These Are a Few of My Favorite Things.
What makes you warm and fuzzy? What pushes your happy button? Is it raindrops on roses or perhaps whiskers on kittens?
Knowing what our “happy places” are, will help lead you towards a joyful travel experience.
In other words, maybe it’s not “places” but “things” we should seek out.
Brown Paper Packages Tied Up.
You love to shop. But you can’t plan a trip around shopping.
Can you?
Every year tens of thousands of people descend on Europe in November and December for Christmas Markets.
People attend shopping lectures (infomercials) on cruise ships taking detailed notes on where to save 12 cents on jewelry.
Near my house is a large mall that does not correct people who refer to it as an outlet mall. Due to its size, it is an “adventure.” For some, this is a good/happy thing. For my friends in Europe, still benefitting from a favorable exchange rate, it is a discount mall. Me? I’d rather have a dentist drilling than go near a place filled with possessed shoppers.
Shopping is NOT one of my favorite things. However, YOU can plan a trip around shopping if its one of your favorite things.
And Crisp Apple Strudels.
Who has not gone to a store or restaurant? We plan experiences around eating and drinking every day. So supersize it. The best apple strudels in Austria. Apple Harvest festivals, Tasting apple brandy (Calvados) in Northern France. The Shenandoah Valley in last April for the Apple Blossom festivals. Shopping at an Apple store… (Some people can’t stop buying.) Cuisine, wine, beer, spirits, culinary classes, farm visits, the list is endless.
Wild Geese That Fly.
Did you watch Marlin Perkins and Jim every Sunday on the Wild Kingdom? I’ll sit here in this air-conditioned tent with a perfectly chilled martini. We will rub Jim with broth made from Purina Big Cat chow and antelope blood. Now watch as Jim walks unarmed into that pack of lions who have not seen food in three weeks… Or at least you remember watching a Disney True-Life Adventures film.
We love wildlife. People plan trips around animals year-round. In January to see Penguins of Antartica and S America. In March, it’s off to China to see Pandas or India for the Bengal Tigers.
By May, almost all animals have come out of hibernation. The humpback whales are returning to Alaska. June is the time for the river crossings during the Wildebeest migration across the Serengeti. August is the best time to see Black Bears in Alaska as it is also the time salmon spawn. Can you say “All you can eat salmon buffet”?
October brings migrations for many animals and birds. December you have whales returning to Hawaii and Baja. It is also an excellent time for that safari you have been planning.
Snowflakes That Stay On My Nose.
Snow skiing in the Rockies, S. America’s Patagonia, Australia’s Mt Thredbo, China’s Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, or Europe’s Alps. They even have snow-skiing in Antartica.
The weather influences most outdoor activities. Hiking, biking, swimming, and other activities are just better at certain times of the year.
That Melt into Spring.
Nature. We all hear the call on different levels. Some its merely to hops and things made from it. Others it’s the lavender fields of Provence. Brazil’s rain forest or the rice terraces of Bali. Ayers Rock, Iguazu Falls, the North Cape of Norway or the Amalfi coast for incredible natural beauty.
The flurries of Cherry blossoms in the spring, the tulip fields of Holland, or the multicolor blankets of Maple trees in the fall, allow you to travel into a landscape. By foot, raft, balloon, bike or other, there is natural beauty everywhere.
Remember Your Favorite Things.
I am just skimming the surface. What about history? Then there is architecture, art, and anthropology. There are choices A – Z.
What attracts you like a moth to a flame? Look at what magazines are on your table. Architectural Digest? Tour the mansions of Newport. Sports Illustrated? Visit the Football Hall of Fame or attend the Kentucky Derby once.
National Geographic readers might enjoy exotic locals while those who peruse Good Housekeeping might prefer a Mississippi antebellum tour.
Conde Nast Traveler might open your eyes to a new “in” spot. And Bon Appetite inspires you to learn dumpling-making in S.E. Asia.
So maybe you approach your next outing as an experience instead of a visit.
Instead of “I want to go to Paris. Now, what do I do there?” Try, “I love the writings of Gaston Leroux, Victor Hugo, and paintings by Monet. Where can I experience these?”
What are your favorite things?
Put yourself into the painting, the novel, the movie, the dream and write your happy ending.
“See Mykonos” Continued on Page T8 “Taste Rome ” Continued on T14