Travelling with an addition.
I haven’t contributed to my own blog for a while, not only because I’ve spent more time holding a camera and less time on a keyboard, but because a little ray of sunshine has come into the world. On April 23, a year ago today, Archi-Lee was born.
I felt like I’d been productive in my life; I thought I’d been drained, and I thought I’d been time poor. But nothing quite had me prepared for the adventure that awaited in my first year in fatherhood.
As I write this at 4:30 in the morning, I have been determined for the past few weeks to get these notes down. I reflect in pure fondness on my new inspiration, my new purpose, and the reality that this often solo traveler is checking in now for three.
My wife Hyemi and I were determined to not let this be the end of our traveling adventures. By hook or by crook, this first year of his life has seen him hit up some remarkably important destinations.
Auckland - New Zealand
Firstly, Auckland, New Zealand - meeting uncle Eric.
Auckland’s not unlike Adelaide; there’s enough to keep you busy, but not so much it feels like metropolitan chaos (a real advantage when you have a 6-month-old).
Getting around by car is fairly simple (if you’re happy to substitute Baby Shambles for Baby Shark). But the best thing we did was stay in a location that made it easy to stroll to a bunch of great sites.
Art galleries, pasta bars, dark sand beaches, and happy days. The main lesson I learned is to not try to do too much. A 9-5 itinerary has to include multiple entries for resting, feeding, and drinking craft beers at your Airbnb with a good podcast. Which, to be honest, at thirty-five is probably as appealing as mezcal cocktails at the trendy new bar anyway.
Seoul - South Korea
To visit Korean Grandpa and see where mum’s (Hyemi’s) from. I’ve been with Hyemi for six years now, and through the pandemic, a bunch of canceled trips, and a tight living cost crunch, I’ve never had the chance to experience her culture. More so, she went years without the chance to regularly be around the friends and family she holds dear. Sometimes zoom is just not enough.
Korea is a wild place. Staying in Hong Dae, within arm's reach of the cousins, I found it fascinating to see the urban integration of residential living, retail, and a thriving and very unique hoso/arts scene.
Baby in hand, we explored the traditional and less traditional pillars of Korean life together.
Baby Travel Tips:
Do less; enjoy your family more.
Less on a whim, more booked in.
Carry distractions at all times.
Take advantage of the baby lane.