Day 229: Vacationing Can be Hard Work

I am thinking about vacations. I am also thinking I don’t have a steady gig or money, so maybe a vacation is a bad idea, but that’s never stopped me before. Vacations are wonderful obviously, but there is also a lot of pressure when I plan a getaway. Lots of people just go to the same place over and over, but I know there’s a big world out there and I want to see as much of it as possible. In a global society is it even ethical to stay in your little bubble and never challenge yourself to experience other cultures?

I know what people will say to this, vacation is about doing what you want, having fun and relaxing not seeking an educational experience. Why can’t we do both? I admit it’s not exactly like I have never vacationed at a resort, oblivious to the rest of the world, but I do feel guilty about it. That counts, right? Every time we do the resort thing I hate myself for not throwing any tourist dollars to the actual community and for isolating ourselves instead of hitting the town and interacting with the locals. The battle is constantly raging internally between visiting an interesting an culturally foreign destination and simply selling out for a beach, swim-up bar and no language barrier.

I have vacationed in Southeast Asia, Spain, England, Italy, Canada and many Caribbean islands. I have also been lost and hungry in Southeast Asia, Spain and Italy. Sometimes the culture or language barrier creates undesirable effects, but in some ways it’s still worth it. I ate things I never would have purposely ordered in places I never would have chosen and those instances became charming travel stories. Resorts do not offer a lot of interesting or different vacation tales, but Disney World does the international village . . . so that’s kind of cultural.

I want to always do the enlightened, cosmopolitan thing, but I can’t help sometimes wanting to follow the easy path. Cocktails shouldn’t be a cultural conundrum I guess, but if we don’t use vacation time to travel the world and see what and who it has to offer than when will we? Maybe the answer is to still hit the beach or resort towns, but to make a concerted effort to venture out beyond the hotel walls and touristy places and find those local joints that offer a little color. Hell, even in Key West we found a local pub catering to fishermen and those looking for authentic conch and conversation. So maybe I will get to do that Disney vacation I secretly long for, but only for a couple nights before heading to some coastal towns with a bit more authentic flavor. All you really need to make learning fun is a cocktail.