Traveling

I have spent the better part of the evening making travel plans to get to New York and New England to see family and friends.  I am excited about seeing family and friends, but find the process of making reservations distressing... Although the travel resources all look agreeable, there are so many rules about flight schedules, rates, check in, etc. that do not conform to what I want to do, the reservations process ruins the trip for me... Fortunately, I have about some time to recover before I travel, and that is a blessing.

Because I will no longer be traveling over a holiday weekend, and most of the folks I want to see will be working, I have shortened my trip by a day...And because I want to use my reward to pay for the flight, I had to delay my take off by a day... But, that is okay... I stress over being gone too long, away from the cats. So instead of 9 days, my trip will be 7... With two devoted to flying...Well, that is okay, too... I love reading and doing word puzzles, and will have lay over in Las Vegas, although, of course, I will not take in the city. 

If I did not worry so about the cats, I would drive cross country... I find that a most freeing experience... I am better about travel than I was, and have learned to enjoy the delays and lay overs, and plan nothing for the travel day but to travel.   It reduces the stress.  But driving is more freeing.

But this will be a fine trip, and I will see the people I want to see, and have some time just to be for me...

I have to learn to plan better for vacations.  It is a skill I have never learned.  I remember telling someone that once, and he was very surprised, but realized why it made me such a basket case about taking a vacation.... I just do not do it well.  Maybe I need some vacation coping skills classes....