April 3rd, 2019 by OYO Team

What are you doing for the next long weekend?  Are you going away this summer?  What are you doing over the Diwali holiday? 

Or as I hear those questions….

When are you going to get a life?  Will you ever save any money?  When are you going to start investing in your relationship?

The questions seem innocuous on the face of it and an easy opener for friends you haven’t met in long.  Or so they think.  To me it’s like someone holding a big magnifying glass over my life and prodding it, to check if it’s breathing.

As most people who actually do make their lives more interesting by travelling will tell you, it changes everything from the moment you see the words ‘It’s confirmed!’, it puts energy into your chat, it even changes the way you walk.   It makes you more patient with annoying people at work (because you have a trip to look forward to), it makes you think about 100 ml bottles and getting your suitcase out of storage.

You may find yourself becoming uncontrollably organised at work because you now know the exact whereabouts of your passport, and you’re not afraid to use it.

The day that was a month away, a week away and then a day away, is finally here. You can finally create your away-from-office mail and tell your boss “I’ll pick it up where I left it when I come back from the trip”.

I will rule that week like no other week of the year.  During that week I will consider only myself and the people of the fine city or country I am choosing to visit.

And as I’ve only ever been asked if my hotel was nice by very old people, it won’t matter that I’m doing it on a budget.  Because the point is.  I’m doing it.  This isn’t just a week away in a better climate, it’s three weeks of excitement leading up to it, two bags of clothes I probably won’t wear but really enjoyed buying and a sun tan I can proudly say I got while vacationing.

 

Then there’s the after-glow.  This will be my golden time.  People will comment on how relaxed I look. I may ask for a pay raise at work during this time.

Go on.  Pick a date.  And start enjoying yourself.

Now let me just re-check how many sleeps there are to go.

 

 

 

About OYO Team

We’re people who love to travel and it’s a pleasure to share our experiences from around the world with you here. You’ll see our favourite destinations, quirky stays and budget stay. Also the best wedding banquet halls and the most lit party destinations. You’ll also find insightful opinions about why we travel in the first place and what it’s really like out there. Enjoy the blog and please tell us what you think - feedback welcome!