May in Indianapolis, Indiana

Beginning of May:

I haven't been everywhere...but its on my list

In the midst of planning for vacation, a conference in Indianapolis, Indiana took me away for 5 days.Its a fast non stop 2 hour flight from NYC.

Happily I swiped through at the airport to get a boarding pass, and all my luggage was carry on. The line to be searched and frisked moved swiftly...not too many babes, strollers, or wheelchairs to slow things up. Leaving on a Saturday does have its perks.Nice flight...no hassles..Thank you Delta Airlines.

Had visited before...several times and like the vibe there. Nice people, great ball teams. It is laid out in a way that a traveler, especially a lone woman finds easy, fun, safe and convenient.

Stayed at the Marriot Indianapolis, which is part of  a "Skywalk" that connected it, several other hotels,convention center, many restaurants, and most important a lovely shopping mall together in a above ground walk access. In inclement weather one never needs to walk outside to get around most of the City..

The days I was there the weather was wonderful and the Sunshine a great change from the still cold that enveloped NYC. The reason for my travel was to attend an educational conference. There were folks there from all over the USA. Went to the hotel bar my  first night...ordered a drink, and before it was poured was in a conversation with several people. Nice evening. One couple was celebrating their anniversary. Happy events are great to share. I find it easy to meet, mix and mingle. Also easy for me to be alone....in fact at times not only enjoy, but need it. In fact any break from the routine helps get my battery recharged.

Though in no way shy......there is no hesitation in me to go to things by myself rather than having to have a huge discussion over where, how, when, and with whom. I am very comfortable on my own, and like to explore and get to know new places. Once registered for the conference and back in my hotel room I planed For the next few days. The next morning I walked into my first educational offering...walked out 2 hours later with more knowledge as well as plans with new acquaintances for lunch and dinner. That seemed to set the tone for the rest of the time I was in Indianapolis. Long days of classes followed by long nights of shared food, drink and laughter after classes were done for the day.  Enjoyed the ambiance of Sensu an Asian Fusion Restaurant and Club, as well as Oceanaire Seafood Restaurant. Both standouts. If you like Jazz Bars, The Chatterbox is somewhere you should go when you get the opportunity.

Should add there was also some shopping done. Summer and vacation clothes, including the dreaded swimsuit.so much easier to do there and have the store ship back to NY...Free shipping I might add!
Great trip...excellent classes....happy evenings... Back to NYC.

Next have to figure out where am I going to stay in Barbados?

"To travel is to take a journey into yourself."

 Early May 2011

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes..............

 My destination ....Barbados....now have to have a way to get there, only 2 airlines fly directly from NY. Seemed they were not in competition. Neither had a great deal. Since time was not an huge stress I resolved to watch the fares. I did that and saw them get more expensive each week! My friend Sue had a small discount with one of the airlines, but only for certain travel window. Didn't see that working for me. No problem....it will all work out. Don't know why but that became my mantra. "It will all work out".

Also needed a place to stay. May not sure about where, but know what I am looking for. Easy, comfortable, elegant, beautiful, ocean, beach, safe, fun, and not a fortune. I am now going on the assumption that my travel would be solo, so cost factor changed. The internet is a great way to find, check out and see many places. Reviews by travelers helped , as did lots of Bajans. Saw a few photos of several places on Facebook...checked them out. There were two that really got my interest for the transition period between Big City Stressed out Woman.....and Vacation Chillin Woman... Both on the West coast..both small and  immediately upon seeing and reading about both understood that  I was going to spend time at one of them.
I had email and Facebook conversations with the owners of both places. All the while, the lack of an airline ticket prevented me from finalizing any reservations. Availability and dates were discussed. Sue and I also spoke of her group and where folks were going to stay...(sigh) Ideas exchanged...but still...no ticket..no reservation! The thought of staying overnight in Miami started...it would be way less expensive even with the extra night of Florida hotel included..could hang by the pool....darn! NO! Don't want to do that.

Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash

Then just as discouragement was settling in.....a casual check of the American Airlines site revealed an amazing thing...the price for the flights I wanted had dropped by just about half!..I rubbed my eyes and double checked...still there...not a mirage.....Thank You, for the miracle that I have received...  Less than 5 minutes later I was the owner of a round trip New York - Barbados...Barbados - New York ticket! I called Sue and told her about this wonderful state I was in....Her response..."Are you sure?""Yes really I am sure!" Sue bought tickets that same day too! In case you are wondering, the next day the price was back to its high cost. I now really believed....

Now it is settled...three weeks in Barbados!....OK time to secure some lodging.

Decisions Decisions!

 
 

Now for a little information. In order to get a vacation for the Summer it has to be requested by December 1.  Therefore my decision about when to go had to be made right after Thanksgiving. As  mentioned in a previous post Australia was on the list, so were South Africa, Barbados, Costa del Sole, Paris, Provence. There may have been even more, but this was the list I faced the Friday after Thanksgiving.

It seemed that to be fair to those I work with no  more than 3 weeks off would be taken by me.( only 2 nurses could be on vacation at one time). The days of July18- August 7 were chosen  and approved. That alone kicked South Africa and Australia off the list. It takes 2 days to get to them and 2 back....Not the kind of vacation I was looking for... long trip in a tourist class plane seat with layovers ....Nope. Another minus the airfare...ridiculously high.

One of my most favorite trips included a week in Paris. Lovely City, but not even the Parisians like it much in Summer....So off it came. Provence and Costa del Sol...would love to rent a villa with a large group of  friends in either place we all would have a lovely time that way. While thinking this through  it really became apparent to me that I wanted low key, chill, and easy, not a that kind of outing at all. ...beach, ocean, shade, hammocks, iced drinks with coconut and umbrellas, palm trees, casual,  maybe some Reggae. I was looking for.........

.

Barbados

Another reason for a trip to Barbados being my vacation choice: I have a couple of great Facebook friends from Barbados.We had "met" over several years and most were people that I exchanged views and thoughts, photos, songs, and news-clips with on a mostly daily basis.  A Virtual FB friend  Brad and I were chatting about my upcoming vacation. When I suggested visiting he gave me an enthusiastic positive response, letting me know he thought I would really love Barbados. When asked the others agreed.. During dinner one night with a fabulous woman named Sue, the only Bajan FB friend I had really seen  in NY,.as an aside,  we had met when Bobbi (another virtual  Bajan friend who I really look forward to seeing!) suggested we friend each other. Sue and I were instant Sisters.  Sue was organizing a group  to Barbados during Crop Over, and the dates overlapped my vacation time! There was a whole list of places to stay and things to do to choose from and it was strictly a la carte...Could be as busy or as at leisure as I wanted to be and this group already had a leader. So we started to talk and laugh and plan  about it over dinner one night and then chatted some more...More of the Bajan group chimed in all with plans for me and things I must do and see. More dinners with Sue and exchanges with all the above ........OK I am in...Lets go!

Winter Break - Atlantic City

 The urge to gamble is so universal and its practice is so pleasurable, that I assume it must be evil.  ~

I was still pondering the goal of vacationing in Australia when I got a wonderful call right in  the middle of a thaw. My Niece and Nephew in-law ( M&M) were leaving their  Florida Sunshine and Warmth to spend time in AC...They had a 2 bedroom suite reserved... would I like to join them? Yes! Thank you!  Got an extra 2 days off and made plans to join them for a long weekend. AC is about a 3 hour drive. Didn't want to do that. So looked around for a bus. Not hard to find in NYC.Found Megabus, got a schedule, made reservations, and let M & M know when I would be arriving.

The bus left from the Port Authority. This is a huge and complicated structure. Buses leave her continuously for all parts of the Country. It is multi level and 3 City blocks long.If one is not careful getting lost is not a hard thing to accomplish.....Naturally I had that pleasure...Totally turned around and in the wrong building. Since its a given that no one else had a clue where bus # 302 on level 3...er ..3and 1/2....So like any smart person, I got outside the building walked around to the front and got directions from the woman in the booth. I am convinced she know everything there is to know about that building and all the buses leaving. With her help the bus was found by me. I even had time to get a bottle of water before we left exactly on time...non stop ride, AC here I come!

As the schedule said 3 hours later I was in the parking lot at the Taj Mahal Hotel and saw  M &M were waving at me through the glass. One more thing happened before I got off..A representative from the Hotel/Casino welcomed all of us to AC by giving each of us a gift card that more than covered the round trip bus fare. That was a welcome surprise. More about that later.( Remember if you are in NY and want to go comfortably and FREE to AC, find  Megabus).Now I was happy to hug and get hugged by M&M and go into the hotel. Beautiful space bigger than my apartment back in Manhattan, great rooms, views of the Atlantic and the company of two people I really love. This is what I needed! We chilled for a few hours and caught up on lots of news. Then out into the Winter Sunshine.

A nice 2 hour long,  bracing walk on the windy and freezing Boardwalk including a run through the sand to touch the bitter cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and my being was totally refreshed and renewed. If this small but wonderful interlude helped me so much, what would a long Vacation do for me? Of course the fact that I was with people I love and who love me helped more than anything. But I wanted a different kind of get away....

I couldn't remember when I had taken more than 10 days off to vacation. Also it had been way too long since it was to a new place. Adventure! To feel free and just enjoy each day without any hindrance....ahhhhhhh.....think I must make this happen...How much time could I take off? How much money did I have? Where to go?Very important questions. Lots of things to look at and much decision needed.....and the deadline for vacations the second third of the year fast approaching.....Only thing I was sure of......It was going to be warm there.....No skying, Alaska, or Iceland or Greenland ( all places I want to go)..Not this time.

 Mean time in AC its after a lovely dinner at a local Italian Restaurant that folks at the front desk of the Hotel told us about. The recommendation? "We go there".  Great food,  little money and friendly helpful people both customer and workers alike." Atlantic City Italian! What nice homey and warm place. When in AC please drop in, you will be happy you did.

Now .....where is that Casino gift card? Got it! Taj here we come. Like a moth to a flame. The Taj Mahal is a big noisy place. Just what was wanted. I was at a slot that "felt" right after a quick walk around to "feel" the machines.  In went the card...less than 2 minutes later. Jackpot!..WOW!!...Now, do you know anyone that leaves a Casino in less than 5 minutes?..............Me neither!! Still don't. All I can add is that after several hours of great fun, winning, losing and much cheering by all that surrounded me I still left with much more money than what the card was worth!! The sounds, bells, smell of a casino cheered me up. My smile was intact and there was even laughter in my soul. Have to admit that I really like the vibe in a Casino..Doesn't even matter if I am playing or not. The air seems to be alive with hope, fun and the sounds of bells and laughter. Perhaps the fact that most of the times I have left a casino there was more cash in my pocket than there was on the way in may play a part? True statement!

The rest of the weekend was a delight and passed way to quickly. More boardwalk, some shopping, and lots of shared talk and laughter. I don't get to see M&M often enough, and always enjoy my time with them. Alas all too soon I was back on the bus, waving goodby and speeding towards Manhattan...On the way I pulled out my laptop and started to Google......:)

Just saw this and thought it appropriate to add...Enjoy!

Take One: Guatamala here I come......

“In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”

The Winter days continued, with major a snowstorm of more than 2 feet, followed by another major snowstorm...followed by.....(sigh). My world was very monochromatic...greyish hues. So was my mood. The need for something other than my surroundings on which to focus was becoming very clear to me. My friends noticed the change, that my usual sunny disposition was eroding with each snowflake that landed on my patio.

A good friend Cynthia told me about her volunteer opportunity in Guatemala scheduled for May. A Dental Clinic for kids in a remote area. I am a Registered Nurse, but would be working to assist the dentists. Volunteers paid their way and worked most of the day; but there would be time to explore the area and a day or two before and after in Antigua......OK...... My reaction? "Sign me UP"! There would be forms to fill out, classes to be attended and shots to be had. No problem, let's go! My schedule now included these 2 weeks as "vacation". This new interest sparked lots of reading and internet exploration. Cynthia and I had several great conversations about this while sharing dinner, wine and news of life in general.

The more I learned the more excited I became. Cynthia is experienced is this area,  has volunteered for several years and now leads  missions in Nepal, Somalia, and other parts of the world. Guatemala is considered "easy", because it is so close, and "only" 2 weeks, I was totally psyched...Could not wait to start the whole process.  The color of my world now had some light and green in it, my smile returned. Yes, Yes, Yes!....Then....the BAD news....all slots were filled, in fact overfilled. Should have signed up earlier. Maybe next year.......Crash!!..Sigh.....Sob....Grey world returns.....

OK..enough of this sadness.  Get yourself together Woman! There other things to do and places to go.....so......Now what?

In the Beginning: The Genesis of a Stressed Out Woman in the City

"Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The dreamer must awaken."  Frank Herbert

How do dreams start? Where does the idea come from?
It was a really cold, snowy, dreary and very long winter in NYC. The Sun seemed to have deserted  our shore. Work was stressful and life just tired and a bit boring. What to do, what to do?.While lamenting this state of being with some friends the subject of vacation and travel came up. Someone was off to Jamaica, another to London for her Birthday, Japan, Dominican Republic, Italy, Guatemala and lots of travel to Florida. My life as a Nurse at a large teaching hospital in NY and member of a team negotiating a new contract for many of the  Registered Nurses working there too,a member of many Professional Organizations and a Political volunteer, as well as a friend to many left me in the City without plans to leave...at least till Spring.
Hence I now was officially a 

Stressed Out NYC Woman     

 
So....while walking through snow drifts, and sitting at a Negotiating table, and while sipping my morning coffee the idea and then the dream took shape. I would leave all the stress and board a plane....to....where?..when?
And so the dream began......

Hello World!

This is day 1 of my blog. Why would you or anyone for that matter want to read this? Well...as the title suggests, I am on a journey. At some point I WILL be on Vacation( Holiday to much of the world.)Throughout the long and cold winter a warm spot in my being has been MY Summer Vacation. It is now Spring and although the temperature has risen, my quest for my now longed for time away has not abated.This the story...frustrating, funny,crazy, and the fun of all that went into "The Journey"!