Researching train time-tables and tour logistics was calming. Surfing the web to find English-speaking dive shops to guide my snorkel excursions was fun. Immersing myself in local maps and reading reviews of attractions at each port of call kept me from sleeping all day.
I could concentrate. I was interested. I was sparked to live.
Only a few months earlier, things were so bleak and un-rewarding that suicide was the only activity on my to-do list.
This was good psycho-therapy with an active component. It got my head out of my own behind.
But of course, the crazy still follows me. Is it normal to spend hours on the internet shopping for the perfect travel accessories?
Do I really need a radio-controlled, dual-time zone, water-resistant to 100 m watch in case local time differs from ship time and I absolutely can't find a locker to put it in while I go snorkeling? Apparently not because such a thing costs around half my airfare.
Do I really need to find a purse that has a pocket for everything, a slashproof strap and an RFID protector to save my credit cards from being spoofed by some nasty crook? Nah, I just keep my card in my bra like I always do.
Was it totally necessary to find a comfy, packable coat that was both warm and water-proof, didn't wrinkle too much and looked nice without saying TOURIST all over it? Actually, yeah…that was a great investment. I found a subdued cream coloured one by Mckinley called Amaryllis. They have a newer model called Honoka but that only comes in raunchy pink for some inexplicable reason. I recommend it for comfort and quality but that colour is totally not something I would have purchased!
Packing for a trip is another terrific exercise for the newly sane. I had to take into consideration varying temperatures for destinations ranging from snowy to tropical. Two weeks worth of Resort Casual, some cocktail dresses with cute pumps, a wetsuit, walking shoes and undies/sleepwear. Could it all fit into my favourite +Tumi Alpha Garment Bag? Yes, with the help of compression sacs from +Eagle Creek which I will review with much adoration in a separate post!
My point is, the concentration required to plan a vacation is a nice activity to transition from an idle or wildly confused mind to a calm and confident one. If I was obsessive about the details, it really didn't matter. It worked. The consequences of not getting it right were minimal compared to the consequences of starting a new job before I was ready.
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