I’m planning a trip to Great Britain at the end of the month and I put a call out to my social media followers for some very specific requests. I asked for people to recommend the following:
Hikes
Scenic drives
Unique accommodations
Bathtubs
Charity shops
Haunted castles
Campsites
Hippy towns that will remind me of my hometown, Santa Cruz
Natural wonders
Places that will make me feel like I’m in Harry Potter
Places that will make me feel like I’m in a fairy tale
Weirdo intentional communities
Favorite petrol station snacks
Pai, Thailand
One of my greatest delights while traveling is trying regional snacks from convenience stores. Not all convenience stores are created equal, some are far superior than your average American ampm. After a 6 month trip to Southeast Asia and Japan I had to train my brain to stop being excited when I saw a 7-eleven. Thai 7-elevens are air conditioned oases that have Thai Iced Tea on tap and provide a welcome respite from the sweltering heat. Circle K shopkeepers in Bali put out lovely daily morning offerings of incense and flower petals on the ground at doorways and in aisles, which are meant to extend gratitude for peace on earth. Fun fact: outside of airports and post offices, 7-elevens are the only place you can use an American debit card to withdraw cash at ATMs in Japan. The quality of convenience store sushi I ate in Japan exceeds restaurant sushi I’ve eaten in the states. Will I buy a savory hand pie and two Cadbury Violet Crumbles every time I fill my tank in England like I did in New Zealand? Hopefully! Lord knows I am never excited about eating gas station food at home but the novelty of international convenience store cuisine tickles me. I love seeing how mundane, everyday things are actually very specific to our culture. Too much good stuff indeed.
Ok, enough about convenience stores. I could go on to extol the virtues of hiking, soaking in bathtubs, and thrifting while abroad as well but I won’t. I share my personal travel interests as a means of helping you reflect on your own. What would be on your vacation to-do list? What are you into? Give yourself a moment to close your eyes and imagine your perfect vacation. If money, time, and responsibilities were no barrier, what sounds perfect right now? Get real specific:
Where would you go?
What would you do?
Who would be there?
How would you feel?
What would you hope to learn?
How long would you stay?
Would you stay in one place or move around a lot?
Even if you’re not presently planning a vacation, the fantasies we have can reflect imbalances in our lives. Someone who fantasizes about beachside margaritas may be overworked and need more rest and relaxation. If possible, by all means, make that fantasy a reality. Schedule that vacation. But, if you don’t have the time, money, or freedom to do so, the good news is that you don’t have to take your dream vacay to meet your unmet need.
My current vacation desires, e.g. going abroad but to an English speaking country and finding places that remind me of home, Harry Potter, or familiar fairy tales, reflect to me that I need something novel but not too exotic after a long period of pandemic unpredictability. If I couldn’t go on real vacation right now, maybe I would visit a friend in a nearby town. If it’s a tipsy tropical beach vacation you’re seeking, schedule a night out with friends and/or a spa day. If you’re fantasizing about spending one month alone in a rural hermitage, schedule more alone time and regular breaks from your devices. If you want to visit ancient Greek ruins or the Roman colosseum, take an intro to archeology class or learn about the history of your local environment. If you’re fantasizing about spending 5 months hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, plan some hikes in nearby parks or an overnight backpacking trip.
If it’s hard for you to imagine what kind of stuff you would like to do, that’s something to note too. Apathy and emotional exhaustion are often a consequence of chronic stress and burnout. Sometimes the meaning and purpose we’ve lost at work begins to extend to our personal lives. Maybe you have no idea what you do with free time if you had it. Maybe the idea of having a lot of free time fills you with some dread. If this describes you, don’t worry. It is possible to recover from burnout. I will have some suggestions on how to identify what brings your joy on the next blog in two weeks.