Many of us learned the basics of creative narrative writing composing grammar school essays like “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” for Miss Smith in second grade. I know I did.
And I’m still talking about my summer (and spring and fall) vacations over on my other blog, using the personal essay skills I developed as a kid. I like how this one turned out, so I thought I’d share it with you—particularly since this is the time of year you might be thinking of vacation-y things.
Sure, it happens to refer Ireland, but the principles apply to any location; the important thing about a vacation is to unplug and relax. (We’ve even talked about that here.) I hope you enjoy this little side trip from our more serious topics.
My essay today, Miss Smith, is called …
Finding the Magic
In every long-awaited trip, there is a moment in which you open your eyes a little wider and think, Oh my. This was so worth it. Or you open your mouth and say it to your traveling companion. Sometimes it happens at the end of the day and one of your party says, “I think [insert activity here] was my favorite thing so far.”
When it happens, you’ve had a magic moment.
On my first trip to Ireland in 2003, the Irishman and I were driving from one point to another on a Sunday morning and happened to pass Jerpoint Abbey. It hadn’t been on our itinerary, but there it was. Was it open? We walked right in; the place was deserted. I took some wonderful photos (back in the days when you had to send film off and hope you’d gotten good shots), taking my time to look at every single rock and blade of grass. The morning was silent but for the blackbirds flying above our heads. I can still remember everything like it was yesterday—it was magic.
Jerpoint Abbey 2003.
Moments like these are completely unplanned—what else could they be?—but there are two things you can do to invite the magic to show up.
• Accept the fact that you’re going to be out of your comfort zone. Relax.
• Allow plenty of time, both in days and hours. Cut, don’t cram.
Both of these things seem self-evident, but you’d be surprised how many American travelers I’ve run into who aren’t really enjoying a long-awaited vacation … and it can almost always be tracked back to these two things. So let’s review.
Remember, this isn’t the United States—you will be out of your comfort zone. That’s a guarantee. So adjust your attitude now. Unlock your preconceived notions and set those puppies loose, friends. It always astonishes me when folks whine about some little thing that is “different.” Because I think, YAY! I’ll be home soon enough. These differences will make your memories. These differences will engage your mind. These differences are things you’ll be thinking about years later. Embrace them.
Americans also have a tendency to try to cram as much as they can into their vacation time—but let’s rethink that. If you’re looking at the map you may think, Oh, it’s only fifty miles. But if you’re driving that fifty miles in second gear—and I’ve done that, due to road conditions (that is, mountain-y roads)—it’s going to take awhile. You think this is a small country, but the roads are narrow and you don’t know how to drive on them. (Trust me on this.)
So cut your itinerary, don’t cram it. You don’t want to be running from one must-see venue to the next, zigzagging all over the country, driving, driving, driving. You won’t enjoy any of it. And you’ll drive right past the magic.
Some of this crammed-itinerary phenomenon has to do with the difference between abundance thinking and scarcity thinking. That’s another post for another time, but in this context it simply means you should assume not that this is the only time you’ll ever take a trip to a foreign land, but that life is full and abundant, and you’ll be back to see those things you left off your itinerary this time. Slow it down. Your experience will be richer if you take the time to fully savor your adventure.
This can be said about life in general, of course, but that, too, is another post for another time. 🙂
Make sure you build enough unstructured time into each day for dawdling. The Irishman and I stopped for lunch at a pub in a small village (Leap). The back door was open, and we could hear water running; when we looked, there was a picnic table next to a little brook. “May we sit out here?” we asked. “Of course,” we were told. We ate lunch there in that sunny spot. Then we lingered over a fresh pot of tea, reading the newspaper we’d pulled from the rack out front. Doesn’t sound like much to you, maybe, but I remember that as a magic moment.
Stop frequently, for no reason than to stretch your legs. If you see something you’d like to photograph, pull over. Found a beach? Take a walk. Turn off the main road if you see an interesting sign; two kilometers is barely more than a mile, so check it out. Go on.
I’ve learned to keep a loosey-goosey schedule, so there’s always a plan B, in case you find a venue closed or too crowded. I’ve also learned to simply let things go, quickly, if they’re not working out. Flat tire? Put the spare on and drive to the next town for a new one. Don’t stew. You’ve paid too much for this vacation in money, energy, and time, to spoil it by fretting over things you can’t control. I once took some interesting photographs of a thunderstorm from the garage of a tire shop near Kenmare. Magic. 🙂
Thunderstorm, Co. Kerry, 2012. See the tires?
Look for the magic, and you’ll find it. My friend Margaret and I were at St Fin Barre’s cathedral in Cork when lunchtime arrived. “Is there somewhere good close by?” we asked a docent we’d been chatting with earlier. “Would a vegetarian place be OK?” she asked, then referred us to Café Paradiso. “I wouldn’t say it’s close, but you can walk there,” she said. So we did. It was packed at three o’clock in the afternoon, and in spite of our not having a reservation (!), they fit us in. It was one of the best meals I’ve ever had in my life. The ambience was electric, there was a couple at the table next to us who were relishing the meal and each other, and … well, it was magic. (Later, back home, I learned the restaurant and its chef are famous. Who knew!)
We had another magic meal on that trip—pears we’d picked up at a grocery store a week earlier and let ripen to perfection (juicy and sweet), eaten with a hunk of Cashel Blue we’d purchased earlier that day. Much less fussy than eating at a world-famous café, but just as memorable.
Remember the stealth sheep? I count that a magic moment. I count as magic the time we stopped by the side of the road so I could call my college-age son to get some important news; I woke him up. The sun was sparkling on the sea far below, he was pleased to hear from me, and the news was very, very good.
Somewhere in County Donegal, 2006.
I could go on and on. The point I’m trying to make is this: dawdling is allowed. There will be no tests this vacation, no prizes awarded for Most Things Seen. Instead, look for your beauty, look for your delight … and you will find it. Magic.
• • •
Wishing you a glorious summer and a fantastic vacation, wherever you may roam. When you get back, give a thought to Miss Smith and those vacation essays she assigned—or perhaps a review of something you read on the beach. Or in the plane. It will be a great writing exercise. You can report back to me. 🙂
Tweet: How I Spent My Summer Vacation. A great writing exercise.
Tweet: Remember those vacation essays you had to write for Miss Smith? Write one!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”