Wednesday, August 8, 2007

If you're going to San Fransisco (or, goin' to California with an achin' in my heart)



Be an explorer. The universe is filled with wonder and magical things. -- Flavia





I'm going to California tomorrow! Just kidding about the heartache.





I'm a little nervous, although I won't bore everyone with my "I'mafraidoftravlingonplanesandincarsanddying" lamentations. I've been pretty calm, actually, and excited, almost like a NORMAL person about to take a trip. I did wake up last night to worries that popped up like little weeds every time I dozed off, but a lot of them were about things that had nothing to do with the trip, like about what I'm teaching in the fall, and times I've let friends down, and whether or not I'll ever write enough "good" poems for my thesis. Anyway.





No matter what happens, travel gives you a story to tell. -- Jewish Proverb





It was hard to find vacation quotes that weren't cynical! Most of them are about how much work it is to go on a vacation, and how everything goes wrong.





I have a weird relationship with traveling. I like the idea of it, but when it comes down to leaving sometimes I'd secretly just stay home with my routine. Routines are like fat, pleasant dogs, always there to sit on the couch with you in contentment.





I'd like to be the kind of person who craves adventure. Probably my nature is not going to change, but I remember in college, I had a real, true longing to travel. One of my housemates was from England and every time I would go with her to the airport I would be very jealous that she got to go see so many cool places and I didn't. I longed to go somewhere on an airplane. I'd like to be more like that again.






Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.-- Gustave Flaubert





D and I are going to fly into San Fransisco tomorrow, and we're driving out to Yosemite National Park on Friday. We'll come back to San Fran (that's what the guidebook says to call it, NOT Frisco) on Tuesday to stay with D's lovely cousin. I can't wait to see the city-- I think that will be my favorite part. I'm going to be a dorky hippie and go to City Lights bookstore for sure. I'm taking my new skirt my my bought me and my real shoes-- no flip flops-- because it's going to be SIXTY DEGREES! NOT one hundred and eleven or whatever it is in DC right now.



Traveling is not just seeing the new; it is also leaving behind. Not just opening doors; also closing them behind you, never to return. But the place you have left forever is always there for you to see whenever you shut your eyes. -- Jan Myrdal

So, I might not post again until I get back... thanks again to everyone who's been reading. I can't think of a question, exactly, but it'd be cool to see people's thoughts about vacations. Okay, here, finish this phrase: "Vacations are one of life's..." You can't say greatest pleasures.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

...ways of testing relationships. I was just talking with some girlfriends at school today about how going away with a person is a way of figuring out how close you are. When Wes and I went to Europe after graduating college, we'd only been dating about 10 months. I figure the 3-week trip with just the two of us would either cement our relationship or end it.

Anonymous said...

This is not my final answer, but I was going to say "....desserts."

I do agree with liz self though-- I was thinking about my own vacations, and was noting that my honeymoon was my best trip ever. We didn't even go to a spectacular destination: no tropical island, pool-decked cruise ship or beachside cabana. It was just a vacation with my best friend and I have never had a better week.

joy said...

I'm jealous you get to go somewhere.

Mary P Jones (MPJ) said...

Aw, damn! I'm so totally behind on my blog reading that I'm like a week too late to give good SF travel tips. But you were on top of the most important one -- it's cold! ;)