Vacation from a Vacation
The phrase has become a bit of a cliche. Plus, I could sit here and nitpick that if you need a vacation from your vacation than you didn’t go on a vacation but rather a trip. There’s a whole science between trip and vacation. As I sit here, I do admit I could use a vacation from my vacation trip.
I’m a go, go, go kind of person. I have a love of life. I want to see it all, feel it all, experience it all. And, as we all know, life is limited so I don’t want to miss a second of it.
Two months ago…heck…even 3 weeks ago, I had been planning to drive up to Vancouver today. If that was still the plan I would have left (checks hypothetical wrist watch) 22 minutes ago. The plan was to drive up, sit at a coffee shop and work, watched the Minnesota Wild knock around the Vancouver Canucks, stop at a gas station for a caffeine hit, and drive home.
Can you process how long of a day that would be. less than 48 hours from coming back from Tanzania that involved a 28-hour travel excursion. Maybe in my youth. Because I was full of more energy and or less experience to know the grind.
Honestly, it wasn’t even my wits that saved me it was the fact that the Wild have another game in Vancouver before the end of the season and that weekend had become available in my calendar so I was saved. Otherwise, I’d be driving through Everette and halfway through my first Starbucks right about now.
And I’m incredibly grateful that I’m not.
As much as I love traveling, it can be exhausting at times - especially when crossing several different timezones. Toss on a seven-summit hike, 5 different hotel changes, a couple 10+ hour safari days, and the long journey home…I’m wiped.
With a little bit of anticipation that this would be the feeling, we kept our calendar rather light for the first 5 or so days back to allow for us to slowly piece our life back together.
Get the sleep schedule back on track. I don’t hate the Jetlag in the morning but the craving to sleep at 4pm has been less than ideal
Clear the personal, HOA, Red Cross inboxes. A thrilling experience but does feel good to get organized.
Grocery shopping. Typically, my least favorite responsibility, but I’m optimistic about a new healthy diet thanks in part to my pals hiking Kilimanjaro. I just can’t seem to stay awake to go after work.
Laundry. The suitcases remain zipped against my better judgement.
TV Shows. Timing for our trip conflicted with some prestigious television: Severance, White Lotus, Daredevil, Survivor. There is work to be done!
Maybe it’s a fluke or perhaps it’s the start of a trend but desire for a vacation from our trip is certainly here, but rather than take an actual vacation, a staycation away from any plans outside the house is exactly what we needed.