When my family of four visited Italy this past March, we had an amazing trip. We traveled through centuries of history, beyond what our brains could even comprehend. We saw amazing art, picturesque landscapes, iconic architecture. We ate and drank Italian delicacies to our hearts’ content. We will never forget this trip. However, this trip was not something I’d call a vacation – this was traveling.
It’s important to set the proper expectations for yourself and any fellow travelers when you embark on a trip. The term “vacation” stirs up images of relaxation, and that is not always what a trip is about. Our trip to Italy was not a vacation in the true sense of the word. We were traveling: experiencing, up early, bed late, moving, walking, doing, seeing. My personal intent for this trip was for it to be “traveling” so that we might return for “vacation.”
Europe can be overwhelming with so much to do and see. For someone like myself, it’s nearly impossible to relax somewhere until I’ve seen and done all the things. I would have a hard time going to Italy and relaxing in a villa overlooking a winery, if I haven’t seen the Colosseum, floated in a gondola, gone to the Vatican, witnessed the Leaning Tower…I just can’t help myself. “Well, if we’re flying into Rome, we should stay a day or two and…”
Traveling gives us a different satisfaction than a traditional vacation. We still get the break from our jobs and routines, but the mental break is different. Instead of disconnecting we are igniting our minds with new experiences and encounters. Traveling changes you in a different way than a vacation does. Both have their own perks and purpose.
Working with a travel advisor like myself can help skew a trip more toward “traveling” or “vacation” based on your goals and desires. By us taking the details and planning off your plate, you have less anxiety over what’s next and how to get there. When your number one goal is to relax, we make sure you go to a destination that will provide just what you’re looking for and we will take care of anything that get’s in the way.
So what will it be? Either way, don’t wait to get started.
Tumbleweed 