I Dream of Travel

San Francisco (photo courtesy of pixelmama - flickr.com)

I keep a "bucket list" of sorts. And one item I have on there is travel internationally (or at the very least just go out of town SOMEWHERE) once a year. The international requirement didn't come until I was assigned to go on a trip to Europe for work. And while I was busy traveling throughout the US for my job, I didn't even have a current passport at the time because I never left the country. At the time, I was a little concerned about not being at my job for a week. But, once you have enough vacation days and are finally out of town, you can get over that pretty quickly especially when you are being bussed around to various wineries, cooking classes, and museums throughout Italy. And having a daily dose of gelato can do wonders for your soul.

In the middle of this trip, I met so many Americans who were retired and not physically able to walk up the many steps it takes to get around some of the busy streets in Florence and Siena. These were hard working people who saved up, spent a lot of time on their careers, and were finally taking a break at the age of 65. It made me a little sad. And I recall one older woman warning me, "Don't wait until your old like me to go on vacations."

I got bitten by the travel bug after that. After that one work trip, the thought of leaving town brought joy to my soul. I visited a tiny beach town where my parents grew up in the Philippines, and zip-lined through a rainforest in Costa Rica. I drew sketches inside Casa Battlo in Barcelona, and I forced myself to learn Spanish on CD so I would at least know how to ask for directions. I walked along the River Thames and  spent hours at the Tate. I pretty much lost my damn mind and for the first time racked up airline miles that were not related to work travel. It was pretty amazing.

And, I think the best way to cure post-travel blues, is just to plan another trip somewhere. anywhere... I just love the thought of carrying my favorite belongings in one suitcase - my art supplies, a good book, and my iPhone. I love researching various places to visit especially anything related to cooking, drawing, and running. And solo trips are surprisingly fun too - you get to set your own itinerary, speak a foreign language without any of your friends making fun of you, and go back to the hotel and take a nap whenever you like. It can be a pretty indulgent experience. 

So if you are thinking about vacationing or it's something that you really love doing... save up your cash. Seriously examine how much money you spend on booze and food and Starbucks... It's usually where you can find enough cash towards investing on a ticket somewhere...anywhere....