One of the 'chalets' we will be enjoying. It looks like a shed, but it has plumbing!
Part of this whole traveling thing is learning to know yourself. It is my hope that I’m getting better on the self-knowlege front. For example, I passed up an amazing deal on a Mediterranean cruise because upon thinking about it clearly for, oh, five or ten minutes, I realzed what a terrible idea that would be. (Can you say ‘worse than a repeat of last summer’? I’d be one of those people shuffling into Rome in August with thousands of other people from the same boat to spend six hours there before shuffling back, sweaty and sunburned. Bad idea, Tracy!)
This is why, less than three days after I’d ‘officially’ planned and booked everything, I re-planned and re-booked two portions of the trip. The camping part has been OFFICIALLY erased. It was a bad idea for many reasons, not the least of which was the fact that it probably wouldn’t have saved us very much money.
The difference between the campsite and the ‘cottages’ I rented was $80/night–over six nights. That’s a savings of $480, yes, but then consider that I may need a new tent (the one I own is from college, and that was over eight years ago), the fact that we’d need some sort of cooking equipment, and I’m sure scores of other things from Wal Mart to make our camping experience more comfortable and, well, we don’t really end up with that much of a savings.
Do you know what would make our camping experience REALLY comfortable? To be doing it in a cottage complete with a kitchenette, full bathroom, and queen bed. So that is what we are doing.
Don’t get me wrong–I love nature. Hell, nature is the reason we’re going to all of these places. But I know myself. I’m not the calico-and-corduroy-wearing, not-showering-for-a-week, patchouli-scented wannabe hippie of my youth (oh yeah–I totally used to be that person. Thank god it was before the advent of camera phones or even digital cameras. I have very few photos!) I’m looking forward to getting out into the wilderness, doing some hiking, some beach walking, maybe some sea cave exploration. And then I’m looking forward to a hot shower, a hot meal (with glass of wine), and a soft bed at least eight inches off the ground. That’s who I am now. And that’s ok–as long as I realize it and plan accordingly.
I think this is going to be a good trip.
Blog on the Run 
“That’s who I am now. And that’s ok–as long as I realize it and plan accordingly.
I think this is going to be a good trip.”
I think you are growing up… a bit. You don’t want to take it tooooo far though… keep some of the “pacholi/Hippie youth you used to be.
I really believe this trip will be awesome. And I think you will find lots of great ideas for your book, as well as “reconnecting” with hubby. From some of the comments, it sounds like there will be plenty to meet both of your interests.
Toni…aww. Thanks. I hope you are right. And don’t worry–there’s still a little hippie in there. She’s probably going to blossom this next year–I had to kill her when I started teaching. Teaching changed me a lot–not entirely for the better–and I hope to regain some of the old me during my year away. When I started teaching I even cut my hair…which I’ve been growing back for the past 18 months. I think a road trip is a great way to reclaim her…as long as there’s the option for a shower every day (it doesn’t even need to be hot–just a shower!)
Oh yes is does need to be hot- perferably a bath in my opinion….. LOL!
Teaching used to inspire the “hippie” in all of us- and allowed us to inspire it in others (and I grew up/began teaching in the “real” hippie times – even wore the round grannie glasses and long braids and maxie dresses…) but things have changes and it is now so regemented (standarized curriculums, standarized lesson plans, little to no creativitiy in the staff or students allowed… one of the reasons I retired from education when I did. Yes, I had in 30 years, but I was only 51. Could have kept on for another 20 probably, but just didn’t want to considering how I “had” to treat teachers, students, etc.
Wellll…. quite the rant!!! Thanks for the time and space… Any who…..
I think you will *teach* more and teach them better (pardon the akward grammar) through you book.. I’ve just got a good gut feeling about it…. and somehow this (soon to be very) special trip will be part of that.
Toni…well said! The ‘have to’ treat people a certain way thing–to put it bluntly, it sucks.
I’m laughing at your description of you–I didn’t know anyone actually wore those little round glasses…other than John Lennon! Ha!
Thanks for the kind words about and faith in my book. And yes, I think that this trip will help, though I’m not even sure how yet. It’s funny–I tried so many ways to ‘trick’ us out of going on it–I had us flip coins, draw vacation options out of a hat–we even consulted a magic 8 ball (seriously) and EVERY SINGLE TIME ‘fate’ told us to go on this trip. So I guess we really are supposed to go…for some reason I don’t understand yet. It is so unlike me to go into something without a solid plan, but I think I need that right now. That’s the point of my year off–to turn down a different path and just sort of see where it leads.