Vacations: Are they worth it?
You spend so much time preparing to go - digging through boxes looking for power adapters and travel items, trying on location appropriate clothes to see if they fit and still look cute. As you figure out which toiletries you want to take, there is the inevitable search for smaller bottles to put liquids into so you meet stringent TSA requirements. You pack and unpack several times until your luggage and carry-on bags meet the (limited) weight requirements. Whew!
Then there is work - trying to prepare for everything that will happen while you’re away, because you know there will be a mountain of emails to wade through once you get back (never understood how you ‘wade’ through a mountain though - shouldn’t it be ‘hike’). You must brief your bosses, and also brief your staff.
Don’t forget to make time to go and exchange currencies. Are your immunizations up to date? Who will water your plants and pick up your mail while you’re away??
Then, new visa requirements pop up at the last minute for your destination country - praying your documents are all in order before F-day (flight day).
With long layovers you try to find time-sensitive and fun activities to do at those stops, because no one should have to spend eight hours sitting in an airport.
Finally, you just have to hope there will be no hassles at airport security and that your luggage will actually show up.
These are all in addition to the cramped seating, and the inevitable stresses of airplane travel (no, I don’t travel First Class). Ahhh, jet lag…
But, memories will be made! You will get to meet new people, see new things, try new food. Follow my upcoming adventure, and you tell me if it looks to you like I had a great time!
