10 Things I Learned during My Latest Vacation

This week I took a much needed and long anticipated vacation. For months, some friends and I had plans to go to a big name concert in Seattle, and we decided to have an extended trip that spanned across the state of Washington. Over the course of six days I learned so much about myself. Here are my top ten things:

1. Just because something is a "Seattle landmark," doesn't mean you are going to like it. Sure, I think the Space Needle is pretty cool, and we will always have bragging rights to the first Starbucks and other large corporations like Microsoft, Amazon and REI, but the gum wall is disgusting. My travel buddies and I were walking around Pike's Place and happened to come across this (in)famous wall where people chew a piece of gum and stick it to this wall. Some people are even so ambitious to stretch multiple pieces of gum to spell out their names. All I could think of was the germs and morsels of food that probably cling to the wads of gum as people remove them from their humid mouths and adhere them to the brick wall. I mean, can you imagine if you tripped somewhere next to this landmark and your instinct was to catch yourself on the wall? So gross!

2. Photographers get the best recommendations. During this trip, I was travelling with two photographers who have pretty significant followings on social media. Whenever we were ready for a bite to eat in the streets of Seattle, all it took was a couple of quick questions on Instagram, and we had numerous recommendations which were totally worth the trip! One of the ladies had several followers tell her that Beecher's was a must. Beecher's does, indeed, have some of the best mac 'n' cheese, and we were able to get a couple of wedges of cheese for evening snacks. Another bonus was Storyville Cafe, which had the most charming location and the most beautifully delicious chocolate chip cookie I have ever eaten!

3. Public transportation in Seattle is confusing, but during a busy week, it's definitely the way to go. So, I have to share the story about how my friends and I were trying to navigate the light rail in Seattle. We drove to what Google Maps had labelled as "Bellevue Light Rail Station." After being turned around several times, we decided to just park in a public parking lot and walk around the Seattle suburb. We stopped into a stationery store and asked about the easiest way to get to Pike's Place on the light rail. It turns out that the Bellevue Light Rail Station is not yet built. We ended up taking the bus, which was much more relaxing than having to drive to Pike's Place and to CenturyLink Field. Pro Tip: Wait to use Uber to get from point A to point B after a busy event. Post concert, the cost of Uber was upwards of $300, but it went way down to about $40 after having dinner.

4. Taylor Swift is pretty much a creative genius. This is definitely something I've known for a while as I've been a fan for quite some time. 1989 was my first big name concert, so I was super excited for Reputation. The theatrics of this show totally raised the bar for any other concert, and I just can't get over how clever her songwriting is. The way that she matches up the songs, from the screens to the setups truly impresses me! To be honest, I already can't wait for the next tour!

5. Some Air BnB's are great. Others are not. During our trip, we booked 3 different Air BnB's. The first was a charming little guest house in the Snoqualmie Falls area. The decor looked like something out a of a magazine, and the host was so accommodating and courteous about notifying us of any potential problems we may have with the venue. The second was also pleasant, and while we were only there for a short time, I felt completely comfortable. The third, however, was a NIGHTMARE. We made a funny video of how our Air BnB was actually the structure pictured above. It wasn't, but a pile of sticks would have been better than what we had actually booked. Our third venue was located in a shady neighborhood; the key lockbox was destroyed, and the owner said "If you find the spare key, put it under the mat." The heat wasn't working, and the plumbing was not functional. As someone who has little experience with Air BnB, I wondered if this was typical behavior from a host, but after I was told that it was not, I was pretty upset. We ended up cancelling our reservation and staying at a nearby hotel instead which was much safer, more comfortable and believe it or not, less expensive. Bottom line, when it comes to AirBnB, most hosts are lovely, but it's a good idea to invest some time in research and look at the negative reviews that a host gets.

6. Washington State has some of the most beautiful nature spots in this nation. When I was in college, I often had to redirect people when they assumed I was from Washington, DC. I had to correct them again when they assumed I lived by the Space Needle. When I told them I lived in the desert, I was met with confused faces. Isn't Washington the state filled with evergreen trees and majestic mountains? Yes, it is. But on the other side of those mountains is the desert. And if you go far north enough, you'll find a rain forest. We also have gorgeous , albeit chilly, beaches. The landscape in this state is breathtaking, and while the great city of Seattle has some fun landmarks, it's definitely worth it to just rest in the mountains, rivers, forests and beaches.

7. Upper left Washington beaches are so relaxing because they aren't super crowded. Usually when I hear "beach," I think of waves, sunshine and sand between my toes. I also think about crowds of people sitting on beach towels hollering at their kids to put on more sunscreen and frisbees being tossed about. The beaches on the upper peninsula are nothing like this. In fact, they're peaceful enough for me to perch on a piece of driftwood with a good book, a pen and paper. The soft rolling water rocked me into a rhythm where I could read, write and just relax. This was definitely no Panama City Beach. This was a place to slow down and just enjoy the scenery.

8. I'm getting older, and my body has no problems with reminding me of this fact. When I was in college, I remember thinking, "Wow...I'm getting so old!" But I also remember being able to stay up all night to study and being able to eat anything I wanted without any kind of consequences. Now, especially on vacation, I find myself wanting to be in bed by 10 and watching what I eat. (There were numerous times this week when I said, "I want a salad...I need to get some vegetables in my system.") At some point in my life, chocolate chip cookies went from an acceptable breakfast as I rushed out the door to a treat that I earned after a long day of walking around the city. Even after that rush of adrenaline during an amazing concert, I felt my body rebelling as it begged me for sleep! After the long car ride home, all I really wanted was to roll into bed. And while I love my body and what it does or me, I also heed its reminder that I'm definitely not 21 anymore! I've become more conscious of the choices of how I treat my physical body, and even more than that I've come to realize what "adulting" really means in the sense of caring for my well being.

9. Things don't always turn out exactly how you want them, and that's ok. On the Meyer-Briggs personality test, I am a very clear and consistent INFJ. That "J" tends to come out during trips and vacations, meaning that I like to have a plan, a checklist to follow beforehand. And while there were no major surprises, there were several times when I wanted to throw my hands up in frustration because things didn't go as planned. (See Air BnB.) But there were no crises; no one got hurt. I still had a blast, so those bumps in the road were just that: inconveniences that you could just run over and carry on with the rest of the adventure.

10. Finally, this trip taught me that I am in a happy place because I know what I want and what my priorities are. Life isn't easy, but I know how to take care of myself. I am confident in myself, and I don't care if others think otherwise of me. If I needed alone time, I took it. If I was asked for suggestions, I gave them. If I wanted to sleep on the couch, I slept on the couch. There is a true peace in knowing who you are and just being that person without feeling as if you need to change who you are to please others. It isn't selfishness, and I would never refer to it as such. It is self care, and it is necessary. While sore limbs and fatigue are burdens that come with age, I definitely think that knowing yourself and articulating your needs are some of the many perks.

11. BONUS I learned that this really is a beautiful world that we live in. I have to admit that I missed my routine of going to daily Mass. I looked for churches and noticed that most of them were closed by the time we reached the towns we were staying in. When I returned to my hometown, my priest said, "I bet God was stalking you the whole way." I responded with, "Actually, I feel like I stalked him." Even though I greatly missed daily Mass, I found God in other places: in his creation, in rest. And as I write this now, I realize that my priest was correct. No matter how far I went, God was there first. No matter how much I missed him, he found ways to make himself present because he knows what I need when I need it. Even when I don't know how to ask for it, he knows my heart well enough to pour out his blessings always, and I am grateful and in awe of him for that.