Wanna Get Away?

Okay – so I lifted this headline from Southwest’s non-refundable airfare description, but it was just too perfect not to use. This past weekend I had a glorious four-day getaway with my daughter and enjoyed a fantastic house in the mountains with breathtaking views. We hiked, cooked, drank wine, shopped local, discovered some excellent microbrews, and rediscovered how it feels to have a life free of the day-to-day trappings of a set schedule (commute, work, home).

Before leaving on this fabulous journey, I was beyond crabby. Little things irritated me; being at home just felt too much the same day in and day out. My inner psyche was sending out signals that I needed to get out of here. Oddly enough, I was concerned I was becoming too comfortable in my life’s familiarity as merely thinking about a trip gave me anxiety. The pandemic left me rather housebound for the year and I sensed I was losing a bit of my comfortableness with travel. What if my trip goes wrong? Delayed flights are always a distinct possibility, and there is always the concern that arranged accommodations don’t necessarily turn out the best. Also, who will I be when I am somewhere where I know no one and no one knows me? I have been a lifelong traveler, but my behavior leading up to this trip seemed to resemble someone I didn’t know. Is this what it feels like to those who never go anywhere?

I have often wondered about folks who never take a vacation, who remain at home when they have some time off of work. If that is a choice for someone, then namaste to them. I will say that they don’t know what they are missing. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a house where vacations were valued and an integral part of life. We were not a wealthy family and did not jet-set around the world, but we jumped in the family station wagon quite often to go for extended camping trips and explore the world. One summer, while living in New Jersey, we drove up to Prince Edward Island, one of eastern Canada’s maritime provinces, then drove west across Canada, down through Vancouver, and across the United States to New Jersey.

There are so many takeaways from that trip that still resonate with me today. We stayed on Prince Edward Island before the Confederation Bridge was built which connects Nova Scotia to the Island, and had to take the ferry over. The Island was untouched by outsiders – bursting with unspoiled beauty. I spent my 5th birthday in Yellowstone. Yellowstone in the ’70s was a free for all, with bears running all over the place. The bears visited our campsite nightly, searching for food. They even stopped traffic throughout the day in the park. Camping made the vacation that much more of an adventure. We did not have cell phones or movies to watch while in the car, so I spent hours just staring out the window drinking in all the new sites and daydreaming. I cannot imagine my life without these experiences, and they have made me into what I am today. The journey of traveling, however, extends into adulthood and should never end.

Traveling creates curiosity within all of us. It frees our souls from our daily perspective, offers a chance to see how others live, and explore other parts of the country and the world. I believe most people crave experiences travel can bring but are not aware of it. Being irritable, passive, bored, and restless are all signs that you need a change of scenery. When work becomes your life, and the minor problems seem hard to overcome – vacation is just the ticket. If traveling has never been in your wheelhouse, start small and let it grow from there.

Tips for beginner travelers

• Start small – begin with a three or four day weekend
• Travel someplace easy to get to
• Pack light
• Plan as little as possible so you can enjoy and be free of a schedule
• Be adventurous -push yourself to do something new
• Purchase travel insurance – stuff happens
• Relax – your life will be waiting for you when you get back

Since I have been back from my brief weekend, I am amazingly refreshed and happy. It is safe to stay at home, but how important it is to get outside of your comfort zone. New surroundings and new experiences refresh your soul and make coming home something to look forward to. Once home, you appreciate your family and life even more as the familiarity of it becomes a welcoming sign, not a weight to bear.

I thought I lost my phone on a hike last weekend, but I kept my cool. I finally found it, a full hour later, and my fear of something terrible happening almost happened! And do you know what? My life wasn’t over- I was okay. My phone was replaceable. As I retraced my steps and finally found it along the trail, I felt a great sense of relief, but also a sense of pride that I did not become hysterical about losing it in the first place. There is no sense in worrying about anything and letting that fear keep you from experiencing life through travel. If you were never brought up traveling, I beg of you to give it a whirl. It doesn’t have to be a fancy or expensive trip – sometimes we enjoy things more when they are not accompanied by a big price tag. Traveling will make you become a more curious person and will offer you a reset back to your life.