Sometimes, I don’t know what to write.
And that’s how I feel right now (as you can probably tell from the dearth of posts during the month of August). I’m overwhelmed with finishing a major project at work, my mom was visiting for the past month and–oh, did I mention–I leave for Scotland…soon.
Planning the trip ahead is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done, travel-wise. I’ll be away for a little over two weeks and instead of making me feel more relaxed, the lengthened away time was making me feel just that much more tense.
Tense, huh?
Yeah, tense. I figured that since I’d be traveling to the UK, that I should make the most of it. So what did I do? I decided to take two weeks off from work and now, two guidebooks and thousand of websites later (okay, maybe just hundreds), my mind was reeling with all of the possibilities I hadn’t even known existed. I mean, I knew about Scotland but I didn’t really know.
Going to Scotland wasn’t something I’d been planning for a long time. In my dreams of the British Isles, I’d always seen myself visiting Ireland, nervously attempting to visit all the best pubs even though I’m not a big drinker, or touring the Lake Country of England, looking for Mr. Darcy’s home at Pemberley (a Colin Firth run-in would suit me just fine, too).
Scotland never really got any love from me. I became enamored with the Scottish landscape while viewing an early screening of Braveheart back in 1995, but it never really stuck. But when I got an invite to the wedding of an old friend , I changed my travel plans for the second half of the year. As I finalize the details of my trip (yup..I gotta have a plan), I reflect on all the travel that didn’t happen this year.
A backpacking trip to Yosemite National Park was bumped to the back burner, and the one place I’ve been dreaming of visiting for years–Machu Picchu in Peru–had to wait. And to my luvahh—dear, dear San Francisco–we’ll meet again soon, dahling. Just not this September. A very dear friend is getting married in Scotland–I have to be there.
So where does that leave me? I don’t know. I still want to get to San Francisco by year’s end, and I’ve been dying to go to Seattle for the longest time (yes, I want to cheat on San Francisco with Seattle. Sue me). I’ll probably end up having to choose between the two (oh dear gawd, how would I even begin to choose?).
This year was supposed to have gone very differently, but every single one of my plans–every. single. one.–was shot straight to hell. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Between my older brother’s wedding in June (missing that was not even an option) and this upcoming September wedding, I’m pretty sure I’m never going to even try to plan a year of travel in advance.
And I’m okay with that.
It’s taught me a few lessons. That nothing–nothing–is set in stone. That it’s important to be flexible. And to have any chance of making it through life with your sanity intact, you’ve got to take things (cliché ahead–consider yourself warned) one day at a time.
So I’m going to Scotland with no expectations–save for attending the wedding, natch–and try to be as open as I can to one of the most unique travel experiences I’ve been fortunate enough to have. There’s still a lot left to do before I go (packing, anyone?) but for the first time in almost a year, I’m feeling excited to travel again.
This trip won’t be without challenges. Between trying to understand that rich and delightful Scottish brogue and driving on the wrong left side of the road, I’m sure I’ll have some great stories to tell. Stay tuned.
How far in advance do you plan travel? Three months? Six months? A year? Did your travel plans materialize the way they were supposed to, or did they come crashing down on you as mine did?
Just back from a small travel where we basically had… no plans at all. It also feels good just to have a rough idea of what to visit and then go with the flow. :p
Due to my work schedule, I have to plan trips 3 or even 6 months in advance. But things often change. I am getting away from over-planning and over-researching my trips, however. I realized that the best advice comes from just asking people on arrival. It really forces me of my shell. So many interesting people don’t use Facebook, Twitter.
Dave, you make an interesting point about people who may not use social media. Those of us who rely on Twitter and Facebook are missing a valuable resource for good information…and perhaps the opportunity for a new friend. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for them. Thanks for the suggestion!
I’d be really surprised if anyone’s travel plans always materialize the way they plan. We all have disappointments, setbacks, and life sometimes gets in the way. But if you want to do it badly enough, the right time will come along. Heck, even if you just changed your mind about the travel you want to do, that’s okay too. We’re human; we’re allowed. 🙂
Well, I have a trip partly paid for to Europe scheduled December 2012. I can do either. Spontaneous, especially if I travel with someone else, or well in advance, mainly with solo travel. I seem to like both sets of planning but when I am heading out alone, I prefer to know as much as I can and take a while getting to know the place from afar.
I had some travel plans crash on my head big time last year. I was supposed to go back to Germany for work but that didn’t happen. I also wanted to go to Germany for 3 months again but once again, that didn’t work. I find travel planning is like life. We can plan as much as we want but sometimes, life just rules things for us and we have no control. Annoying but true.