The Joy of Travel
Planning vacations is my love language. I love talking about where we should go, who we should go with, and booking it far in advance to have a buoy to keep myself happily floating. Not only does having a trip on my calendar deliver hits of joy before I go away, but there are many bursts that occur during and after an adventure. There was a point last year when airlines dropped prices, we got vaccinated and were hopeful about travel going “back to normal,” so we planned a Christmas trip with my extended family.
Unfortunately, there are many joy killers when people around you question your choice to travel. “Don’t you have college to pay for?” “Haven’t you taken a lot of trips this year?” Or my favorite: “must be nice to be able to spend money frivolously.” If you ask your wanderlust buddies, I am sure they can share a few zingers they have received. Many do not realize the additional benefits outside of the time to decompress, and in times like these, a trip could be the happiness boost you need. Here is my list of travel joybursts to inspire your own planning:
It helps fine tune your decision-making skills. With so many places recommended on the internet or from friends, you have to balance top interests with budget, time and physical ability to cram it all in.
You improve your research skills. While my husband Todd heads to Tripadvisor to check-out excursions and plan our play, I like to scan Pinterest for best dining and shopping. Now that our boys are older, then will find activities for us on the internet, making planning a collaborative effort.
We recap the trip in a travel journal. This helps us remember where we ate, played and stayed so we can recommend spots to friends. It also allows us to learn from our mistakes. “Bring extra pens and cash” I write after our trip to St. Lucia. I am impatient if I have to wait for a pen as I complete endless forms in the airport so Todd stashes a few in the outside of our suitcases for the next adventure.
Travel teaches you to communicate expectations. While in St. Lucia, I wanted to hike to Pigeon Island, so my sister Sarah and I squeezed in a great walk and talk on our last morning. My brother wanted us to have a sibling dinner after his babies went to sleep. He explained his wishes to my mom so she would babysit. I asked Mason to take me on a quick sail before we packed up and that activity keep my mind sailing the entire fourteen hours it took to travel home. No one should leave a place with regrets, and if you don’t speak up, your bucket list item might not happen. I don’t know anyone who vacations with mind readers.
Taking pictures slows me down and allows me to literally focus on the beauty in front of me. I love to frame photographs from vacations in our home to remind us of the adventure. Sharing the photos on social media encourages friends to comment and ask about the trip, causing the joy ripple effect.
You learn more about friends and family when you go away with them. Who likes breakfast, who enjoys exercising, who likes to nap, and who wants to be the “Julie McCoy” becomes evident. You also learn how to mediate between people as the activities may or may not line up with each other.
The more you travel, the more organized you become, especially if you have to juggle COVID testing and vaccine verifications. You will also learn when to call in help to keep the experience enjoyable. We learned the joys of hiring a travel agent to plan our trip for fourteen family members. Wendy Chambers of Victory Travel manage the wide range of ages, arrangements and excursions, and was always ahead of every travel change. Her true talents were evident when we had our own version of Home Alone and left our mother on Christmas morning at Logan airport. Wendy managed that crisis in a moment’s notice, at the crack of dawn on Christmas, laughing all the way.
My mother is an anxious traveler, and will only travel with a companion. Her worst nightmare came true, but by the time she arrived on the island, she was proud of herself for getting out of her comfort zone.
The text strings pre and post trip, the sharing of photos, the funny stories from the vacation are all bursts of joy. You get closer to your travel buddies and it may inspire the group to plan another trip! It also gives you something to talk about with friends and colleagues when you return, making new connections.
Finally, traveling makes you appreciate what you have. While I was unpacking, my youngest son Mason came into my room and hugged me. “Thanks for making our travel look easy. I have never realized how many details you have to juggle.” That one moment made me appreciate coming home with my core four.
