Travel is more than just visiting places
Seeking your opinions!
Hi Friends,
Thank you for being here and my apologies that this edition is a couple of days later than usual. Life!
I really have only one summer trip planned this year and it’s a long weekend in Tofino. Don’t get me wrong, I am excited about it, it is another surf trip where there is a surf lesson, because I am not advanced and everyone benefits from instruction, and then 4-5 sessions of surfing. It is a weekend of camping, new friends, and lots of time in the water acquiring new skills and having fun! I love trips like this and this group is particularly fun, inclusive, and welcoming. Bitches and Barrels is the company/organization that creates these surf trips and it will be my second and hopefully not last trip with them. It is a lovely group of women who are supportive and fun. Being a beginner at something is difficult but much easier in a group like B&B and taking a trip like this also reminds me that I don’t have to go too far to have a rejuvenating vacation.
This brings me to the question, what do you look for in a vacation or a trip? How do you want to feel at the end? What does a vacation or a trip do for you? Are they different? Think about these because I have an interview coming up that will address some of these questions and make you think about the importance of getting away from it all. I have a little questionnaire for you linked here that asks those questions and I’d love to share the answers. You can answer until the end of June.
Because of this questionnaire, I am keeping the content light this week in hopes that you’ll do my survey. :) Thanks in advance for reading and answering!
Summer travel, travel etiquette, and more
On that note, are you going to Europe this summer? Perhaps you’ll want to give this link a look that mentions the flights being affected by strikes.
If you are flying long-haul this summer or this year and thinking of upgrading for extra comfort, here is a guide to premium economy that is worth it.
An interesting Miss Manners question and answer about travelling with someone who has a different activity level than you do. It’s the first question.
When there’s a crying baby on your flight. I want to reiterate that yelling at the baby is never the way to go, but I think all of you know that. :)
An AI travel advisor flails again. The paywall might stop you.
Who has watched My Octopus Teacher? I enjoyed it. The filmmaker Pippa Ehrlich talks about burnout, work, grounding oneself, and the activities that bring her back to life in this article with Outside magazine. I was drawn to this article because there are a lot of activities in my day-to-day that keep me grounded and happy but getting away, no matter how short or how far away, always rejuvenates me. I’d imagine if you’re here and reading, it does the same for you.
I felt gross posting this at first but then realized Afar links them and lists them, so you’re not forced to go through their affiliate links only, they’ve listed the brands and then linked their recommendations. You can choose to support their affiliate links (likely linked that way) or not. I am in the market for a new big suitcase and these brands show up all the time in my social feeds so I am glad that I have a reference now. Luggage is expensive and I want it to last a long time! My current suitcase that needs replacing is 12 years old, I believe. It had a good run and has been to a lot of places. For those recommendations, Away and Monos have some nice colours and I like a colourful suitcase so it is easy to spot at the baggage carousel.
I am a BIG NERD who is trying to figure out/trying to justify going to this exhibit. It’s in London, I want to go. I also just like spending time in London and the UK.
If I can make it work, I’d like to check this place out.
Looking for interviewees!
Directly related to my survey, I am looking for some personal stories if you’re willing to share them. Are you going anywhere this summer? If so, where? I’d love to hear about it. Whether you’re taking a solo trip, a vacation with friends, or a family trip, I am looking for any and all of these. If you’re interested in telling me a brief story about where you’re going and why beforehand, and upon your return, what you enjoyed about it, what you planned, and what you recommend, I’d like to feature you in one of the upcoming newsletters. It can be nature-focused, your first family trip to Europe, camping in a bunch of national parks, visiting several amusement parks, or maybe you and your friends/loved ones are following your favourite baseball team or band around for a few weeks this summer. I want to talk to you! Also, extra points if I just gave you a themed vacation idea and now you’re planning it.
There’s no consuming section this time, it will return next edition.
Thanks for reading!
Sonya