While heading to Peru, I caught myself thinking about some of the conventional wisdoms about going on vacation, among them: "preparation to leave is so exhausting it's not worth getting away", "it takes at least half the time away to even begin to relax", not to mention "YUCK, Tourists!" and "the piled up work you come back to eliminates any benefit from the relaxation you did have".

I decided to test these attitudes and see if there's not a better way to be.

Preparation: for many of us the preparation can be exhausting. Between pet/plant care, coverage for work responsibilities, mail, away messages, social commitments etc., there's so much to do. I decided to approach the whole thing with an attitude of FUN. My intention throughout all the activities was to focus upon enjoyment. Who would have FUN taking care of the pets? Who on my team would enjoy being the one to take on "emergency" authority? Even my away messages admitted to being away for some FUN as well as work (gasp!), and when I paid my bills a week earlier than usual, I made sure to remember just how much FUN I was going to be having the next week with peace of mind to boot.

Transcendent Travel: If like me you were one of those kids who bounced on the backseat of the car groaning "are we there yet?", chances are you're now an adult who pushes just to get THERE. THERE meaning ANYWHERE. Being between points A and B can be very uncomfortable to many of us. Airplane seats aside, we are so programmed for efficiency and control, the out-of-control and frequent lack of efficiency in travel can be unsettling. Not to mention being crammed in with all those other people. This trip, I decided to stop my urgency in its tracks. From the moment I got in the cab to head to the airport, I decided to breathe long and easy, relax my eyes and vision, and stand back in my own shoes. When I'd feel my habitual response to lurch ahead of others to get preference in lines, I'd catch myself and remind myself of the peace and generosity of vacation. When I'd catch myself feeling anxious about how to get from airport to hotel, hotel to airport, airport to site, site to next city and hotel, etc., I'd simply remind myself that not knowing is not lethal and everything always works out. After all, life-wisdom reminders to enjoy the journey include enjoying actual journeys.

Touristitis: Yes, I get touristitis. In Paris I even skipped seeing the Louvre rather than deal with all the tourists. This trip, despite the certain knowledge that Macchu Picchu would be packed with tourists, and that getting there would require being crammed into a bus with lots of them both ways, I had to make peace with it.
Curiosity being the best antidote for contempt, I turned to the first body to perch itself in a seat next to me and used an attitude of wonder to transform the experience. It paid off big. My seatmate Hal was retired from his lifelong career as an elementary school teacher. He had used all his savings for this trip to Macchu Picchu - the fulfillment of a life dream. With so much enthusiasm for the ruins, he was going back for a second day just to see whatever he might have missed. He told me a lot about his life, what he had seen in the ruins the previous day, and what he was hoping to cover that morning. It's amazing what people can share in the scope of 20 minutes. Details aside, I was so blown away by the halo of happiness and enthusiasm radiating from the guy, I found myself wishing I could bottle it and sell it for a kinder, gentler world.

Testing this "personal connection makes tourists into people" theory out again on the trip down, I was fortunate to meet Alexa, a 22 year-old cosmetologist from Minnesota. Alexa told me that she been planning her trip for a year. For her, the exciting part wasn't the ruins or culture, it's that she had pre-arranged to volunteer at an orphanage in Lima teaching the kids how to speak English. Alexa didn't speak any Spanish. Alexa was on a limited budget. Alexa had no experience working with kids. Way to go Alexa!!!


Home: So what is it that overwhelms when we get home, is it the shock to the nervous system? Is it taking on functioning when our bodies are still jet lagged? I decided as soon as I got off the red eye in Newark Airport that I would not turn on my PDA until I got home. To get home, I decided to opt for the mode of travel that best balanced cost with wear and tear on my body, ie. the bus rather than either a pricey cab or a physically demanding trip on train and subway. Most importantly, I decided to remember all the wisdom of the preceding days, the good feeling of moving slowly, and the power of connecting personally.

Just back at the computer this morning, watching taxis move through unseasonal rain has conspired for a day that contrasts 100% with my experience in Peru's tranquil, sunny and dry Sacred Valley. No matter: my home-made latte is a fantastic treat, walking my puppy Ruby was a delight, and sitting here typing these words has been a reminder that our life offers sweetness no matter where we are or where we go.

Be well,

Tevis