Getaway

I am deciding today, right here and right now, I've got to get off this island more than I am. Period. In the past six months the furthest I've traveled is Bear Mountain. That's all. I think I've been to Jersey City three times, Roosevelt Island no less than five, Astoria and Flushing Meadows Park in Queens and that is it. I have got to get out of here.

It's easier, for me anyway, to consider vacationing and travel in the Spring and Summer months. Winter is so grey and dead that I just want to hibernate- but this is when I should be "getting away" most of all. Chris has already started talking about the cruise we will take in February, 2012. Stagnant and stuck are not good feelings. This is not to say visiting places that the 6 train can take me to and parks way out in Brooklyn are not necessary, but getting out of NYC is vital.

I need to take people up on their offers of borrowing their cars. I need to visit my friend in Boston, who is only a $30 bus ticket away. I need to go down to North Carolina, or West Virginia or DC... when my friends are taking weekend trips. Or heck, just buying an Amtrack ticket and staying in Connecticut for the night may bring balance into my otherwise lopsided desire for Earth.

Traveling isn't cheep and when you are paying extraordinarily hight rent, it's easy to just push vacationing- weekend getaways or anything else- to the side. But, I'm seeing where that is not really an option any longer. Plus, there are affordable ways to travel, to take day trips or anything to feel part of the real world. Not just NYC.

....

My sister will be here next week, Chris's mom soon thereafter, and then another girl friend from Texas. This weekend Chris will be going with the youth group to Great Wolf Lodge, and I'm hosting a baby shower in June... So, pretty much from now until we leave our apartment in June 3oth, our weekends are busy. And Chris leaves for Rwanda, July 1st. He'll be traveling with our church July 1st- 15th, then he's planning on backpacking around Europe the remainder of the month. (Did I mention we don't really know where we will be living July 1st...? Oh, and moving... not exactly the best time to plan a vacation.)

I don' t know why I got into all of that, only except to say that when I look at my planner (yes I carry a paper date book in my purse!) planning some time out seems impossible. However, we are traveling to Lake Placid with Chris's mom- which I'm really looking forward to, and maybe over Memorial Day weekend I stay with a friend in Boston. I am excited about house guests and seeing people I love and the activities that blow through the streets of this city during Spring and Summer. But, I've got to get the heck out of here from time to time. I just gotta.