It has been a while since I took just a vacation.
I don't mean the 3-4 day trips to see friends or family. I mean a week or more off of work with no plans, other than to relax and enjoy wherever you are.
Thinking back, there haven't been many of those since embarking on working adulthood. Post college, there aren't natural work stoppages in the calendar year that make it acceptable to shirk responsibilities, turn off the phone, hold the mail and skip town.
I've taken a handful of trips to Boston to see friends over the past 8.5 years, slept on couches, pull-out couches and air mattresses galore. I do remember one or two beds for a night each, as I played the game of see everyone you know in short amount of time.
There was one trip to Florida for fun with one friend that was just for the sake of fun. We sunned ourselves, had plenty of cocktails, and mocked the vice presidential debates in real time.
I think the rare trips for the sake of enjoyment have been with family. Sadly, the enjoyment has come mainly because of the ability to pay for good meals, decent places to sleep, transportation and entertainment (museums, spas, shopping, music, dance, theater). I am grateful for those experiences and hope to be able to enjoy those same luxuries from my own pockets at some point.
It's funny, I have friends who love to take extended trips to kayak, white water raft, stand up paddle, hike or camp. I always thought of that as something to do in the short term, more recreation than vacation. I always thought of vacations as the time to catch up on light reading, a time to give yourself a break, not break a sweat. I love the idea of learning while on vacation, expanding my mind and exploring a new culture.
I do recognize the joy in exploring nature, in experiencing the wonder of water lilies on a lake, of eagles soaring overhead, of cooking over an open fire. I had that during summer camp. I also had lots of mosquito bites, mystery meat and cabin mates with eating disorders.
I prefer clean sheets and hot showers. Doesn't make me love nature any less, just makes me more of my father's daughter.
I really want to see Morocco, India, Thailand, New Zealand, Hawaii, and any number of other waterfront destinations. I want to smell spices in the food stalls. I want to walk on the beaches and swim in the oceans. I want to hear new music and learn new languages. I want to explore cultures outside of my own and experience them outside of literature.
Bring on the savings account and the travel brochures. I have too many suitcases to stay home for long!
No comments:
Post a Comment