June is one of my favorite months. Not only is it my birthday month, but it's the official start of summer.
My husband and I recently got back from beautiful Sedona, Arizona. We had already seen the Grand Canyon when we went to Nevada last year, but the views in Sedona are breathtaking. This time my husband took his drone and got some incredible photos. Our goal is to get away a minimum of three times a year. We have worked long and hard over the past fifteen years, and it's our time to travel and see all 50 states. And when we say all 50 states, it's not just passing through; it is spending time in each state sightseeing. I used to have so much anxiety when traveling I even had prescribed medication to relax me before a flight. But I never let that fear stop me from traveling. As an empathetic person (aka sensitive, shy, however you want to label it), it goes with the territory. But I have learned to manage that simply by doing and learning. Now I strive to make my flight as simple as I can. It starts with packing. We started with having two carry-ons and our personal bag. That went down to one checked bag we shared and only our personal bags. We are only doing our personal bags for this next trip we have planned. The places we stay are resorts. The rooms include a living room, kitchen, washer-dryer, and bedroom. On this trip, we washed our clothes and realized we only needed some of the clothes we had brought. If there is anything we want to buy and get back, we will ship it to our home. Continuing with packing, I packed our suitcases with our vacation clothes and toiletries. They stay packed all year round. Of course, I refresh them from time to time, but for the most part, we keep it simple. And with this next trip, only pack a personal bag. We only pack one outfit, a bathing suit, and of course, what we are wearing. Easy-peasy. As my husband always says, there are stores everywhere. If we forget something, we go out and buy it! Years ago, I would pack two magazines and two books to read. Most of the time, I would even look at them. This year I downloaded Audible and listened to two books while in Sedona. I read The Joy of Well-Being and Enchantment. I loved both books. There is never a bad read because I always get something out of it. I listened to most of it was during the flight to and from. Even now I am listening to my new book while driving or sitting and watching my grandson play sports. I put the link below if you are interested. We will book first-class seating for our next flight and moving forward (any flight over three hours). My husband is a big guy, so he must sit by the window or aisle seat, which generally leaves me in the middle. He would give up his heart for me in a minute to make me comfortable (such a sweetheart), but I won't do that to him. We both figured that if we were spending money on vacation, that should include airplane seating. I have never flown first class and cannot wait to experience that. First to board, first to get off, only having our personal bag and more room to sit comfortably. I am beyond delighted.
Now those who know me are asking about my planner. Do I bring my planner with me? Yes, of course, I do. But I downsized this year from an A5 and moved into a traveler's notebook. I even brought stickers with me and used them every day while traveling, and I still love them. I am loving the simplicity of a smaller planner. I'm doing a video talking about my planners and will be uploaded on my YouTube channel if you want to check it out.
If I were to advise anyone about traveling and packing, it would be this; you are traveling to enjoy and experience a different location. Leave the stress behind, do yourself a favor, and pack as lightly as possible. Rethink the things you think you need. Pay attention to what you use the next time you go on vacation. On one of my trips, I only took out the things I used and left them out. I couldn't believe the number of items I brought still left in the suitcase I didn't use. Life is short, so live a life you love and record those memories!
Drone footage of me walking to the pool early in the morning. Well, actually on my way to the hot tub!
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AuthorArtist, author and creative entrepreneur. Documenting life using my planners, traveler's notebooks, junk journals and a little mixed media art. Archives
October 2024
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