Getting Local

Originally published at American Family. Please leave any comments there.

Lately, I have been kicking around the idea of working part-time once L is in elementary school.  While I don’t like to work, the one thing I like to do most (traveling) happens to cost a heck of a lot of money. 

I have come to terms with the fact that Mr. A’s job is never going to allow the two of us to travel the way I want to.  I want to see too many places that are too far away for one week trips.  If I have to wait for Mr. A to accompany me, I will never get to go anywhere. 

Since I am not one to live with regrets, I have decided I need to take matters into my own hands.   It also seems a tad unfair to use such a huge chunk of Mr. A’s the family’s money to finance my own personal agenda.

My current thought is that I could work part-time and set aside my income to take the girls traveling for 4-6 weeks each summer.  Mr. A could join us for the last 10 days or so of each trip.   I also have a couple of younger cousins who may be able to accompany me to add an extra pair of hands (if I can afford to pay for their expenses).  The tentative China-Taiwan trip of 2011 will be our test trip.  By then the girls will be 5 and 8. 

For me, there is a huge difference between a “trip” and a “vacation”.   The long trips would hopefully be in addition to our normal family vacations. Last night, Mr. A asked where I would like to go on vacation in the US in the future.  Besides visiting Hawaii again, I couldn’t think of a single place I really want to go in the states.  I like to travel to experience a different culture.  While there are cultural variations in the US, it isn’t the same as traveling overseas. 

Mr. A is someone who likes to travel to see scenery.  He can’t wait to go look at the Grand Canyon with the girls.  I am already bracing myself for that trip some day far in our future.  I have no doubt I will be so bored I might actually claw my eyes out for fun. 

I have already seen the Grand Canyon when I flew over it in a plane.  Yup, there it was.  A big hole.  I don’t really have any desire to see it again.  Never mind seeing it while on the back of a very uncomfortable donkey or scary helicopter or whatever cockamamie idea Mr. A will no doubt come up with.   This is the man who thought riding a bike from the California coast the the Florida coast was FUN.  Honestly, two months on a bike, sleeping on the ground sounds like hell on Earth for me.

So anyway, until I can get to my bigger trips, I am trying to make the best of being around here.  I just spent over an hour trying to locate a suitable regional restaurant along our drive to the beach.  Who knew that West Virginia is known for their hot dogs?  I didn’t.  But when we are on vacation, I am going to try one.  I’ll let you know if it is worth the drive.