Destination Dreams

Oh Darling, Let’s be Adventurers

Emily Morris

I’ve always believed that vacations were to be anticipated with enthusiasm.  We work to live. Those two or four weeks away from the rigours of the daily routine are worth the time and money required. Here are some positive, research reinforced, benefits, as reported by Psychology Today. http://bit.ly/pscyhologytoday

Stress Relief

We all know there are more negatives than positives to stress.   Not many of us spend our day running from danger and carnivorous dinosaurs, but we can feel the same stress from navigating traffic or rushing to complete a proposal on time. Vacations give us a chance to break the stress cycles of everyday living.

New Learning Experiences

Travel can provide an opportunity to see new cultures and witness different ways of thinking.  Opening yourself up to new ideas and experiences will help you be more creative and productive in the workplace.

Improved Family Relationships

I would include partners, friends, or anyone that you travel with as family.  Your partner, spouse, children, and or friend(s) could benefit by sharing in a unique experience.

And then of course . . .there is FUN. 

Where to?

Deciding on a destination needs considerable introspection.  Where would you like to go?  Maybe you have dreamed of a destination for years, but just haven’t had the time or the money or the initiative to go.  Maybe the destination seems out of reach.  Ever since my parents showed me slides of the Mayan ruins in Mexico, I have wanted to go there.  It was over 30 years before I visited my first ruin and it was amazing!  There were many reasons why this adventure took so long, some of which I mentioned in the first blog, but we’re not here to discuss why we didn’t.  We’re here to discuss how we can!

Here are some questions to ask:

How much time do you have for your vacation?

How much do you want to spend?

When can you take your vacation?

List the places you would like to visit?

Do you want to spend the time relaxing?

Do you want to be active? Perhaps you enjoy hiking or cycling?

What do you want to see?  Museums? Wildlife? Ancient ruins?

Would you prefer a group tour?

Is there someone you would like to visit?

Sometimes I plan more than one trip and then choose the one that suits my budget.  Don’t rule out a trip because you think you can’t afford it.  You really don’t know how much the trip will cost until you estimate the costs.  There are a few tricks to keep your expenses down, such as travelling off-season.   Maybe you can’t afford to take a one of those luxury cruises on the Rhine, but you could travel by train and stay at comfortable but inexpensive lodgings.  Perhaps a day trip on the Rhine?

Let’s start dreaming about the next vacation . . .NOW!