The Art Of Not Asking Why

A few days after I returned from Maine, I made an impulsive choice to take another short vacation, or more of an extended weekend. The idea was to plan as little as possible: find a place to hike nearby, book a hotel or Airbnb, and just do it instead of thinking about it for months. It worked — I followed through this time.

I was pretty much able to turn off my mental “work mode” without issues, which hasn’t been easy the last few vacations. The fact that I use my work phone when I’m out doesn’t help of course. I know it’s one of those “duh” things, but you’d be surprised how hard it is to disconnect. It’s like exercising a skill: you get better with time.

I took a picture of the sign at the entrance to the park, and as we were walking I matched the trails in the picture against Google Maps on my phone¹. I made navigation calls with RKWB this time. I realize, in hindsight, that I wasn’t as passive as I was in Maine. We spent over 5 hours hiking and throwing stupid “your face” jokes at each other at every opportunity, but overall we were quiet, pointing at water springs, leaves, and anything else that looked interesting. It was nice to have someone wait and look after me for a change as we climbed down high rocks and jumped across muddy puddles.

The hotel was nice. Nothing fancy, but for the price (especially compared to other Airbnbs in the area) you couldn’t beat it. A bedroom and a small living room/dining area, a small kitchen, and a full-size bathtub. It was nice and clean, with fresh towels every day, WiFi, phone chargers, a TV with movie channels, and anything else you need — light breakfast included.

As a person who used to live in NJ for years, it was an odd choice for a vacation and to stay two nights in a suburban town with strip malls and Starbucks. To me, a vacation needed traveling by airplane or at least a train, a suitcase, and a few dedicated days. This was nothing like it. We found a local coffee shop sandwiched between a dry cleaner and an ice cream shop, and an interesting thrift store with a couple of tchotchkes to take home, even though it was part of the local church right next to the quiet driveways of the houses around. It was a place people live in, and it made the whole transition feel more natural.