel 
You can have a look here to see Lifecruiser travel during 2004-2005. After that I got some health problems and other family problems, so we have “only” been to Ireland in June 2006 and of course Fårö during July 2006 and 2007.
I’ve got hope that we might be able to travel something soon again! No wonder I’m thrilled! YAY!
Carpe Diem is so true. Travel today, tomorrow it can be too late. Never say no to travel, it’s so refreshing – and educating!
Captain ♥ Lifecruiser
I hope that you get to travel again very soon!! Wonderful post! Have a great Tuesday!
And Miles To Go….’s last blog post..Head Or Tails (#14)–Never Say Never
I like traveling too, but with two children we don’t get much of a chance anymore. Have a great day!
Mom Knows Everything’s last blog post..HEADS OR TAILS – NEVER SAY NEVER
I don’t blame you at all…I dated one like that.
Guess what? I’ve tagged you to reveal 8 random things we don’t know about you !
; )
blueblue’s last blog post..Seed orders
I look forward to the day when we have money to travel. I love going new places and seeing new things. I’m in the US and have been to 38 of the 50 states, and I fully plan on seeing the other 12 as well as going to foreign lands.
Enjoy your travels and never say never again!
Natalie’s last blog post..Heads or Tails – Never
I have heard of long engagements but you are top!!
Hope you can travel again soon. In the meantime let me take you for some wine and tapas to Seville!
Mar’s last blog post..sightseeing in Seville (1)
What a great post!
I was married to my first husband for 25 years before I kicked him out. I thought I’d never find anyone else either, then I met my Mike in 2000 and we got married in 2005. I’m so fortunate that he shares my love of travel, too! We don’t go overseas.. but we love to just pack some clothes, get in the car and take off with no real destination in mind. We’ve seen some beautiful things around our country this way.
Skittles’s last blog post..Heads Or Tails #16 – Never Say Never
Wow… you stayed with that man for 26 years and he didn’t want to go anywhere?! You ARE loyal. I’m glad you’re living life and having fun now! Way to go!
Smarmoofus’s last blog post..Heads or Tails: Never Say Never
what a great H or T post on Never , I really enjoyed reading it and I hope you and Mr Lifecruiser have avery long and happy journey together … travelling a smooth and cruisy road.
Babyamore (Trish)’s last blog post..Jesus is my reason for the Season -
Great post!! Here’s to some happy traveling, soon!
Secret Agent Mama’s last blog post..Heads or Tails
I am scandalized ! Staying with a “piss vinaigre” (vinegar) that’s how the French speaking people call such a person, for 26 years has nothing to do with loyalty ! You were just loosing your time. It’s a pity that you woke up so late ! But better you woke up late then sleeping for another 26 years lol ! At least now you have the lucky lify you earn !
In my childhood nobody had a car or telephone neither and mothers had to stay home, we even had no “whole day schools” but only in the mornings the afternoons are off school so what to do with children ? Mothers had to stay home, no choice. And unfortunately in Germany it hasn’t changed a lot. School is still half day and daycares are very rare and not enough. It is a retarded country for women ! When I think that when I started working in Belgium in 1963 daycares already existed and most of the women worked. Our accountant (a woman) had 3 children and worked the whole day !
Tomorrow I will publish a first little post about Egypt, a whirling dervish whom I filmed during a show. It is very nice and if the cruisers could come over they would have something very special to see. It is amazing how these guys whirl around for at least 20 min without falling ! (my videos last only 4 and 1 min).
I will now start to put the pictures together to welcome the cruise in a (hopefully) short time ! I tell you when I am ready !
What a wonderful post! I hope someday to travel as much as you have been able to.
Vixen’s last blog post..Heads Or Tails – Never Say Never
I have to admit – I’m not big on traveling. Although, I would love to take a cruise someday and would love to go to Australia!
Great post!
Misty Dawn’s last blog post..Freeze the Pain
Thank you for so honestly sharing your life with your readers.
I think I was a bit luckier, as my mama had 7 uncles in USA, 2 cousins in Denmark and my Grandpa, he was from Stockholm (before his family moved to Drammen, Norway).
We did not have a car. Import regulations stopped even the thought of it. Only people that needed a car due to their work, was alloved to buy one. One of of my Uncles was a Car seller, and i drove us all over within a couple of hours from Oslo, on Roads we nicknamed cattle roads. They were awful. But that how it was, we did not know better – haha.
My first trip abroad was when I was 2. My mother and I took the bus to my grandma, and from her we walked (not me – I had my “sportswagon” to sit in), down to the Copenhaguen ship. It was my mothers cousins we did visit. They had food in Denmark just post WW 2. We had next to nothing. It was restrictions on everything.
Next time I went abroad was to Sweden – Arvika – by train. I was 7. My younger brother was placed at a summerhome for kids – while I went with my mother and father – bringing our bikes with us. We had family in Arvika, and they let us have their summerhouse at Glafsfjorden for a week. Then they drove us up to Selma Lagerlöfs “castle” with a view of Sunnefjord-lake.
My parents were very clever to travel, in spite they were poor too. By bus and train and ships. And we, the cousins, stayed at what is now our Summerhome, with my pa’s parents.
First time really abroad – to a country with a very different language – in 1964 – to France, one month “youth working”-camp just North of Grenoble.
Since then, I’ve been abroad – outside Scandinavia – every single year. Except this year (so far)- only some days in Nice, a Weekend in Amsterdam – a long weekend in Florida.. *giggles*
My x-wife also loved to travel.
And Anna, you know..
That’s why my kids are suffering from travellics.
What really concerns me, is the fact you have not even been able to visit two blog friends in Oslo. (we know about all the other aspects…)
Anna and I have a wish for you both:
A Christmas/New Year in Spain or Tunisia – at least a place good for your Health.
ps. Have written a new post – but must load up pictures. This post needs pictures. It’s very different from my other stories from Miami Beach and Florida.
gosh. this was long as 3 single posts. Give me a kick in the ass.
hugs
TorAa’s last blog post..Saturday Evening – in SOBE – Nov 10 -2007
Nice to read your past! Really it’s a great thing! I don’t know here in France many people who could tell so much about their life! i’m like you! With the same man since I’m 20 years old and love travel! But of course with children now we have other priorities like their student, driving licence (very expensive in France). Hé! Hé! I see Le Beaujolais nouveau is arrived in Sweden! If you taste it you ‘ll can do a wish!!!
claudie’s last blog post..A new resident?
Wow! I am soooo envious of your traveling time. Not the least bit envious though of the 26 years with as another commenter called vinegar piss – I would have to agree with that name for him! Such a shame to have lost all that time when you could have been traveling along with someone who enjoys things like that, living life to the fullest!
I’ve never been overseas and if I should ever hit the lottery (only way I’ll ever get enough money to travel -lol), the first place I want to see is Sweden particularly the Dahlsland area as that is the land of my ancestors. Better go buy some lottery tickets now if I want that dream to ever come true though, huh?
Jeni Hill Ertmer’s last blog post..Letter From Santa?
I cannot imagine being engaged to someone (lol at Gattina’s piss vinegar) for 26 years!
I love travelling and have been travelling almost every few months… mostly business trips. And it’s mostly in Asia. I am dying to go to Europe to meet my blogger friends.
eastcoastlife’s last blog post..Japanese Ramen Spa – Wordless Wednesday
It is always nice to get out and see the world and I hope you get to do it again real soon.
Alice’s last blog post..EA Mobile Gaming
I admire you for your courage to finally leave that jealous guy after 26 years!! Sometimes we get so used to the not so normal things in life that we get a bit scared to get away from it and try newer things. I think you deserve Mr. Lifecruiser after all those years. I hope you will get to travel more soon but just the blog links help us really to be travel more through the eyes of the other people
Toni’s last blog post..Flea Market 101
Well done to you, what a turnaround you have made. Its great to see that the whole experience led to something so positive