The Travel Notebook

   

     I've been doing a lots of day dreaming while trying to be fully present. When I want to feel productive with this dreaming, I research and track potential itineraries for vacations and longer stays/slow travel. This is my travel notebook, appropriately using a Princess Cruise line notebook that was part of a Christmas White Elephant gift. Two sisters and their husbands are on back to back cruises as I finish this post and it's been good fun seeing glimpses of their trip.

     I've thought a bit about a permanent vacation home but have ruled it out at least for the time being. There's too much to do owning one home on my own, so buying a vacation property feels daunting. My friend who has a Florida place has a love-hate relationship with it. She loves the familiarity of the area, the beautiful beach, and pretty condo, but hates that even with a management company, at a high price point, it consumes a lot of her non-vacation time, and necessary stuff impacts her vacation time too when she's there. 

     There's real hesitation in tying up cash and then realizing the place isn't right for me. I don't want to feel obligated to spending my time in a single place especially not the right place. That can change after I've done some slow travel and discover a place I truly feel at home and not a tourist. Spending a week somewhere and declaring it "home" even if as a second, feels risky for me. If I downsized to something low maintenance here, which I'm not ready to do, I could change my mind, but it would have to be a place my kids like as well as I d want them to want to visit.

Perfect spring morning had me
thinking coffee in Paris, in April. Mug was from my niece's stay in high school 20 years ago.

    All this to say, my travel notebook is building little by little, both US and International and both typical vacation and slow travel itineraries, accommodations, and transportation. There's even a glimpse of a few cruises. I'm comparing travel by months, hoping more is spent non-tourist season. There's some experiences tied to certain months, like April in Paris (and other parts of the country as well), December or just after New Year's in New York when the city would still sparkle, October in Maine, and August in Montreal are worth exploring. I've not spent much time in the Pacific Northwest, but I  think I'd love a visit to Washington state and Oregon. Blog meet up location perhaps? I hesitate going anywhere outside my general home area August through October as these are my favorite months in Minnesota even when August heats up because thats the last of summer to embrace.

    I'm open to just going where and when an affordable option comes up, so will look at just holding weeks and budget for sporadic opportunities. Athens was booked spur of the moment based on a flight and hotel package price after I ruled out joining my sisters on a February cruise. The weather was incredible and while not the trip I originally planned, I tried to soak up the weather, the food, the history, and the feel and am looking forward to returning to explore more of the country and islands. I put on miles each day and barely scratched the surface, even of Athens. Likely I will avoid more than a one stop flight again though. 

Aegina in the distance. 

      I'm looking ahead to more financial flexibility once I tap into my retirement pension. I want to take my family on a great trip, all four of us and others who might be added by then. That's a good five years out, but hope to do smaller trips with each of my kids in the years between now and then. There's joy in the planning. 

     For now, I'll do 1-3 day options when I can get caregiving for pup. One is planned. My sisters and I are turning a concert into a July midweek stay in a hotel with all the amenities. I've got Galena Illinois, Grand Marais Minnesota, Door County Wisconsin, and the UP in Michigan in my sight. All driveable and perfect for a couple nights away. Ideas appreciated-stick a pin in the Twin Cities and draw a circle of up to 5 hours of driving as that's the maximum I'd want to drive for a short trip. 

     How about your summer and 2026 travel plans in general? I know fuel prices are a game changer or at least a big consideration for most of us. Are you flying or driving somewhere or maybe have some fun staycations planned? I'd love all your ideas.