As someone whose favorite place is curled up on my own sofa with my husband, my dogs and a good movie marathon, vacations can be a tricky thing. I have a vacation routine that begins with anxiety, transitions into ecstasy, but winds up with a good dose of near misery. By day 5 in a different locale, I'm pretty much ready to be back in my own bed, no matter how wonderful the week has been.
I never really figured myself for a beach girl. I begin to wilt when the thermostat creeps above 89 degrees, so I was surprised when I absolutely fell in love with Mexico. My first trip was with a few girlfriends approximately 7 years, 4 husbands, 3 children, and 1 baby-to-be ago. We stayed in Akumal, and as we stepped out of the cab that first day, I was struck by the unbelievable roar of the ocean and the miraculous breeze coming in off the coast. Add in some white sand, crystal clear water, a stack of books, and the smell of the sea...and I was hooked for life. Growing up in the burbs sandwiched between two concrete jungles can really make a tropical locale seem just a bit magical. But even on that trip - which was truly one of the best ever - I'm pretty sure I had a meltdown by day 5. There's something about missing the familiarity of home, coupled with the realization that home is so much more complicated than a week away. It always gets me. I end up feeling like a toddler who's been kept too long at the in-laws. The grandparents spoil you, but it's just not your crib.
Even still, there's just a vibe about being on vacation that really can't be replicated at home. If you could bottle it, I'd need a 12 step program. I've had a few less than stellar vacations, but even those beat the pants off of a regular week at home. It doesn't take much to please me when it comes to time off work. I love long weekend road trips, and Mark and I take plenty of those, but the beach has been calling my name. We both agree that we are long overdue for some R&R in a foreign land. I don't know where the next trip will take us, but I'm sure hoping it promises plenty of this:
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Don't know what the travel prices are like from the US, but Egypt was one of our cheapest most unbelievable vacations EVER. The beach looks like that at the Red Sea and we took a once-in-a-lifetime side treck and went to Mt. Sinai. We went with the cheap student ROAM adventure from Gap Adventures. It was fabulous if you don't mind roughing it a bit.
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