If you have been reading my blog, you may find that I liked and enjoyed most or all of the places I’ve been to. Which may lead you to wonder if I’m super lucky or if I’m really being honest about those places… Maybe you are wondering? maybe not?!
If you have been wondering, keep on reading…
If you are wondering, I’ve got something to tell you: I’m a simple Gal! and yes I love simple things!
I love sunsets, I marvel at blooming flowers, I find peace looking at waterfalls, mountains, oceans and forests. I’m impressed by old buildings, old cities, castles (like this one or this one and so many more) and churches (if you haven’t read my post about churches, you should and can find it here!). I love traveling the not so common roads, I love being taken by surprise by the simplicity and beauty of a place…
I don’t need to do bungee jumping, rafting (although I have done this), helicopter ride (done this as well), or any other expensive activities to enjoy my destination. A simple camp fire, a picnic in good company, a quiet wooden lodge, a car ride on a sunny autumn day in the countryside, a little confidential museum, a nice hike in a surprising landscape…
Sometimes a good book, a hot chocolate and a comfy chair are also enough to me!
But what I also need to tell you is that if I like so much the places Mr A. and I go to, it’s because there is a fair amount of planning behind each of our road trips, big or small. And I’m not talking just about planning the itinerary, accommodations and stuff.
You see when I start planning our vacation, the first thing I take into consideration is our needs.
– Are we in tip top shape, ready to hit the road?
Road trips can be exhausting, and at the very least, they are not the best way to have a good rest.
– What do we feel like? Sea, sun & salted air? Or mountains & oxygen?
Have you noticed how sometimes your body seems to tell you exactly what is best for you & what you need to recharge your batteries? Well I try to listen and plan accordingly.
– What’s our mood like? Friends? or alone? Quiet / Super quiet? or super active?
Well for example, we’ve had some major family issues this year, so I think we’ll go for ‘super quiet’ & ‘super remote’ this summer 😉
– How much do we want to drive?
When we went to Turkey, we knew we would have long stretch of roads to drive (between Cappadocia and Pamukkale for exemple). When we went to Tenerife, we didn’t want to drive as much. Being on an Island, makes it of course a lot easier.
And I would add that I’m also cautious of the destination for the main following reason:
– Can we have the flexibility to change plans? In some regions, it’s no problem, but in other very touristic areas, it might be difficult to decide to stay longer in one place just because you feel like it, except if you’re ready to sleep in your car of course…
So why is this so important to us? And how does it affect our perception of the places we go to?
Well I think that when you are in good shape, physical and emotionally, it is much easier to enjoy the place you are in. It works in our daily lives too, really! It is easier to deal with traffic, rude people, bad behaviors, stupid rules and so forth. When you are tired, anything is more annoying and every tiny issue can become a big one which at the end prevents you from enjoying the moment.
I don’t want to have to deal with this when I’m on vacation, so I pay close attention to our needs, to be sure that the destination we choose will suit these needs and that once there, we’ll only do things that we’ll truly enjoy, in that moment. And most of the times, it works!
This summer, I was thinking of doing a road trip in the Meteora in Greece. But instead, we’ll probably go to Finland and rent a small house by a lake! Croatia is also an option and is kind of plan B if I decide that I don’t want to have to deal with the Finish midnight sun & their mosquitoes ! We’ll see. Still 2-3 weeks to plan and decide.
So here it is, I am a simple Gal but also a lucky one!!!
