do travel rules clash with our garden traditions?

As I prepare for my trip to La Paz, Bolivia, I can't help but think about how travel requirements today remind me of the changing rules in our own backyards. When I was a child, my family gardened by instinct and memory—no one asked for proof or paperwork to plant a rose or dig up potatoes. But now, just like entering a new country, gardening seems to come with its own set of regulations and expectations. For my trip, I’ve heard I’ll need my passport, an itinerary, and maybe even a yellow fever vaccination card. Some say it’s required, others say it’s not. It’s confusing—much like the debates we have in our community about which plants are allowed in our front yards, or whether we should stick to native species for the sake of the environment. I remember my grandmother’s wild cottage garden, full of life and color, but today, some neighbors frown on anything that doesn’t fit the HOA’s tidy vision. Isn’t it strange how both travel and gardening have become battlegrounds for rules versus freedom? Are we losing the healing, family-centered traditions of our past to modern regulations and new ideas? Or are these changes necessary to protect our communities and the world around us? I’d love to hear your stories—have you faced similar conflicts, either at the border or in your own garden? Do you think these rules help or hurt our sense of belonging and connection to nature? #gardenmemories #travelconflicts #communityrules #Travel