Vacation plans

It's January, so naturally we're in vacation planning mode up here. Normally we'd be much deeper into it. Funny how when it's -50C and there's four hours of daylight you start hitting travel websites like a lunatic trying to find someplace to go and get warm. However, with it so mild this winter, the plans have not been quite so frantic. Still, with Easter closing it, we need to hop to it, as it were.

So, Vacation #1 is Florida over Easter. We went there last year with Cathy's parents and her family and it was a fun week. Warmth, beach and, to be completely capitalistic, really good shopping. Since the last time I was in Florida I've been working full time. Funny how that takes a toll on your wardrobe. So I need new clothes. Also, if the new iPad 2 is released by the time we get there, we may well splurge and buy one of those.

Also, I don't think I appreciated Florida as much last year. Oh, I appreciated the crazy people. They're entertaining to watch and observe in a strictly "all the lunatics just migrate south, don't they?" sort of way. But last year I'd been unemployed for a stretch so I really didn't need the mental recharge that badly. I was kind of restless, to be honest, which drove Cathy a bit batty.

However, it'll be pushing a year at that point since I've had a vacation, if you don't count the time off for Christmas. So I suspect I'll be ready to sit on a beach with a book and some music and do some serious vegging.

As for Vacation #2, we've pretty much settled on that as well. We knew we were going out around July 11 or so because we have tickets to see U2 in Toronto. This was the show they cancelled last year when Bono had back surgery. The tickets are still good and we've always wanted to see the band. The question was what to do with the rest of the time. We could kill a few days doing our sealift, which is hardly fun. Then I found a link to this website offering bus tours around Costa Rica.

We've been wanting to go to Costa Rica for years, but we wanted to make a serious trip out of it. Go for three weeks or so. However, we just don't have the time for that, so this is almost a scouting trip for when we do have time for the big Costa Rica vacation, whenever that might be. Plus, I think we're feeling a bit lazy this year and trying to do all the planning for a big trip around the country, ehhh. Caravan comes pretty highly recommended, they look like they're going to some interesting places, the hotels look good, so why not. Maybe every few years we can go on a vacation and not do massive logistical planning and let others do it for us.

So that's how our vacations are looking so far. I might try and get home later this year for a few days, just because it's been awhile since I've seen my family. And we're debating going somewhere next Christmas, although after the rolling travel horror show that we saw this past Christmas on the news while we were comfortable in our house kind of is killing that idea. But we shall see.

But yes, vacation. It's starting to become very appealing to me.

Last Five
1. You run away - Barenaked Ladies
2. Morning moon - The Tragically Hip
3. Here today (live) - Paul McCartney
4. The truth - Pursuit of Happiness
5. Amsterdam - Crowded House