Bitten by the travel bug
June 21, 2012
Every time SingleMa tweets travel deals, or StackingPennies finds another awesome trip package, my heart leaps and sinks.
We just had a lovely time in March, aside from catching a horrible bug that lasted nearly three weeks, and already I’m ready for another getaway.
Why?
This is in large part a reaction to the ramped up stresses of other areas of my life. I had high expectations for work-life balance out of the promotion and just when I was digging into the new responsibilities, the position, and the support, a professional hipcheck sent that into a complete tailspin. Thanks.
Not ready to get into all that right now, but the upshot is my brain keeps thinking about places not here. The extra stress has my teeth literally on edge and my body so reactive with nonstop pain that I’m going with it, mentally. Travel is the lie I tell myself for sanity’s sake.
Where to?
At first, I was yearning after an introduction to Barcelona and Paris even though my Spanish is now atrocious and French is non-existent.
Then, Fab Fru-Gal’s jaunt to Italy reignited my love for the country and all the delectable foods.
Katherine’s travels to Tokyo Part 1 and Part 2 and Kyoto booted Japan back into the top Want to Go There Someday List.
When?
Any and all these places would be fantastic but scheduling has become more rather complicated these days. I think we’re going international, at least 3000 miles away, next year for about 4-7 days for a wedding.
A comic convention is still on the table, despite the fact that I may or may not be able to get tickets for SDCC next year (!!) We are still absolutely committed to continuing my tradition of going to a convention because no one wants to see my heart break completely.
Add to those bigger bits the usual routine travels to see the family and vacation budgeting of time and money gets tricky. And call me sentimental but leaving Doggle for too long starts to make me sad too. It helps when we are seeing people with dogs but I much prefer to have our very own pup staring us in the face morning and night. I’m getting a wee bit of an inkling of what it’s like to have a child.
And so, I simply dream.
Where would you go, if you could just GO footloose and fancy-free?
Spanish doesn’t help much in Barcelona! They mainly speak Catalan, and it’s so touristy they’ll hit you up in English. Actually, the last time I went to Madrid everybody wanted to speak to me in English rather than letting me practicar espanol. (Which wasn’t true 15 years ago!)
It’s so interesting that two people’s experiences in the same place can be so very different. I went to Barcelona last year and spoke only Spanish when interacting with locals. A few did try to switch to English but I forced it back Spanish every time. I got lots of practice with my Spanish.
And I definitely daydream about my wish list travels. Sounds like you need a vacation. Even it its just a long weekend getaway that’s in driving distance. I hope work gets better!
I would go to Egypt!!
Japan
Well, I still can’t get barcelona & paris out of my mind (though we did not book the trip, despite coming within 90% of the way).
So, for now, those are my daydreams. I think i need to swtich them to a vacation that is likely to actually happen – a cheaper destination (i.e. not Europe!)
Really? Seriously?
I’d go back to Milford Sound, in New Zealand. I’d bring a backpack and a great pair of hiking shoes and walk the entire spectacular trail.
If I were young…ah, if I were young: I’d try to find a way to get whatever the equivalent of a green card is in Australia, New Zealand, or the south of France. And I just might not come back.
@nicoleandmaggie: I’m never sure what the deal is with Barcelona and the language spoken there because I’ve encountered a mix of people w/diff experiences, like Ms. S says.
@Ms. S: I hope it gets better too – but a change is as good as a rest as the old people used to say! (or someone did …)
@The Quest: Ah that’s an interesting choice!
@Karen: I couldn’t stop staring at those food pictures.
@SP: My fingers were ITCHING.
@FaM: I’ve heard amazing things about the south of France. I’m also certain I’d be thrown out for my utter ignorance of the language 😉