Vacation - What makes a good one

I haven't had a vacation in a while. Thinking back, we've had some amazing vacations. Like when we camped all around New Mexico or when we went to St.John for a belated honeymoon. Pre- and post-baby vacations are so different.With Ada we went to Portland and were in bed before 9:00 each night, which is better than Hawaii when she never made the time switch and one of us was up with her at 3:00 AM. I actually cherish those early morning walks on the beach in the dark with her snuggled in the Ergo.

So this week, a list of the elements of a good vacation.

1. Sleep: I just don't think this requires any sort of explanation. Especially for anyone who has or has had kids. In Alaska Tim and I noticed that we were bickering  with each other a lot. It took us a few days but we realized that we weren't sleeping. In July the sun scarcely goes down and our tent was no good as a light block. Ugh.

2. Vacation sex: Something about the freedom of having no place that you absolutely have to be mixed with anonymity of travel and well, there you have it. Afternoon delight every single day if you want to.

3. Lunchtime cocktails: I love a glass of something with lunch. It's normally so forbidden that indulging over vacation just feels sinful.

4. Water: Anything with water will do. A waterfall, the ocean, a river or lake...I love them all. SCUBA, snorkeling, water skiing (being drug around behind a boat really fast on anything is pretty awesome), canoeing, a boat trip. Love it. The breath of life I need.

5. Pre-vacay shopping: What do I have to wear in the tropics? Nothing. Must go shopping.

6. No plans: Isn't this the best part of vacation? Some people like to fill the agenda from the time they wake up until the time they go to sleep. Not me. Maybe put a thing or two in the agenda but otherwise, I like having the freedom to explore and be lazy and read books, and daydream.

7.Trying something new: I have a rule that if I'm traveling and I see a fish on the menu that I've never had before I must try it. This leads to all sorts of wild adventures like the time Tim and I lolled around in a hot spring in Truth or Consequences, NM.

8. Cool People: One thing I've noticed is that I usually meet really awesome people when on vacation. The one exception was St. John. We were on our honeymoon and not all that interested in meeting other people.

9. Good Food: Local, fresh, good. Love it.
Best meal: Asolare
Worst Meal: Alaska, something we got out of the tour book.
Funniest Meal: New Mexico - we didn't speak Spanish, they didn't speak English, I was still a vegetarian then and the food was hot as Hades.
Most authentic: the Cornish pasties out of a local house kitchen in Kynance Cove, Cornwall.
Oh, and once in HI we went to eat dinner at 4:30 with Ada (she woke up at 3:00 AM, remember).

10. Physical exertion: Other than all the sleeping and resting and lazying about that I like on vacation I do also like some good, hard physical exertion on a daily basis. What is better than playing hard all afternoon and coming back to the hotel for a shower and drink before dinner.

This makes me achy to get back to St. John ASAP.