I went on a holiday with my mum. I’ve never felt so popular

For a long time, my mum has dreamed of going to Georgia. It’s one of her bucket list destinations, a place that captures her imagination for reasons including wine, a long-lost family history, the Caucasus Mountains, and, of course, wine.

However, like so many other women of her generation, she is in the nebulous position of wanting to travel but having no one to travel with. The reasons for this are multifaceted. Death is one, divorce is another, but for the vast majority of women who are (age-range redacted), their partners simply no longer have the desire to go.

Enter me, her son, who suggests we put down the negative gearing and avocado toast to venture out into this wide world together. At best, it will be a wonderfully memorable experience and at worst, I will overtake my brother as the favourite son, if only for a fleeting moment.

I’ll admit, I’m nervous about taking this trip. Travelling with anyone is hard, let alone travelling with someone who has been telling you what to do your whole life. Despite these fears, I find great joy in our intergenerational adventures.

Okay, so I have to walk a lot slower than I’m used to. I also have to do a lot of the physical and metaphorical heavy lifting, whether it is with suitcases, Google Maps, or decision-making. But these are small prices to pay when measured against the true value of travelling with my mum, which is how damn popular it makes me.

Whether it is on walking tours, restaurants, or dragging Mum out to bars, travellers are the moths and she is the flame.

Whether it is on walking tours, restaurants, or dragging Mum out to bars, travellers are the moths and she is the flame. People gravitate to us in a way that I’ve never quite experienced when I’ve travelled with my wife, my mates, or on my own.

Is this because of her?

Maybe.

But I think there is more to it than her talking to strangers (which, ironically, is something she taught me never to do). I think that when you travel with your mum, it disarms people. They don’t quite know how to label you so they do away with the labels altogether. This, in my opinion, is the essence of why we should travel: to peel back the labels and reveal that we’re all the same cask wine underneath.

Young and old, Israelis and Iranians, we make friends with people from different generational brushstrokes and all sorts of cultural backgrounds. I never would have engaged with half these people had I been travelling with my usual suspects, but travelling with Mum, it opens me up to a whole new spectrum of travellers and locals alike.

I’m not going to bore you with cliches about how this trip brings us closer together or is a bonding experience. The two of us are close already, and we don’t have to travel halfway around the world to have a meaningful conversation.

What I will say about this trip is that it is fun. It’s fun dragging my mum around to wine bars and fun watching her invite strangers to join our table. The hangovers are less fun but hey, they’re nothing that a few shots of chacha (Georgian grappa) can’t fix.

The only sad thing about this trip is that our window to replicate it is shrinking. Life is a complicated thing. Stars rarely align and travel often falls into the realm of daydreams. All I can say to anyone who is thinking about travelling with their mum is that you should take the opportunity while you can, because you’re sure going to miss it when it’s gone.

THE DETAILS

WINE BAR
If you’re looking for the best wine bar in Tbilisi, check out DADI wine bar and shop. See dadi.wine

REGIONS
To experience the true heart of Georgian wine culture, a trip to Kakheti is a must. There are plenty of companies that organise day trips (including DADI wine), otherwise it’s absolutely worth staying there for a few nights. For a local experience, stay in Telavi, and if you don’t mind the crowds, head for Sighnaghi. See georgia.travel

WINERIES
A great winery to visit is Shumi Winery, with some incredible wines and picturesque scenery. See shumiwinery.com

The writer travelled at his own expense