Ari and I sat down last night stumped. I couldn’t remember the last time I took a real vacation where I didn’t work. After a good twenty minutes of hashing back through some great — and some not so great — travel memories (most of the not so great ones had to do with me working… think proofing magazine pages while on a ski lift) we finally remembered a trip to Hawaii… almost three years ago. Could it really have been that long? Yes, I’ve had a few days here and there during business trips where I felt relaxed and rested. But, a full vacation? Unheard of.
So, I’m doing something completely out of my character right now. I woke up yesterday morning and just knew I had to do this. Ari has his big radiology board exam next week, so he’s in major study mode. (PS- helped him study last night and I officially feel like my brain has been asleep since taking my last NASM exam.) While he soaks up equations and ethocardiodensitometrical-esque stuff, I’ll be soaking up some rays. I’m currently in an airport headed to X. Sorry, I’m not telling. Two people have access to my flight info, and besides the SW ladies and my mom, only three people know where I’m headed. Something about the anonymity of this… magical.
I feel the need to have a fresh start. It’s been quite the year. I’ve traveled, worked, traveled, worked, rinsed and repeated. Please refer to the image above depicting just a small handful of my boarding passes from the last 7 months and the image below mapping just a few of the places I’ve been back and forth to. Now, a trip to paradise won’t fix months of workaholism, but it’s a darn good start for me.
The next four days will be the very first vacation I’ve taken in years and the first solo vacation I’ve ever taken. Yeah, I’m a little scared, but the closer I get to X, the more excited I get. I’ll probably be the only solo traveler there, flanked by honeymooners and romantics, but that only makes me feel more adventurous. My favorite role I ever played was Mary Baltimore in On the Verge: or The Geography of Yearning. I’ve never forgotten this line that incidentally got me into college- “I feel a sea change coming over me, a disturbance of my very molecules; as if the chemical composition of my blood has been altered by breathing the rare air of Terra Incognita.” My plan for the next 96 hours is to breath in as much of that rare air as possible starting with a horseback ride on the beach through the ocean tomorrow morning.
I’ll let you know how it goes. So far, it has been blissful! I was surprised to be handed a first class ticket all the way there. I honestly don’t know how that happened- I did not pay for it and I am not a member of American Airline’s frequent flier program. I tell you what, though… Delta, you may be in for it after this trip. First class on AA is top notch. AAFTW! If you want to take a guess at where I am and get some new tunes, click here.
Thanks to Ari, Em, Kath, Whit and my bff’s for being so excited for me and encouraging of this last-minute getaway. Your excitement makes me thrilled to “feel the fear and do it anyway!”
peace. lc
ps- thank you for all the love on my Truth Day post. I’ve been so encouraged by all the emails, calls, texts and outpouring of thoughts and personal confessions. xo
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5 Comments
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Hey Lara, what a great idea! I doubt you can keep from thinking and brainstorming about work, but I hope you have a relaxing time on your secret getaway.
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So excited for you Lara! I’ve always wanted take a solo vacation. They seem so introspective. Enjoy the break. I figured out where you are. And I mean that in the least stalkerish way possible. Can I say??
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I would guess that $49,000 you confessed to spending on something is….. WORK TRAVEL! 😉
Have a fab time! Enjoy some for all of us overworked business owners :-*