"In this sticky web that we're all in, behaving decently is no small task." -- Novelist Stacey D'Erasmo

Saturday, June 15, 2019

Travel Is a Lot Like Sex

     I just got back from a two-week trip to Las Vegas, Utah and Arizona. Our trip was part vacation, to see the sights of Zion and Bryce, and part family, to see some relatives and a new baby.

     And it occurred to me this morning that travel is a lot like sex (Don't worry, I'll keep it PG rated).

     First, there's deciding whether or not you're going to do it. We were invited out when the baby was born, last January, and we did think about going then. But traveling in January? After all the festivities of Christmas? It seemed too much. We didn't want to say no. We wanted to do it, eventually. So we teased them -- maybe we'll do it; well, not now, maybe later. And then we finally did commit, and did the deed in June. 

     B and I made sure we were traveling together. I mean, you can travel alone, just like you can have sex by yourself. But it's much more fun with another person. (I won't get into the group thing. B and I have no interest in traveling with a group. Like taking a cruise with a  group of friends? Not for us!)

     Actually, sometimes B and I will travel alone. She will make a four-day trip to Charleston to see her grandson. I typically take a little extra vacation by myself in Florida in the winter. But like I said, these are quickies. Whenever we go anywhere for any length of time, we go together.

     Then there's the anticipation. Half the fun of travel is making the plans, deciding on the itinerary, making hotel reservations, scheduling the airplane. Thinking about what you'll be doing, imagining how it will be. 

     There's also the anxiety. You have to pick the right clothes. Go to the right restaurant. Will we be able to perform? I worried about how much hiking I'd have to do at Zion and Bryce, given my bad knee. B worries about the airport and the hotels and all the connections we have to make. As it turned out, we were able to do the required minimums. I walked the flat paths and the walkways around the canyon. I didn't even try to scale the heights of Angel Mountain, or plumb the depths of Bryce's hoodoos. And B was happy that the airport, the car rental, the hotel reservations, all worked out just fine. 

     Afterwards, of course, you wonder if the reality of vacation measured up to the promise. When you're actually there, you're probably not thinking about that. But afterwards, you look back on the vacation with fondness, remembering the good parts and not dwelling on the occasional hardships or uncomfortable moments.

     Of course, there are always certain vacations when you just say -- well, I enjoyed it, but I'm not going back there again. Or you might even say ... well, that was a mistake.

     Travel is an adventure. Sometimes we do it just for fun. Or when we travel with someone, it often brings our relationship closer together. Sometimes there's a purpose. The point of our trip to Arizona was to see the new baby. Sometimes we forget that travel and babies go together.

     And then, the very next day after I got home, I began to wonder. Okay, that's done. I wonder where we should go next? Home life can be so boring. We want the next adventure. You see, travel can be addictive too!

16 comments:

Wisewebwoman said...

I agree, anticipation can be 50% of travel. I am limited in movement and unpredictable on the health front so have had to bow out of recent plans. I am more content now at home, in my own surroundings and not having to worry about my poor health destroying other people's enjoyment. I know, silly but there it is.

I like your comment about remembering the good bits. So very true. We wipe out the challenging and painful, much like childbirth.

XO
WWW

gigi-hawaii said...

Well, good for you. I suppose you like travel and sex, which often go together.

DJan said...

I was wonderful how you were going to be able to live up to the title of this post, but you did it, and well. Yes, I guess travel and sex do have quite a bit in common! :-)

Mona McGinnis said...

Comparing travel to sex reminded me of a story about NOT having sex and how that's like riding a bicycle. 1) you never learned how to begin with 2) someone saw you doing it once and said you looked silly 3) you don't have a bicycle! Like WWW, half of the fun is in the planning and anticipation.

Olga said...

Happy Trails! They used to say getting there was half the fun but i haven't heard that lately, especially while waiting in an airport.

Arkansas Patti said...

Hum, you make some good comparisons. Perhaps if I thought if it more like that I'd enjoy the prep more. I love the travel, destination and return to my comfortable bed but it is the preparations that bog me down.

Mr. Mike said...

I am in the same age bracket and like to say I am in the 6th inning of life. My wife and I go out with other couples and we hear all the complications of life e.g. politics, high crime, violence in our society and how millennials have ruined everything ha ha as we have two millennials. Of course, all of those are true but I have a much simpler outlook on life and have three main priorities. If you look at a pie chart they are split up and usually combined in the middle like a Venn diagram that our kids used in school.
1) Eating a good meal
2) Drinking a good bottle of wine
3) “Spending time” with my wife

Kay said...

Ummm.... You certainly got my attention since we do like to travel. Too funny!

Rebecca Olkowski said...

I love how you put the two together. And luckily you didn't need a stimulant to make it through your hike.

Jennifer (UnfoldAndBegin) said...

Is coming home like the cuddling at the end of sex? happy you've done it, still wanting to feel close

David @iretiredyoung said...

Great title and great post - I read it in the morning and it put a smile on my face for the day. I'm looking to book a trip this week and the anticipation is half the fun - mind, I'm not saying what comes next part isn't fun too😜

Reading some of the comments was entertaining too.

Diane Dahli said...

Big chuckle this morning, Tom! I enjoyed the play on words and the imagery. What an analogy!

Barbara said...

I've gotten to the point that I don't travel much anymore. I'm not sure why. Like B, it does take a lot of planning sometimes, and I'm not crazy about things going haywire when I have no control. I love travel memories and often I read something or see something and think, I need to go there. I just don't ever seem to follow up anymore. Maybe I've become an armchair traveler. Research it, plan it and then sit back enjoying the information.

Grace said...

I have always wondered how traveling alone can be fun, i am yet to find out but i am afraid of trying.

Mage said...

How about taking the train next time.

garys world said...

do you enjoy trading or want to get into trading.
Make $1,000 Per Day Easily And Quickly Without Stress, Even If You Have Never Traded A Day In Your Life, And Double, Triple, Or Even Quadruple Your Money In Under 30 Days.
here is your chance to learn or learn more about trading.
https://tinyurl.com/y6jhsmwt