Where are you going on vacation?

                                                                      

So much opportunity. So many options. How do you decide where to go when there's a whole world out there?!

This debate comes around each year in most families. Where are we going on vacation? It's almost up there with "What's for dinner?" This summer is half complete. Hopefully you've already enjoyed some fun trip or one is shown soon to come on your wall calendar.

I remember the challenge we had when my boys were journeying through their high school years. The big discussion was where everyone was going for spring break or summer vacation. It seemed everyone was trying to one-up one another. The most exotic trip won the oohh's and aahh's of the crowd until the next year when that exotic trip was regarded as more mundane. It was way ridiculous. It got way out of hand. 

We're presently in the searching and researching stage. We're currently deliberating and debating. What's a couple to do? Where should we go? This girl doesn't know.

What is at the center of our debate? We have a rather big occasion coming up early next year. It's one worthy of celebrating in a big way - our 40th wedding anniversary. Yes, we are that old!

My husband can't think of a better way to commemorate this momentous occasion than with a trip. I might prefer a more local getaway for a spa day and a short stay. One of my issues with travel is the all-consuming getting-ready-part. This part falls more on me. There's a lot of getting-ready I must do. Some trips require more than others. 

The prospective trip we are pondering can potentially take way more prep than usual. This makes us question if now is the time for that once-in-a-lifetime getaway. Even if our occasion is worthy of that are we ready and willing for exactly that? 

We decided to go the extra mile or miles - literally - Why, I'm not sure. How does a trip to the bottom of the earth sound to you? Enticing? Exciting? Sounds like a lot to me.

For further explanation: Our youngest son lived in New Zealand for a year as he served on a mission team. He, of course, came home speaking of his amazing adventures. This translates into us having a built-in travel consultant and itinerary-designer at our disposal. His youthful memory is still in tack and is complete and exact. He can share every trail we must hike, every mountain we must climb, every waterfall to raft, every coffee shop at which to linger and every restaurant where we ought to dine. His memory could fade - like ours has lately - if we don't capitalize on his services more this year than next.

Can we handle all this? Are we too old for all this? 

Maybe but this is the youngest and healthiest we will ever be! This year is more opportune than next. Our short run is way less questionable and way more predictable than our long run.

If you go all the way down there to you know where, then you have to make the most of the grueling miles. Meaning New Zealand also warrants Australia. Peanut butter & Jelly. These two pretty much go together. 

So, Australia gets added to our itinerary. My husband's brother lives there, hence, we must go. 

It's a must do but can I do? Long flights - not a fan! This crazy-long trip MUST be broken into doable segments. No nonstop for me. The more stops the better. More chances to stretch my legs on solid ground and get me out of there. 

New Zealand added Australia so next Australia adds Hawaii. It's the necessary stopping point to break up the long trip. If you stop in Hawaii, you can't only visit the airport bathroom! There's too much beauty out there waiting for me outside of the Ladies Room Stall #3!

Now our potential trip to make all this happen is a whopping 1 month long! Oh my! I might die!

That's 1 month from our home, our family, our aging dog, our jobs, and our volunteer responsibilities. Can they survive without us? Yes. Can we survive without them? Not sure.

More importantly and more critically...Can the 2 of us survive a month away with just the 2 of us? This could be a trip of a lifetime and the greatest challenge of our lifetime! Do we really want the biggest test of our 40-year marriage to come after 40 successful years on a celebratory trip? 

This trip will have no trip companions. Zero. Nada. Just us. A portion of it will be just us riding, sleeping, showering, and going potty in a sleeper van. All the essentials provided except for a getaway escape room. No escape. No place to get any alone time. Being an introvert, that brings a component that brings me some concern. 

Will we return lovey-dovey or achy-breaky?! Will we end on speaking terms or have the attitude of "I've had enough of you?!" 

We already have our travel visas, but should we? Will we? Don't know yet. I'll keep you posted.

***On a side but important note: My heart has been heavy for certain friends as I composed this post. There are many dear friends of mine who could only dream of having this as a potential conversation in their home. They are not financially able to do so, or health challenges make this impossible, or they are caring for a loved one and can't leave them alone. Some wish for a spouse to celebrate this milestone with or long to have one they could enjoy their company. I have been praying for you as I have been writing this. I hope knowing I care and am thinking of you can lighten your burden a bit. ***

While we wonder

should we go down under?

Though scarier than thunder,

let's not make a blunder!