Vacation? What's That?
Posted: Wednesday, August 04, 2010
by Dianne Lehmann
Artisan Jewelry from SyZyGy
My husband, Bernd, and I haven't taken many "real" vacations over the many years of our marriage. It's not that we can't find the time or don't have the money (well, okay maybe money has a bit to do with it). It's just that we are not very inclined to do the traditional vacation thing. You know, plan it way in advance, pack all your bags, and make some long, tiring trip somewhere either by boat, plane, train or automobile. Stay a few days and return seemingly more tired than when you left. With that kind of attitude, you can see why we don't do it very often. We're homebodies. That's for sure.
Still, we've taken a few vacations. Three to be exact. All of them to Hawaii . Once just was not enough. It took three to get it right.
I wrote about the first trip briefly as an answer to a question in the SearchWarp Question and Answer feature. I told of how we spent all night driving around the Los Angeles area before heading to Hawaii because our friend didn't want to get stuck in rush hour traffic the morning of the flight and how we were too exhausted when we finally arrived to really enjoy the luau that night. What I didn't mention was that he first talked us into going with him on this package deal that he'd used before and then told us we had to find him a date willing to share a room with him because it was cheaper that way. Luckily we had about a month an a half before the trip to get it all worked out. He and several prospective dates met at our condo and we finally found one. She was a feisty Cuban friend of ours and they both decided they could tolerate each other for a few days.
Most of the vacation was a bust and I really just thought I'd be best off to head home after the first couple of days. I was way too slow at getting ready in the morning for our Cubana. You know, it took up an extra half an hour of precious vacation time and she complained to me every morning over breakfast. Our male friend wanted to spend all night clubbing, every night (we did get to see Mr. T one night in a bar), and then begged off of a limo trip around Maui one morning leaving Bernd and I to pay for two-thirds of it instead of just half. It was a really cool trip, though, with a long stop at some botanical gardens where we saw the biggest lily pads I'd ever seen in my entire life. They looked like giant green bottle caps floating upside down on the water. And I had no idea there were so many types of ginger plants. The fresh coconut juice we stopped for at a stand along the way was a hoot. Drank it right out of the shell with a little straw.
We took a helicopter tour of Maui that was amazing mostly because Maui is amazingly beautiful. Because of our respective body weights, Bernd and I got to sit up front with the pilot and our two friends ( each quite a bit heavier) sat behind us. Neither of them was too happy about that. I was a little concerned about getting motion sickness but was doing very well. That is until Bernd's left knee was getting really cold from an open window and he decided to shut it. I immediately got quite warm and found out that the cold air was the only thing that was keeping me from vomiting. I was quite ill for the rest of the ride.
When we got back to our rooms, I had to lie down for a long time which totally frustrated our Cubana. I was really putting a crimp in her enjoyment of the vacation. I told them to all just go on with their plans, but they didn't want to. So I pulled myself out of bed and we hit the beach for some snorkeling fun.
Earlier that day we had rented all our gear. Did you know that you can get a swim mask with corrective lenses in it? Bernd loved it. And for someone not much into swimming or the ocean, he had a ball. His head would pop up out of the water and he'd pull the snorkel from his mouth and yell, "I saw a turtle! I saw a turtle!" Or whatever else he was seeing. I had to laugh. And actually, after a little swimming in Mother Earth's spa, I did feel quite a bit better.
After our several day stay in Lahaina on Maui, we flew to Honolulu and stayed in a very tall hotel which kind of freaked out Bernd. He doesn't like heights at all and when I hung myself over the balcony railing to look at all the little people way down there on the ground (we were on something like the twentieth floor), I thought he was going to have a fit. I got the most awesome picture of a dove flying straight up at me while doing that. The view was incredible.
So now our friend could get very seriously into the clubbing because Honolulu is very cosmopolitan compared to Lahaina and the three of us just left him to his own devices in this regard. My impression was that Honolulu is a lot like Los Angeles but with trade winds. I decided I much preferred Maui . Our friend was glad we "did" Maui first because he said he would have been bored out of his gourd had we done it the other way around.
The hotel had a lagoon that was open for swimming and Bernd and I decided to partake of the opportunity. But there was something in the water that gave us both a really nasty rash just about everywhere. Luckily we were able to purchase some antihistamine cream in the hotel gift shop. Now why would they stock that do you suppose? Anyway, now we had an all over itch to add to our painful sunburns. And yes we did make use of sunscreens, but we were out in the sun a lot. Oh and I haven't mentioned that while still on Maui, I had to buy some sandals because the shoes I had taken gave me a lot of painful blisters on my feet even though I'd never had a problem with them at home. Then I learned that I don't really tolerate flip-flops all that well either. Ever tried to get a bandage to stay between your big toes and the toes next to them in a very humid climate? Can't be done.
On our second trip to Hawaii, we spent the whole time on Maui with the same male friend (why we let him talk us into letting him come with us I will never know; just telling him we were going was the first mistake) and his new wife wife number five but not the Cubana. Nope. They decided after that first trip that they really didn't like each other much at all.
The second trip did not go much better than the first, but there was still so much charm and beauty to the island that Bernd and I were determined to visit it again. And we did. For our third and final visit, we went by ourselves. We told almost no one we were going. We had a perfectly wonderful time and didn't want to come home. We actually extended our stay for a couple of days.
Aside from seeing new places and trying new things, I really can't think of any reason to take a vacation. I mean, at home I have all the things that make me most comfortable. I have my life arranged in ways that please me and Bernd. I get plenty of rest in my own comfortable bed. I don't have to worry about how our cat is fairing without us. No blisters, no sunburns, no nasty rashes well almost. I don't have to recover from all that traveling. To me a vacation is when Bernd does the dishes or cleans the floors. I don't need to go anywhere to get that and given my track record with vacations, that's a good thing.
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Top-level comments on this article: (7 total)Yeah Dianne, the McDonalds are all the same, as are the people, working, trying to raise families, and of course, water, rocks, and trees. The perceived freedom we feel on vacation is the real contentment we search for, but alas we always search in the barnyard and only come up with chicken $%&*@$%&, instead of internally where the real freedom lies.Hi e.Yup, that would be Bernd's point. Only he doesn't say it quite so "eloquently" as you do. :)Thanks for reading and commenting.Big hugs,DianneYou are so right Raymond. People go on vacation to leave their troubles behind, only to return to them, along with a MC bill for the vacation to add to their troubles. Go figure.Wherever you go, there you are!
My folks lived in Hawaii (Kauai) for 10 years - I hear you about the blisters even though I rarely swam any time but 7 AM! I have mold allergies so it was hard to totally turn loose and enjoy when there was a perpetual elephant on my chest! Chuckling with you though!Hi Marijo.Yup, the mold was something else. Luckily, I had not yet developed my sensitivity to all things fungal when we visited Hawaii.Hi hear that Kauai is even more beautiful than Maui. I've some friends that are going to Kauai this winter. They've been saving up for it for years. That worries me already! :) But I bet they will have a great time.Thanks so much for stopping by.Hugs,Dianne
I love taking trips but you're right, sometimes you need a holiday after your holiday! I think it's wonderful that you and Bernd are content and happy enough with your life and eachother to stay home. I'm wondering how your friend is doing. Has he moved on to wife number six? When we travel we usually go just the two of us and make friends there. It's difficult to find couples who enjoy the same things you do while away. Fun article Dianne!Hi Brianna.Number Five is apparently a keeper. He's had her now for about 20 years ... my best guess. Took him a bit to get it figured out, but I guess he finally did. That, and she is pretty darn stubborn.Glad you enjoyed the article! Thanks for reading it.Hugs,Dianne
Trust you to come up with something so original, and down to earth, Dianne! This article made me feel kind of safe about life, I guess because you show that quality is right where you are, you don't have to chase it.I love your description of Honolulu - "a lot like Los Angeles but with Trade Winds"!!Hi Jennifer.I give the credit to Bernd for the idea. But we've both tried to live it ever since he came up with it. That's been quite a few years now. It's made a difference in our lives, that's for sure.We're both sort of look-on-the-bright-siders to begin with. I'm sure that helps. I'm not talking about optimism. More what I mean is like when something bad happens and you look at all the ways it could have gone so much worse and you are thankful that it didn't. To me, optimism has always meant presupposing a good outcome.Honolulu was interesting, though. A really odd mix of cosmopolitan and ... oh, I don't really know how to describe it. Right in the middle of skyscrapers you might find an open air market (sort of like a swap meet) featuring stuff from all over the world. Or even a fresh foods market. They'd just be set up wherever there was space. But this was back between 1984 and 1989. I've no idea what it is like now.I'm glad you liked my story and thanks for reading it!Hugs,Dianne
Dianne ~ Just some "food for thought". In America we call it "vacation". Now, look up the word "vacate". In Europe they call it "holiday". (look that one up too.) And the reason I bring this up is because we (Americans) tend to view vacations as a means to 'escape'. Europeans view holidays as a means to just "kick it". Rest, relax, hang out on the beach, etc. Americans make it a CHORE. Europeans do not. It's a huge difference in perspective. Sounds to me like you and Bernd go on 'holiday'. Even if it's just a day or two..you're enjoying your sabbatical without the 'hassle' of what you call a vacation.So...WELL DONE! (grin)Hi Camille.I've thought about that on occasion. My German step-mother-in-law likes to go to spas for a holiday ... pampered rest and relaxation. Germany is littered with spas. :) And Bernd and I have been known to look at each and say together, "I guess we're having a holiday." So I think that you are probably right.Without looking it up, I always thought "holiday" came from "holy day" as in sabbath; a day of rest.Anyway, I always enjoy your perspective and insights. Thanks for reading and commenting.Hugs,Dianne
Over the years I have traveled enough and home has become my vacation of choice. I go to visit my children and have a timeshare in a house in Oregon and that is about the extent of my travel these days. Enjoyed your article. You always seem to add some humor and it adds flavor for me.Hi Linda.I love to add humor whenever I can. I really do wish I were better at it though. To me, if you can't laugh a little at the "serious" parts of life then life is joyless. I took myself way too seriously for way too many years. I like laughing a lot better. Glad you found it tasty!Thanks for reading and commenting.Dianne
OMGoodness. Some vacation! You come home to relax and have things go back to normal.Amazing how some of that will always stick with you too. Funny thing is we spend heaps of money to go on vacation, feel obligated to have tons of fun even if it's going to be tough to do or if it kills us, and then we get home and catch our second wind. If you have another couple or couples going with you, I don't care how friendly you are, you have to defer some of your interests and wanna dos to their interests - and they may differe from yours. So you do the grand thing, you really do defer what you want to do. That automatically leaves a void no matter how gracious you are. My rule of thumb has always been that vacations are with family, period. I've never had a bad vacation. Now when you cruise, and you take your side trips, if you go with others you can split off and enjoy. Then you meet up again and all goes well. We have done that and had a blast.Hi Heidi.I have a friend who loves to go on vacations. She and her husband take as many of them a year as they can afford. But they always go by themselves. I think the cruises are her favorites. You are right about having to defer desires and negotiate wants. It's probably better, no it is better, not to even go there in the first place. For certain, our best vacations have been just Bernd and me.Thanks so much for taking the time to read this and leave a comment! I know you are very busy.Hugs,Dianne
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