Friday, March 31, 2006

The view...


...out my hotel window in Dallas.

I always take my camera with me whenever I go on a trip. Originally, it was to serve as a roadmap to remember a strange and new place. But the first time I brought scads of digital pictures home, I discovered an even better reason: my kids thought it was really cool.

History repeated itself on my arrival home from Dallas: everyone gathered around the laptop as I offloaded the camera and ran the slide show. They listened to the funny stories attached to each image. They asked question after question about what it was like to be where I was. Suddenly, my faraway journey wasn't so distant for them.

Your turn: What stories do you tell your family when you return home from abroad?

17 comments:

ƒåυνέ said...

I think that's a wonderful tradition to do with your children. I don't get to travel very much though we do tell stories of our days each night. I always keep mine 'positive'. I'd hate for them to dread working already.


Hello - from Michele's

Cin said...

Happy Friday - Michele sent me :)

I am one of those people who almost always has a camera with them, so I always have plenty to share. Luckily I'm also a big fan of editing before sharing.

When it does come time to share, I usually have at least one "getting lost and talking to the locals" story, and being the nerbil I am, at least one or 3 tidbits about some piece of crumbling architecture that fascinated me and which I had to find out more about.

ribbiticus said...

i love taking pictures too. a trip is never complete without them. and the best part is that i get to share those experiences with family and friends upon my return. i always have a running commentary or strange/funny anecdotes to accompany my "photo essays". :)

mattviews said...

I'm glued to my camera when I travel - but I'm somewhat eclectic in my kodak moments. I like candid shots and off-the-beaten=path type of pictures. I tend to share things like I got on the wrong train off Bangkok station and a kind conductor came to rescue an hour later.... I tell people back home about the encounter with locals, places to eat....

I keep a travelogue with receipts, tickets, boarding pass stubs, ....

Karen said...

OK, could you be a more fun dad? I mean, an instant slide show complete with funny stories? You're da bomb!

Happy Friday, Carmi!

Sandy said...

What a fantastic idea Carmi. I might have to 'borrow' it and send my husband off with a camera on his next trip!

Most of my trips include the children, although I do get away once a year for a girl's weekend - just my mom and me. When I return from such a trip or the rare business trip of mine these days - I like to bring back something small that just SCREAMS my child's name. (Of course not literally.) When I give it to them, I tell them why I picked the gift out and where it came from. The little one could care less about anything but the gift for now. My son, however, seems to enjoy hearing all about it - if nothing else, it makes him happy to know that he's thought of even when I'm not with him.

Anonymous said...

I haven't traveled abroad in so long! I'm sure the photos help your kids feel included.

YellowRose said...

Having just gotten back from a cruise to the Bahama's, we had lots to talk about to our kids! I think the first was the funny things that happened to us while gone, they love to hear about how goofy their folks can be! LOl

You were in my old stomping grounds..Dallas! We left that area over a year ago! Hope you enjoyed it!

Here via Michele's!

jennypenny said...

I saw you coming over to my place from Micheles so I thought we could trade comments at the same time! I haven't travelled too much other than back and forth to Vancouver for the last two years where my boyfriend (ex) is. And i talked to mom everyday. lol i just can't seem to leave my family behind no matter where i am. so by the time i am home they already know everything i did!

Cupcake Queen said...

HI Carmi:

Michele sent me!

Anonymous said...

My wife always asks me, "Did you get upgraded?" On this most recent trip (returned back to Hong Kong from San Francisco on Saturday morning after being away for a week) I was upgraded to First Class (!) both ways! This has helped my injured back quite a bit!

Glad your trip was a success. Michele sent me but I would have dropped by anyway. I am going to link you to my blog.

srp said...

Watching the crazy luggage haulers drop a bag then have the next racing cart run over it. Where? At Rome airport. The baggage handlers drive the little carts like crazy and no one seems to care. Everyone on the little bus taking us to the plane gasped.

Here from Michele.

jennypenny said...

I love how you take the most random objects in your photos and make them so intruiging. It really insipres me to take some pics.. even if its not nice out or i don't have a lot of time. there is so much around me that is beautiful. here from michele's this time.

Ellie Creek Ellis said...

wow, i was just going through blogs and came across yours, i believe you were the first "stranger" to write on an old blog of mine when i first started...now the name and story has changed, lol, but good to see ya again!!

Kimmy said...

I love that taking pictures turned into a family tradition. That's so awesome!

I take my camera with me all the time. People laugh at me because of it... but I've captured many kodak moments that I treasure!

Here from Michele's

Anonymous said...

great image.....
Ah family camera fun..
I so wonderful...
Over from the other Michele's tonight

Anonymous said...

Hi! I came here through Michele's.

I love this photograph. Reminds me of my grandparents' home. I too have my camera (well, camera phone)with me everywhere I go and it's great to be able to capture precious moments right away!

When I come home, I usually share stories of what food I ate. I'm a bit of a foodie, that's why. Then I tell them about the hotel I stayed in. I hardly talk about the rest of the trip itself. Maybe because I'm too tired? Or maybe because I just let my pictures do the talking for me!