The Constant Planner

Hi there! For those of you who don't know me, I'm Elisabeth.
I reside in the great Pacific Northwest, born and raised here, not too far from Seattle.

                            

Since getting into my working life, which was once I got to college, everything seemed to be a whole lot busier.
Busy in the sense of work, school, and then the constant need for something else.
It didn't take me till after college to realize how much I needed to get out and get away, if only for short trips or even occasionally for longer excursions.

That's when one trip led to my need and want to consistently be in planning mode.
Every second I'm not being productive in work or at home, I'm thinking about things I need to do or plan for an upcoming adventure or planning out new ones that will happen in time.

                              

I'm sure that constant need stems from something, but it doesn't matter so much when it's the only thing I can think about.
I guess, while my heart can be content anywhere, my head has to tell me to be smart, to go and get away while I can. Travel and see the world while it's still there.

While this makes things hard, because my life has also been a constant struggle between saving money and having enough time, I've still been trying to do as much as I can here, at home.
Even when not every trip can be a journey across a major ocean, short trips to US destinations or road trips to places I've barely been, that can ease my mind for a bit.

                               

It's not that my normal, work and general life are boring, it's just that I'm not fulfilling my passions as much as I'd like to on a regular basis. Sitting at a desk, typing on the computer instead of sleeping on a plane, awaiting my new destination. Not exactly my cup of tea and I drink tea pretty regularly.

The PNW will always be my home but my longing to be somewhere else is much stronger than my pull to stay here.
Thankfully I have the support of my family to help push me to those new horizons, although I like to think even if I didn't have their kind words to propel me forward, I would be doing that for myself anyways.

My planning comes in bursts of anxious steps. The first usually being the decision making one, where choosing the place, finding an opportunity can be tedious, with lots of research before actually making it.
Once chosen, my chest seems to tighten, because the anxiety builds more than I thought it would. 'I must buy tickets now!" I think to myself, which only makes it worse. Once the surge of adrenaline leads to the ultimate process of buying tickets, the anxiety subsides.

                                 

It's odd feeling so rushed when usually I'm planning out a trip at least 6 months in advance, but that's how my body works I suppose.
Now it's on to the details. Those are the ones that could go on until the departure date for travel. They may keep me up at night, trying to remember things I need to buy, things I need to do, papers I forgot to print, etc.
Usually, done quite in advance as well. Lists upon lists of items and check marks, costs and reminders. Everything gets worked out.

Once it's time to leave, I feel exhausted. The journey, the end, to possibilities are all worth it and I tend to not be tired when I arrive. Only ready to go and to see and to be there.

                                  

Is this how you work when you plan out your trips? Do you have more of a system you follow or do you go with the flow?
Do you wait till the last minute or do you plan and wait?

Cheers and safe travels everyone!

That Travel Bug Feeling

If you love traveling, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
That feeling when you've been in one place for a little too long, when home starts to feel claustrophobic, even with family and friends surrounding you.

Yeah, that feeling.

That sinking feeling of needing to get out of here before you go crazy. When you haven't been anywhere for a couple of months and it starts eating away at you (not literally).

That travel bug (also not literal) keeps you awake at night, sometimes. It makes you realize that being home, even though it is such a blessing when you are there, can feel like a trap.
Just getting away, even for a couple of days can feel like a breath of fresh air.
It's not only about the destination even, the journey itself is more than freeing, but when you get there, that's it.
You are free.

Being somewhere new strengthens you, it empowers you, it drives you to be alert and ready.
It prepares you for the every day, for the world. Travel is more than just going from place to place, it is the reason for all the variations of life out there. Travel makes learning possible, from culture to culture.

I have never felt better than when I get off a flight and realize I'm somewhere new.
Sometimes, the feeling is incredibly hard to explain or even understand, but it's there and I know it to be true.

Wanderlust describes it well in the fact that it's a longing for places you have never been or want to go. That is me on the daily.
If you're anything like me, you have to keep your mind busy when you're home or else you start to second guess everything you're doing.
That's why I plan. I am constantly seeking options for what could be. My Pinterest pages are filled with travel related stories and tips, my Airbnb account has over 20 wishlists, and I'm in constant envy of all the photos from Instagram I see.

So planning is where I'm at. Constantly. Looking up how much flights might cost, seeing how lodging may play a factor in overall expense, and what kind of activities I could do once I'm wherever.
This travel bug is not going away and the only way to relax it, is to go.
Time is precious and I cannot wait to get out there and see the world, but it'll take time. I am not the proud owner of a lucrative travel blog, nor am I rich and/or famous and can pay for said trips at the drop of a hat. I have to work, to earn my way around, but I'll get there.

If you feel that feeling like I do, you know, there will never be anything that can stop me from wanting more than where I'm at now. There is no cure.

So, is it time to go yet?

Cheers and safe travels everyone!