Have you ever had one of those moments on a nice vacation when you’re having a great time doing what you’re doing, but it’s time to go on to the next thing? You want to stay, but you’ve planned it so you can get it all in. Reluctantly, you cut one experience short not to miss out on another.
I think most of us have been there.
We just returned from our summer trip to New Mexico. I’d have to say we managed this one pretty well. We’re getting better at it the more we travel.
I never felt rushed, and we had a number of times where we were able to put our feet up, do nothing, and enjoy some quiet time.
We explored new places… returned to some favorite places. There was time alone and time with good friends.
It felt right. There was room around the edges.
Can you think of anything worse than being on a tour where nearly every minute is scheduled? I can hear the guide saying, “Here we are, this is a must see highlight of the tour… be back at the bus in 42 minutes or we’re leaving without you”
We tend to manage vacations the same way we manage our lives. It’s hard to resist filling every opportunity with more more more so we can go go go.
But, vacations are another case where less truly can be more.
One of my favorite vacation strategies is to allow some time just to follow my nose… to see where it takes me.
Give yourself some room to explore… take a turn off the beaten path.
It may not be comfortable at first… I promise, you won’t regret it.
Some of the best discoveries and authentic experiences are found where you least expect them. You know, like around that corner over there.
Have you ever tried intentionally getting lost? It’s a lot easier now that we can leave a virtual trail of breadcrumbs. With the GPS on your phone you can always find your way back.
Well, almost always… but that’s another post. Be sure then, to always have the name and address of where you’re staying.
How do we keep from overdoing it… from trying to fit too much in?
It happens on the frontend with the realization that you just can’t fit it all in and have an enjoyable and relaxing time. It’s just not likely to feel like a vacation if it’s planned to the hilt.
It’s so easy to do. We all want to get the most out of our travel. After all, with the expense of the airfare, hotels, rental cars, and on, and on… it’s only a natural response to squeeze in everything you can.
One way to look at it is to treat your itinerary like you pack your bag. What do I mean? Think about it like this… the airlines limit your checked bag to 50 lbs. Otherwise, KAWHAMMO! They hit you with a hundred-dollar penalty.
I don’t know about you, but I’m very careful that I don’t go over that 50 pounds.
Your itinerary is no different than your bag… you can’t take it all and you can’t do it all. Keep your schedule under fifty pounds too.
Once you’re on your trip, give yourself permission to go off plan. If you’ve found yourself in a great moment, skip the next thing and save it for next time.
Resist the urge to do more and have an awesome time instead.
We just had a vacation in San Antonio and had no plans. We did on the spur of the moment and took time each day to do nothing. Usually that was around the pool. Best vacation in years.
Sounds like you did it right, Pat!