Yesterday I hung out with the charming Kelli Nicole all morning as she had a long layover en route to California. I wish more of my friends had lifestyles that required (or just allowed) them to travel frequently so they could follow Kelli’s lead and schedule layovers at Sky Harbor. It’s such a perfect way to hang out with someone who lives far away but whom you’d like to see more often. No need to worry about lodging or make plans to keep everyone entertained. Just a few hours of catching up and enjoying one another’s company, then off to catch a plane for the next leg of the journey. I love it. (Of course, it helps immensely that I live less than 15 minutes away from the airport.)
Adam, Gretchen, Me, & Emily looking at the Chicago skyline from Lake Michigan, 2006Watching all those planes land and take off–and thinking about Brad and Emily and Chloe, who just moved to India where Brad will be doing linguistics research for the next six months–made me all kinds of wanderlusty. I wish I traveled more, but I think the last time I flew anywhere, it was to visit Rachael and her family in Indiana in 2009. I’ve been on just two international adventures: an overnight road trip to a beach less than 15 miles south of the US/Mexico border in 2006, and a two-week whirlwind through London, Paris, Rome, Florence, and Venice in 2003. And here’s a sad fact: David and I have never flown anywhere together.
I did, however, see the Queen when I was in London, so maybe that makes up for it.I know some people have little desire to go anywhere; I am not one of those people. There are so many places I’ve never been and things I want to see! But here’s the honest to goodness truth: I’m scared to just go.
How many times have David and I tentatively planned trips to Washington DC or Chicago or Victoria or even just Las Vegas and never followed through on them? Too many to count. We even talked about going to Africa, figuring out whether we could afford to stay at the Giraffe Manor outside of Nairobi or maybe make it to Addis Ababa for Timkat. Yeah…that never happened. Obviously. It’s really easy to say we don’t go places because we haven’t the time or the money, but I think it’s more about being too complacent, lazy, and afraid to take the plunge.
What’s driving me crazy, though, is that this has trickled into my daily life. I’m not just hesitant to hop a plane to New York or get in the car and drive to San Diego; I’m hesitant to go to the grocery store these days. I tell myself it’s too hot to go anywhere, and it’s hard to plan outings around Amelia’s erratic (and sometimes non-existent) nap schedule, and I have to take too many things when we go anywhere, so it’s just easier not to go. And all of that is true. It’s totally easier to stay home than to pack up a two-month-old and all the necessary baby gear, brave the 115 degree weather, and do something fun.
Me,Emily, & Camber in Rosarito, 2006I need to get over this. Seriously. I mean, I love being at home as much as the next guy, but I don’t want to turn into a hermit just because it takes too much effort to go anywhere. And I very much don’t want to put my dream of seeing the world on hold indefinitely because it isn’t convenient.
Next summer I’m going to London with Emily. We’ve been “planning” this trip for eight years now, so there’s no backing out. Honestly I can’t wait. But between now and then, I’ve gotta get me some courage and just start going places. Maybe starting with the library. Baby steps, right?
Venice, 2003
This is something I wish I'd been better at doing when I only had one child, for two reasons. First of all, it's much easier to do anything with only one! But more importantly, I found that I really needed interaction with other people when I was home alone with a baby all day. Playgroup can literally be a lifesaver, especially in the early years. I learned SO much from just asking other women what they did about xyz. I am so so so much happier when I am out and about, even though it is more stressful to do so (case in point: I have been absolutely wretched all week until we had some friends over this morning. Then voila, suddenly I'm a real person again, because I've had an hour of adult conversation and trouble-shooting weird kid issues and laughing with my friends).
And as frustrating as it is to work around an infant's nap schedule, it is SO much easier than a one-year-old's schedule. So plan a fun trip now while you have someone who will sleep in your arms or in a sling, as opposed to the child who screams bloody murder if they get laid down in the crib with their head near the door rather than the window. 🙂
for the olympics?
Rach: My feelings about playgroup are…complicated. But I get what you're saying. There are days when I'm DYING for some adult company. And you're right. I should be getting out now while she's small and portable, rather than waiting till she can protest and run away!
Shelby: Of course. Not sure if we'll go before or during, but that's the general idea.
Yes we are! My mom is convinced that we will end up not going. This of course means that I will go no matter what!
Em: We should probably start finalizing plans nowish. At least picking dates and looking at flights/hotels/etc.