Welcome to Vacation Time

Summer may still be a few months away, but that's no reason to not start planning for a fun vacation. The middle of the year is a great time to take a break and enjoy the sun. Unfortunately it's also when prices are extremely high and crowds are at their largest. Since I don't have kids, maybe a trip in September or October would be a better option?

Vegas baby!

If there's one thing I miss about being a student, it was all the vacation time I had. In college I had several long breaks throughout the year that allowed me to relax and get ready for more intense studying. It wasn't something I thought too much about. I always had a nice long summer, a couple of weeks off around Christmas and the New Year, a week in spring, and Thanksgiving.

A trip to a lighthouse in the middle of no where? Sold!

Now that I have a full time job, those long periods of time where I didn't have anything to do are gone. On the one hand, I wish they weren't. I miss having plenty of time to do whatever I felt like. On the other hand, I like being able to pick my days off and go during the off season when kids are in school. What they don't tell you is how to manage those few days off you get each year.

My family is spread out all over the place. Some people are closer than others. I wish I had time to visit everyone and go on crazy adventures all over the world. Unfortunately due to both timing and lack of funds, I have to carefully pick and choose how I use my time off.

Hello New York!

My time off isn't just for vacation either. If I'm sick and can't work, that's a vacation day. If I need to take a half a day off for a doctor's appointment, that's a half of vacation day. I know they aren't actually called vacation days, but it feels like they are when they are treated the same.

Time off requires a lot of planning and flexibility. It also requires good time management skills (something I am always working on).

I was lucky this year. I got to go on a vacation while I was between jobs. I also had to negotiate for that time off as I had planned that trip eight months in advance. Other years I haven't been as lucky and had to make arrangements with my job to work while I was out of the office (my last job was really flexible and allowed me to do so). Then there's always the possibility I'll get really sick. Normally if I'm sick, I just work from home, but what if I get so sick that I really shouldn't work?

Disney World!

There are days when I'm looking around the Internet at other people's travel blogs. They show a world full of excitement and adventure. I often wonder if I could quit my day job and simply travel all the time. Then reality hits me and I realize how stressful that would be. Sure travel blogs make the nomadic lifestyle look glamorous, but it's definitely not for everyone (myself included).

One day perhaps, I'll have a career where I can either travel all over. Or possibly a job with a fantastic vacation package. Maybe I'll become self employed or a money making writer (wishing and hoping only get me so far). Until then, I'll have to manage my time wisely, make sure my priorities are in the right places, and save as much as I can because I want something interesting to be in my obituary (knock on wood that that's a long way off).

Now, I must do some more research!

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