Zac’s Last Travel Birthday
Zac was nine when we started travelling. He spent his tenth birthday in Brisbane, ice-skating with me and his dad. I didn’t take pictures of that.
He spent his eleventh birthday in Beijing, a split celebration: half at the Happy Valley theme park, half an underwhelming and icy sojourn at the water park in The Cube. I didn’t take pictures of either.
For his twelfth birthday, we were in Pokhara, Nepal, a world class paragliding site, so he went paragliding, his favourite adventure ever. The instructor took pictures:
For his thirteenth birthday, since we had a house, and a garden, and friends to invite to both, we had a little fireworks do, something we used to do for birthdays in England.
There was cake (bought, not made). There were candles. There were gifts, including a T-shirt and a hoodie he still wears. And… we were with friends.
We made a bonfire from some yard crap, and he climbed up onto the flat roof of our house to set off fireworks.
I took pictures this time. I wish I had pictures of the others, though.
Further, I can’t believe his next will be fourteen. Blimey, time does fly.
Don’t stress about that which you cannot change. Capture the future ones.
The little man is growing up; now a full fledged teenager. Happy birthday Zach!
But you were always there, that’s really all that matters.
Cakes are always bought, none of this “baking” shenanigans mullarky.
Happy birthday Zac.
Thank you! I did actually make cakes — well, technically one cake, rather than cakes — when he was sufficiently little not to mind my pitiful attempts at icing, but, yes, there’s really very little incentive to bake. Even if you do have an oven, and one that doesn’t blow up when you try to like it, which was the case with our oven in Dahab….
Hope you had a wonderful birthday, Zac!
This post actually made me smile. I think, despite not celebrating his birthdays at home and not having pictures of the travel, he’s a lucky kid.
After all, what really matters is the memories he has of those trips and being together with you.
Belated happy birthday, Zac! What a wild ride you’ve had. I wonder where on this wonderful earth you will celebrate future birthdays?
This next one will definitely be in Bali – we already have a vague game plan in place, although it’s months away…
Your kid is lucky … he’ll grow with much more informed views on the world than his contemporaries … more families need to do extended travel these days!
Nice. Have just discovered your posts after looking at our next journey, hoping to reach Asia.
After being a Stay-At -home Dad for 7 years and now looking at a 27 year old Comic -con adult, I came to the understanding that from 0-7 is for the Parents ( they remember little) 7-14 for the Kid, Great memories of trips etc,14-21 neither wish to remember, but if the first 14 went well, then at 21 it gets real good again and is for both kid and parent. Have fun we are Richer for Wandering