by Pokey Huffman, Interior Designer, Super Mom and Grandmother

Traveling is a privilege and we have been blessed with an abundance of it, so, when Tony and I started to talk about how to best celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, the answer was clear: a trip! But not just any trip. This had to be the trip of all trips. Our dream was to take our entire family to Turkey, the country where we spent the first 5 years of our marriage; where Shawna learned to speak her first words (in Turkish); where Alexandra was born; where it all started.

“Having kids is a reason to travel, never a reason to stop”

Covid delayed us by a year, but it in no way deterred our excitement. In some ways, it made it better. We were some of the first American travelers in Istanbul and literally had the sights to ourselves. Our guides were thrilled to be working again and their energy and enthusiasm for educating our grandchildren were infectious. The restaurants were open and happy for international business. We were actually made to feel a little like ‘rock stars’ just by being there.

After a week of history and culture that included visiting the top sights (Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Domabache Palace, and the Grand Bazaar), visiting old friends, and taking the kids to see where we lived and worked, we departed for the coast. On the first day, we visited the ancient city of Ephesus and could not believe the lack of people. Our daughter, Alexandra, and her husband Cole visited the exact place where they were engaged 15 years ago. It was a lot busier back then!

The grand finale was when we boarded our boat in Bodrum. Tony and I hand-selected this particular gulet (traditional Turkish wooden sailing vessel) 2 years prior. Not only is she beautiful, but we fell in love with the captain and crew. They did not disappoint. We sailed along the Turquoise Coast in pure bliss for the next 7 days. We swam, snorkeled, hiked, played with all the water toys (the boys loved the jet ski the best!), played endless games of backgammon and hearts, and ate incredibly fresh, local cuisine. The weather was picture perfect and the family time we spent together is hard to measure.

The trip exceeded all our expectations. It was truly magical to spend 2 weeks with our extended family and introducing our grandchildren to a new country, new culture, and helping to make their world a bit larger. Traveling with a large group and varied ages can present challenges indeed, but both Tony and I believe that having kids is a reason to travel, never to stop.