Afterglow

Settling back after a vacation is a bit like breaking up with a lover with mutual consent. You are glad to be back on your own bed, but you experience constant nostalgia. Getting back to a humdrum routine is taking some getting used to this time - specially after a marathon getaway like the one I just had.

I took a walk today, reveling in the cold, fresh air and clear morning sky in the streets. But my mind went back to the muddled, muddy and rain-drenched streets of the medina in Marrakesh. And how it was almost impossible to walk uninterrupted - you had to squeeze aside to dodge scooters coming at breakneck speeds. But oh, how much more arresting and full of happen-chance such walks were. I enjoy the return to my full wardrobe and plentiful supply of clean clothes. But I loved my 3 weeks of haphazard layering, fashion be damned! With no schedule to adhere to, our days were strictly guided by pleasure.

And the highs, oh the highs! Watching the rolling countryside of South Portugal at your feet from a remote hilltop house every morning followed by sunny eggs and coffee by the pool and an improvised game of pong! Walking along one of the most photographed beaches in the world clad in your warmest winter wear and trying to not get your boots wet. Discovering Christmas lights at every turn and still walking along in the promise of more in Seville. Watching your dad and husband race down sand dunes in the Sahara like little kids while the camels' jingle fade in the background. Dancing to Berber drums around a camp fire - and having your parents be a part of it too!

I know that, eventually, the memory of the bad flight back home and the trauma of misplaced luggage will fade. And so will this afterglow of a great vacation. I will 're-integrate' into my practical, busy routine. But the next time I need my dose of Zen, I will be able to shut my eyes and spirit myself away to my heaven for that short, precious time.

Why I travel

We just got back from a quick 3 day getaway to Bermuda. This vacation will be special for several reasons - an important one being the relative ease with which it got planned. We have never been able to make up our minds about a location this quickly before. But all vacations are not like this, even the quick getaways. I usually put in a considerable amount of time researching a location and while it is eventually rewarding , it also takes a bit of a toll. So here's why it's all worth it for me!

1) A vacation is like an automatic reset. Coming back from a trip, jet-lagged and bleary eyed from the flight , I am still fresher in mind and spirit than before the trip. I have done some mental housekeeping, some consciously but mostly, naturally. 

2) I am a better employee! I am little more patient and punctilious and less likely to open Facebook on my browser ever so often :P My poor, overworked eyes and wrist also benefit greatly from this enforced sabbatical from a computer. 

3) Travelling gives me a somewhat informed point of view. I know a little bit more about the world. Before a recent trip to Sri Lanka, all I knew was that SL is a beautiful, but poor neighbor (to India), torn by internal strife till very recently. A short 5 days in the country revealed that it is not only a self-sufficient country, rich in resources, but it is also implementing eco-tourism in a way India hasn't been able to. I hope to go back to explore another part of this jewel island soon. Some years ago, we spent 2 weeks in Greece, travelling to various parts, settling in to a new round of austerity measures. It was the quiet, hustle-free time of the year, when the summer holiday goers and cruise ships have left. Chatting with locals over complimentary raki and touring their diminished markets, we sensed much of the turmoil that the proud Greek will never reveal. 

4) I get fit! As opposed to working out for a vacation, I do it while vacationing, strange as it might sound. Holidays are about waking up early (or soonish) and hitting the sights and traipsing the streets. So, hello toned legs! No resort stays where one spends time guzzling beer around a pool for us, thanks very much. Saving that for old age!

And of course, I get to explore my wardrobe :P That is high on my list of priorities, despite being last on this list. Can't appear too frivolous, no?

So, why do YOU travel?

Travel Diary

Even in this remote, cul-de-sac location, I can hear the ice-cream truck! There is no escaping their jingle, come summer! We are in this quaint, waterfront house on  the Peconic river in South Hampton. This AirBnb property is very  modest  from  the outside but reveals a gorgeous, sunny layout from within, with a backyard right on the water.

We are just back from a walk through the ubiquitous Main Street. The summer crowds aren't here yet. No surprise. Despite it being almost mid- April, a temperature of 15 C max. with a chilly breeze pervades. Not beach weather. We brought back lunch from 'Citarella - the local gourmet, prepared food store - and ate in the backyard,  under the sun. Random comfort food, the sort that tastes good but doesn't really gel well, cuisine-wise, - Greek salad, cold Asian noodles and cheese stuffed eggplant. Liquor chocolates for dessert; they come all the way from Sweden, courtsey of good friends. M has retired indoors for a nap, I am savoring the sun a bit longer.The water beckons and glistens. A pair of ducks fly over, from the strip island across, with matter-of-fact curiosity. All is quiet except for the sea gulls and the occasional boat out for an afternoon stroll on the water, their friendly owners waving. All is perfect.

(Slightly improved excerpt from my diary, posted after reading Pico Iyer's 'The Art Of Stillness), at the fag end of summer.

Day 1

Tampa/St. Pete's for the New Year's! I wanted to have an unplanned vacation this time. So it feels good to have such an unplanned, fun, first day.

1) Took an early morning walk on a beach. This is an all-time favorite of mine. Correction: It wasn't really early, more like noon. But pretty early for the 1st of January :) It wasn't even a beach really. Just a stretch of sand overlooked by a much-frequented local bar/cafe on the water. We had sea-gulls for company. And a variety of other shore birds, in fact. The ice-cream lady was just setting up her stand. Another holiday couple held hands and whispered. A few older groups parked on the far side and chatted. Later, we grabbed a drink at the cafe as people came in for brunch.

2) Explored a 'vintage' house at length. Our base here is a spacious and cozy outhouse built atop a garage in an old part of St. Pete's. The interiors are a treasure trove of vintage furniture and knick-knacks collected by the hostess over the years. Everything from the ceiling fan to the can-opener is quaint and old-worldly. There are tons of quirky books (I spotted a 1940s edition of the Girl Scout Handbook!) and a 'sewing room' with a closet full of vintage chic! What more can a girl ask for! There is also a ukulele with a manual for quick learning. I don't think I can go back to staying in a hotel room again. Strongly recommend AirBnb to add character to your holiday!

3) Drove around at night and watched beautiful homes. Now this makes me sound voyeuristic  and creepy but I am sure this is a common enough sentiment. This part of town is packed with gorgeous old houses. I love lit windows, cozy living rooms with lamps and bookshelves and paintings, Christmas decorations, people dining at set tables with vases...Besides, every once a while we took a turn and reached the glimmering water. What's not to love?

I also did some things I loved yesterday. Namely: read a good book straight through the flight (Murakami's book on running, if you must know). I rarely get the luxury to read at a stretch, having to break away to keep an eye on dinner or the subway stop. We also made and enjoyed a nye's plan with minimal research. I am always thrilled when that happens. (Dinner at the hotel restaurant which was exceptionally good and a movie in bed - NightCrawler which was good too. Perfect for the weary traveller.)
 And my last favorite thing for today? I wrote my first blog post of the year :)