I’ve been sending you all a subtle message all week. I wonder if you’ve noticed. First, I coax you to ponder your favorite things. Then, I nudge you to take your responsibilities a little less seriously and play a little more. Today, my mission is clear. I’m here to convince you to take a vacation.
That’s right. A vacation. A little break to relax those frenzied nerves. A respite from the daily grind. A change of scenery to nourish your senses.
THE EXCUSES
I can almost hear the excuses.
“It’s not in my budget.”
“Now is not a good time.”
“There’s too much work to do.”
Though you may know in your intelligent mind that these — every single one of them — are excuses, allow me to address your concerns.
It’s not in your budget? Consider this: with a car (your own or rented or borrowed), a tent and bug spray, anyone can get away. If you’re interested in house swapping, you might even make some new friends.
Now is not a good time? I can appreciate this excuse. But even though now is not a good time for a holiday, now can’t be a bad time to make plans for one in the coming months.
There’s too much work to do? Ask yourself if the work is ever done. The likely answer is no which means work always waits to get done. So what’s a week or two of delay?
Now I know that some of you may not work for pay. But guess what? Though you may not get paid a salary, you still work. Yes, you do. And if you have at least one little kid to parent, then you probably work a lot.
So, go on. Let’s scan that calendar and start warming to the idea of, uh, relaxing.
WHO AND WHERE
If you are in the U.S. and haven’t taken a vacation in a while, this upcoming Memorial Day weekend can serve as a trial run. (Note to all workaholics: the first step is to not work on a holiday.)
Flying solo? Great. Any pace will do. Going as a couple? Oooh la la. Taking the family? Pack a homeopathy kit for the kids.
As for where to go, hmmm. Do the sights and sounds of a city call to you? Would you rather pick berries and be one with nature in the country? Is your psyche swimsuit-ready for the beach? Does your comfort zone crave a bold adventure in the jungle? The variety of possibilities is too many to mention. Whatever destination your heart desires is but a few clicks away.
Convinced yet?
Then let’s get a-clicking. There are many online gateways to a getaway but my favorites are still Expedia for package deals, Tripadvisor for reviews and Homeaway for alternatives to a hotel. None has steered me in the wrong direction yet.
So, get ready to pull that luggage out. Fill it with light and layering pieces. Throw in a pair of flip flops. Soon, you’ll be smiling, laughing and doing a lot of nothing.
How does that sound?
+++++++++
- Where would you like to visit? When can you go? What’s stopping you?
- What do you like to do on vacation?
- When and where did you go for your last getaway?
+++++++++
Image by Elven*Nicky
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This is such good timing – my other half and I have some 2 weeks booked off work in July and keep meaning to arrange something to do. We can’t even find time to arrange it, let alone go, so that’s it, this weekend, the first thing we are doing is planning!
The vague idea is to drive through France and camp wherever looks nice……..so if anyone knows of any gorgeous French villages do let me know!
Ooooh, sun, picnics with great wine, cheese and bread, long walks, yey! You have inspired me to get organised, thank-you!
Kate
Kate, I know just the person who can give you some suggestions. Check out Big Little Wolf @ Daily Plate of Crazy. She knows all things French and is a terrific writer. Bon voyage!
My brother just returned from France, Orleans, Provence, Tours and says the food is still cheap and amazing, great meals for 50 Euro for two people, wine included. Do you need more encouragement? xox Wilma
Last getaway was last weekend. I went to visit a friend as a college friend of his was also visiting and I wanted to meet the other person. Great to just getaway.
Oh Belinda, you’re reading my mind. Husband and I just yesterday – after a month on the fence – decided that we MUST get away this summer. We have some vacation days from work on the calendar, but were planning to just stay home. But we need the excitement of new sights and sounds, the physical change of pace, the opportunity to unplug from household chores and social obligations. WE NEED A VACATION! We’re planning a road trip to the Black Hills and Yellowstone… and hoping we can pull it together last minute for July.
Thanks for this inspiration, this kick in the pants!
And have a splendid holiday weekend!
That sounds great, Eva! One of our favorites is to go on road trips. That has changed a bit. A certain someone simply can’t be in the car for 8 hours straight.
Belinda,
We are doing more road trips since moving to Arizona. Disneyland/San Diego is about 5 hours from us. I love road trips because I can admire the scenery and stop at local haunts. So much fun. Hey doing nothing – Sounds good.
Have a great holiday weekend!
Oh. I love San Diego! It’s so beautiful and family-friendly. We explored it for the first time last year and my son loved Legoland, the Zoo and the children’s museum. Husband loved Balboa Park, I loved the Old Town area (check out the Whaley House where my son appeared to have had a ghost encounter — not kidding!) and we stayed in Mission Beach right by the boardwalk.
Belinda
I’m convinced, I’m convinced.
Usually go across to France but this year the Pound / Euro exchange is not so good.
Probably stay in the UK this year.
Believe me Belinda… you are preaching to the converted.
Belinda,
No need to convince me to take a vacation! I generally go somewhere warm the first week of January, and then take a couple of weeks in the summer. Will be heading to Cleveland for a few days in July to visit good friends and take in the James Taylor concert, then to New Hampshire for some more RR. I find that vacation rejuvenates me and helps me to work better when I return.
Promise, and I know I keep saying it: I will get out to the Bay area and treat you and PC to dinner… : )
Enjoy the summer!
What a wonderful reminder! I am taking a week off in June before the Small person gets out of school. A week for me. And we have yet to figure out what fun to have together during the family vacation. But I recommend both: time for self and time for the family. My sanity requires it.
Belinda — This is a fun post and perfectly timed. Ages ago I resented vacations and fretted leaving my work, but no more!!! Now, I never work on Saturdays, holidays, JC days (when I get invited to drive the golf cart with him), cat nap days, or “I can’t put this book down” days:~)
I take rather frequent vacations and always someplace near water. I am not a big city person. I want quiet and an opportunity to commune with nature. If a real vacation isn’t in store for me, I take a mini-vacation at my nature sanctuary. It is conveniently located right outside my porch. I sit in my rocking chair and watch nature go about her business..
Work doesn’t disappear and I have to catch up when I’ve been away, but I’m still much happier for the break.
BTW I really enjoyed reading about the vacation plans for all the people who have commented so far. They all sound like fun!!!!
Thanks for this post and the reminder that it’s good to “vacate” work every once in awhile:~)
My last real time off has been some time. But budget, logistics, and other issues are very real constraints in my world. Still, yesterday, that half day of wandering and “being” cost me one matinee-priced ticket. It may not be enough to really detox from an overloaded life, but it was pretty good, nonetheless.
I hope you get some good vacationing in!
Mmmmmm…a vacation. You’re right – they are necessary. Even if it’s just a day out or a weekend without phones. We had to replace our central air system this month, so our vacation this summer will be sitting in front of the vents. Luckily though, my parents live by a beach in Jersey, so we’ll get to crash there on and off. That’s one of the things I love about little kids. They don’t care where the beach is. (Or, in our case, what it looks like.) Sand + water = awesomeness.
Dear Belinda,
You are speaking my language! Mention vacation and my ears perk up like a puppy dog. I love vacations.
I haven’t heard of Homeaway and I went straight to it and bookmarked it.
This recent workaholic is all for R&R too.
Hope you have a great holiday weekend and thanks for the great reminder.
Warm regards,
Lauren
Can I take a vacation in my backyard by my pool? Just for now. It’s an oasis? Okay, I’d love to go to Thailand, New Zealand, Bali, but right now I’m home. Happy vacationing. I will live vicariously through you, how’s that? Bon voyage, Belinda!
Ok, who is the model in the picture, and is she free to be with me for the next two weeks—-my vacation? I don’t know if Belinda knows, but I am prayin Mara does.
Antoinne
Hi Belinda!
A dear friend and I were discussing my desire for a vacation last night. I am unable to travel at this point, but we came up with a great idea!
My friend is an archaeologist and major local history buff so we’ve decided to spend some summer afternoons wandering my neighborhood with cameras and open minds. Already last night I learned some things about my neighborhood and it’s history that are making me see things with new eyes!
I guess vacations come in all shapes and sizes!
I’d give every hair on my head to be on the coast of Spain right now. Or Italy. Ah, we can only dream, eh?
I am taking a vacation before I start my summer job. I am so excited. It’s the first vacation in three years and I ready for a change of scenery. I am spending time with old friends and family and getting to know my camera again!!!
I don’t need to change locations as like Kate, my own backyard is a haven of peace, nature and solitude. However taking breaks is good as it will refresh me as we soooo like to do things on automatic, even thinking. So we regularly do something different, we go to the beach and get sea weed, we get in the van and go exploring with a tent for th weekend, we go to a friend’s farm for the day and look how they do things. As you say, it is not so much about can’t, it is about taking yourself and life seriously enough to make sure you enjoy it. As you can see I am in, I have changed my lifestyle so most of the time this feels like a holiday destination, but it still means staying aware that automatically doing ‘work’ doesn’t take over. xox Wilma
I would love to go to Japan some day and visit the Ghibli Museum which was designed by my favourite director, Hayao Miyazaki. I’ve long admired that studio’s animated works, so it would be a real treat to be in a place like that for a day.
Failing that, a trip to a rainforest area would be wonderful. I love the closed in nature of rainforests, and the sights and sounds. The birds that you can’t see but hear. The animals that you only ever get an impression of, as shadows flitting between the trees.
Cass and I went to Bribie Island off the coast of where I live a few years back. We went for long walks on the beach, ate out every night, and swam in a salt water pool every morning. Magical time.
No worries Belinda, its all planned and we are off to Italy for a month this September. We take holidays very seriously in this household. By seriously I mean “to hell with work someone else will have to take care of that while we’re gone”. In Australia we get 4 weeks vacation every year and we plan on using them.