Dreams Involving Travel

I once read that dreams are messages from yourself to yourself, and only you can interpret the special meaning to your dreams.

In Symbols of dreams involving travel I read:

“All dreams involving travel boil down to one thing: a wish to leave your current situation.”

As you may know I’ve had plans to go back to London since I left in September, 2007. At first I decided to return two months later, in November. Because of some unexpected obstacles — combined with the fact that I haven’t been ready to leave Sweden yet — I’ve postponed the trip.

Yesterday I browsed through my dream diary. I wonder whether my dreams from other countries and cities mean something, if they are premonition dreams that predict events, the places I wish to visit in the future, or just a result of things I’ve read about/seen in the past. Time will tell. Until then I decided to write down all the travel dreams I’ve had (while sleeping), and whenever I have a new dream involving travel I will update this post.

So far I’ve dreamt about:

Sweden

• A windy summers day in Halmstad. I’m with my grandmother and her friend somewhere near the sea.

• I visit my cousin who lives on the countryside in the region of Västergötland. I ask her what she thinks about waking up in the morning when everything is still, quiet, the air is fresh, and you can hear the birds. I tell her I love cities, but also empty places, clean air and peaceful surroundings.

• My sister and I at a train station. We hop on the next train to Gothenburg and sit down on a comfortable seat in the first wagon.

• I walk through central Stockholm a warm, sunny spring day together with two small girls (perhaps four and six years old). Since it’s very crowded, I hold the oldest girl’s hand and tell her to grab her sister’s hand so we don’t lose sight of each other.

• I’m on my way home to the apartment I own in central Stockholm. I feel happy that I finally own my own place, rather than renting from someone else.

• I live in Malmö.

London, UK  

• I met some friends in Finsbury Park in North London.
• I’m a new student at a college outside London. Have no idea what I study because I sit in the school cafeteria with a couple of friends.
• Am waiting for the tube with a friend, his girlfriend and someone I don’t know. Even though I enjoy their company, I’d prefer to explore London on my own.
• Have gotten an au-pair job in central London. It almost feels as if the family’s house is on the countryside because they live in such a quiet and green area.
• I’m somewhere in London, about to visit a friend who lives by the coast.
• I walk along Notting Hill Gate, not far from where I lived in real life.
• New Year’s Eve. On my way to a hotel in London. First I don’t know which European city I’m in because it’s dark and raining, but when I see Park Lane I realize where I am. I catch a cab and reach my hotel within minutes.
• A friend and I are looking for an apartment.

Paris, France

• I sit in a theater with two girls, about five and seven years old. When the performance is over, I lift up the youngest one and hold the oldest one in her hand until we’re out in the fresh air. We walk along a street in central Paris. I don’t know where I am going, but I know that I’m home.

• I sit in a crowded train wagon, look at the metro map and read the names of the different stops in French.

Austria

• On skiing holiday with a couple of friends. After a day on the slopes I stop by a bakery in the center of the village where I have an interesting conversation with the owner.

Brussels, Belgium

• I walk through a neighborhood in central Brussels.

Zurich, Switzerland

• On a road trip with some friends, on my way to Zurich.

Venice, Italy

• On a city tour in Venice. I walk on the roof tops, far from the ground, and admire the beautiful view. Our tour guide tells me to be careful not to fall.

Santorini

• I’m at a party on some island and catch sight on a cute guy on a small ship nearby. He asks if I want to accompany him on the ship. I assume it is only for a ride around the island, so I say yes and go to meet the other crew members. When the ship finally reaches land, I ask where we are.  Turns out we’re in Santorini and will not return to the other island after all. But I accept the situation and actually enjoy the idea of spending a few weeks, or longer, on the ship.

Canary Islands, Spain

• A week’s vacation with my parents. I feel really bad that I agreed to come for no other reason  than that they would pay for the trip.

Somewhere in the US

• I sit on a train on my way to Miami.

New York City

• A sunny, rainy spring day in East Village. I walk out from a four-star hotel with a black umbrella in my hand. Can’t stop smiling.

• My sister and I walk through mid Manhattan. I need to go back to my apartment, so we part ways.

• In a summer cottage in Sweden with my sister, but when I look out the window I see the skyline of New York City. Incredibly beautiful.

• A sunny day. I ride a helicopter over New York. First, we fly just above the roof tops, then higher and higher until I can’t even discern the skyscrapers.

• Early morning somewhere on Manhattan. I’m 23-years-old. I sit on my knees on the floor of a spacious loft, playing guitar and singing. The sun streams through the tall windows.

• A friend and I cross a street somewhere near Times Square. Foggy, rainy weather, yet warm. We’re wearing summer clothes. I wonder why people around us are dressed in autumn/winter wear in the summer.

Portland

• I visit a beach in Portland. I board a small sailing boat and look out over the ocean.

Los Angeles

• A friend of mine who lives in Agoura Hills invites me to stay at her place until I find my something of my own in LA. Next day, I sit in a train station in central LA and read a book. A guy sits down next to me.

“Are you ok?”

“Yes.”

“Are you lost?”

“No, not at all.”

• I’m looking at ads with pictures and descriptions of different houses with swimming pools in and around LA (including Arizona).

Pittsburgh

• In a central hotel with my mom and sister. I do yoga in the reception hall while we’re waiting to check in.

Mexico City

• A couple of friends and I stand on the platform of one of Mexico City’s metro stations. As people rush by us on their way to the trains, we look at the signs to find the right direction up to the street.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

• I walk alone through Buenos Aires.

Uruguay

• Very unclear dream, barely remember anything.

Chile

• I fly over Chile. When I move closer to the ground I realize it’s only an extremely large map of South America, and that I’m about to land in Chile.

Hanoi, Vietnam

• A Dream About Hanoi. I see a sign saying ‘Hanoi’, that’s how I know.

Thailand

• An old classmate of mine drives a motor boat, I sit in the back. The clear-blue sky is above us, the ocean in front of us. I get tears in my eyes because the view is so beautiful.

• I walk somewhere in Bangkok, have lived in the city for quite a long time, and really enjoy it there.

India

• (August, 2010) Visiting India. I see a sign that says Jangpur, or Jaipur.

Pakistan

• I see a beautiful woman clad in a long dress. She walks out from an apartment building and hurries down the street, as if she’s late to an important meeting.

Iraq

• In a deserted city after the bombings. My friend and I can’t hear a soul. I feel it isn’t a safe place for us; that we have to get out of there as soon as possible.

Sydney, Australia

• I enjoy the sunny weather during a stroll along Sydney Harbour.

Bora Bora

• In Photo of the Week: Quiet Life I wrote about the dream I had in Bora Bora, or the Maldives.

United Arab Emirates

• I am in Dubai, and possibly Abu Dhabi.  

Egypt

• My sister and I are in Egypt. For some reason we’re planning to walk from Egypt to Abu Dhabi.

North Africa

• I walk in the desert with some friends. When my friend asks where we are I say “Southeast Asia” even though we’re in North Africa. I have no idea why.

Uganda

• I have climbed up a tree somewhere in Uganda (or perhaps Rwanda) and sit on a twig chatting with a gorilla and his son. The gorilla makes jokes and I can’t help but laugh.

Mongolia, Russia, France

• My sister, a friend and I run along a dirt road in Mongolia. We reach the pick-up truck belonging to our friend’s dad and jump on. He drives pretty fast. I take a seat opposite two Mongolian siblings, a brother and a sister, probably around seven and nine. When our friend’s dad stops in the next village to let the kids off, my sister gives a few dollar notes to the brother. I look into his eyes as he stares at a $50 note. He get tears in his eyes. The kids get off and we continue. When we reach the border control to Russia our friend’s dad tells us to stay quiet, so we can pass without any problems. Eventually we reach France. My sister and I wanted to end up in Nice, but for some reason they can’t drive us any further. We get off and decide to catch a bus to the coast.

Unknown destinations

• I sit in a taxi somewhere, talking to the foreign taxi driver. “Where are we going?” I ask him. He looks at me, smiles, and says, “Kundun.”

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While sleeping, what travel dreams have you had?

Possibly related posts:

1. A Dream About Hanoi
2. Too Old to Travel? Never!
3. Travel Rants’ Editor Shares Blogging Tips and Travel Thoughts
4. 30 Travel Related Things About Me
5. Subconscious Travels