Adventures, vacations and celebrations have been on my mind the last several days. People place a lot of pressure on getting these things just right when sometimes the best thing you can do is just go with the flow. My fella and I went on a reasonably well planned but poorly executed adventure Saturday. Issues originated with an all around lack of cooperation from the rest of the world and it just wasn’t a great day. It started to feel comical after a while but at least we tried.

Yet, we still had a decent day out because we enjoy each other’s company and don’t really care what we do as long as we are together. Not to mention it was a good test of our temperaments.

I’m thinking about some long weekend trips this year and waiting to hear from adventure buddies about what/when/if we are doing something in 2024. One thing I know for sure is that there will be adventures. What they will look like is a different story. There’s tons of stuff to do within three to six hours of my home. I have five or six destinations in mind that fall within that six hour driving range and all sound exciting. I would pack a bag and hit the road to any of them right now if life permitted.

I know people who aren’t interested in weekends or road trips closer to home. They aren’t interested in day trips. The misadventures we had on Saturday are things they would never do.

Why? Because they think travel and fun means a cruise, a long trip to the beach, a resort or other artificial destination. If it’s not a once a year vacation valued at thousands of dollars they aren’t interested.

I’m just not cut out that way.

Those big trips are great. In fact, the thought of an Alaskan cruise or a saunter around England and Scotland makes my heart go pitter pat. But there’s something to be said for the perfectly imperfect stuff closer to home.

Not to mention, there’s something pretty special about spending your days with a person who doesn’t care if the restaurant is fancy or everything is perfect as long as they are next to you.

Come to think of it, that’s a pretty grand adventure all by itself.

As spring approaches and plans for warm weather fun begin, allow me to offer some suggestions.

1. You don’t need a big budget to have fun. If you can travel far, that’s great but there’s probably fun and exploration to be found in a nearby town or city.

2. Lodging is the most expensive part of most trips. Are there deals to be found on a hotel? Can you stay with a friend or family who live at your destination? Can you just do day trips from home so you sleep in your own bed every night? Saving money on lodging can mean the difference between going and staying home.

3. Ignore everyone else’s input as much as possible. We all know that one person who insists on bragging about the cost of their vacation or how exotic it is. How someone else would spend their free time is a reflection on them. Do they make you feel bad about your choices? They don’t deserve your attention. I have some experience with this because I’ve had people ask things like why I would waste my time in a town like Pittsburgh while I know their preconceived notions will prevent them from ever knowing the awesome things to see and do there. I’ve had people suggest it’s silly to explore the rural and quaint small towns of America when there are cruise ships to take me better places. Trust me. Don’t listen to them. You figure out what will make your heart happy and go do that. This is your trip after all.

Plan something fun and go do it! I know to sounds ridiculous but it really is that easy. What are you waiting for?