Travel versus Vacation

 

I’m tired, nearly to the point of exhaustion, but clinging to a high of exhilaration, adrenaline and dreams-come-true. My legs feel like Jello from the climb up the mountain. I’m hungry since the hike has long since burned the calories I ate for breakfast, but what I really want is a cold glass of water because my canteen has been dry for hours. Sitting in the grass, looking out over the cloud forest, with Machu Picchu behind me, this is one of the best days of my life.

 

Fast forward a few months…

 

I’m blissed-out and more relaxed than I have ever been. My legs feel like Jello from this morning’s massage. I haven’t felt hungry all week thanks to gourmet restaurants, late-night buffets and room-service. The pina colada beside me is starting to melt, but I know the someone will be by in a few minutes to bring me a refill… my glass hasn’t been empty in days. Sitting in a lounge chair outside my cabana at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico, with my toes in the sand, this is one of the best days of my life.

 

 

Two very different trips have a surprising amount of similarities. Both required a time and financial investment.  Two shopping trips for just the right wardrobe (moisture wicking hiking socks versus a new tankini and matching sarong, but still).  Research, planning, plane tickets, security lines, passport stamps.

 

So many surface-level similarities, but two very different experiences and outcomes that are worlds apart.

 

Coming back from Peru, I felt more in touch with the world at large. I felt challenged and part of a greater human experience.  I was excited about what I had seen, tasted, done and experienced, and I was excited about what else was out there to see.  I felt ready for another adventure.

 

Coming back from Mexico, I felt more in touch with myself and with my husband.  I felt peaceful and part of a great marriage.  I was relaxed and yet excited about my own life.  I felt recharged, rejuvenated and ready to recommit to my daily reality.

 

That’s the difference between traveling and vacationing.

 

Travel is about cultural experiences. It’s about the world around you.

 

 

Sadly, travel isn’t always easy.  It can mean early mornings and long days. Travel is getting up before dawn to hear the wildlife wake for the day, it’s off-the-beaten-path ruins, historic sites and museums. Travel is eating local foods and visiting a native village.  Travel is flipping through a dog-eared guidebook while walking down cobble-stone street in search of the most authentic meal. Travel is immersing yourself in something new and different than your own world. It can be physically and mentally exhausting. But, it’s oh-so rewarding.

 

Vacation, on the other hand, is about personal experience.  It’s about both self-care and building relationships with the people around you.

 

Vacation is meant to be easy(ier). It’s sleeping in, snuggled up under the covers.  It’s late nights toasting happy moments. Vacation is splurging on favorite foods and another drink. Vacation is watching the sunrise over the ocean, and the sunset over the mountains. Vacation is flipping through a novel while stretching out in a hammock. Vacation it about taking a break from your reality. Vacation is meant to be physically and mentally refreshing, and oh-so rewarding.

 

 

So, which is “better,” traveling or vacationing?

 

Travel gets a lot of love, especially online where every blogger and Youtuber (including me) is offering travel tips and talking about the value of travel.  And, there’s something to be said for that.  Travel is an important way to expand your world view and to become a global citizen. We need that right now.

 

Sometimes, vacationing, or being a “tourist,” gets a bit of side-eye. Ignore that, because vacationing is important too.  Daily life, with all its commitments and constrains, can be overwhelming. We all need to recharge our batteries and to focus on our relationships with our nearest and dearest.  A vacation can do that.  Franky, I feel a lot better about making the bed, washing the dishes and going to work if I just had a week at the beach or I know that a spa weekend is around the corner.

 

In reality, I think, most trips contain a bit of both.  Few trips focus completely on cultural experiences without a bit of indulgence.  On my trip to Peru, we spent one evening sipping wine at an upscale eatery in Lima, and another afternoon in Cusco getting massages at a spa.  In Mexico, we took a break from the beach and umbrella drinks to climb the pyramid at the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza.  Vacation and travel can mingle together happily.

 

 

So, which wins… travel of vacation?  Are you a traveler or a tourist?

 

My answer is… Who cares?

 

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is seeking out the experiences that feed your soul.

 

We all need relaxation.  We all need challenge.  We all need a mix of travel and vacation, but the proportion depends entirely on where you are in your own life.  The only thing that matters is that we keep getting out there, making memories.  So keep making your bucket list, keep planning intenerates, keep booking plane tickets and keep your suitcase packed.

 

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