Vacation.

Experience! Expanding horizons. Acclimatizing. Immersion. Diversity. Fun. Reconnecting. Rejuvenation. Rekindled commitment. Challenge. Soul. Thought provoking. Esthetics. Humanity. Nature. Freedom. Opportunity. Impression. Flexibility. Innovation. Adaption. Patience. Respect. Understanding. Transformation. Comparison. Possibility. Enthusiasm. Reacclimation.

Well, almost three weeks have come and gone and I now sit once again at my keyboard here in Copenhagen. Transformed. I have just finished 19 days of the kind of continous 24-7 experiences that only vacation can bring. A transformative experience that challenges and expands your horizons through the intense period that comes with living out of suitcases; spending time with rarely seen family and friends; transversing geographic scenery; hopping from hotel to hotel; trying out local cuisine; seeing the new; revisiting the old; and appeasing travel companions while attempting to accomplish individual desires.

This vacation my family and I took a tour of New England and Upstate New York. Arriving in Boston, we rented a SUV and after spending 10 days with friends and family drove a hefty but, truly picturesque 1800 miles in the vacation days to follow. We spent most of our time with family in lovely Southport, Maine a small, quaint and quintessential New England coastal town.

 During the trip, we saw nature from all angles -up close and at a distance. At the coast, we saw the melding of sky and sea in the amazing horizons of the New England sunset.  During a speedboat ride, we got to see dolphins and seals followed by an intense new found respect for nature’s course as we hit rocky waters and fought the waves for a (relatively unscathed) safe return home.  At Cadillac Mountain, we saw the impressive and expansive view only afforded from the tallest mountain along the US eastern coast which stands at 1,530 feet. In Plymouth, Mass. we saw a beautiful coastal community seeped in history. Home to Plymouth Rock, the spot where the initial english settlers are said to have arrived in 1620 on the Mayflower.  While the rock itself, is nothing much to write home about, the Mayflower II ship and the town are.

Across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Conneticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts as well as New York we saw impressive scenic views, cosy towns, interesting cities and had access to continuous doses of coffee via Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks.

In Southport and Bar Harbor, Maine, we ate the best lobster of our lives and discovered breakfast pizza and blueberry soda, although not together. In Boston, Mass.we ate baked beans.  In Saratoga Springs, New York we were treated to authentic NYC fare in the way of Hot Dogs with mustard and sauerkraut, Knishes and italian ices. We ate impressive slabs of beef in Albany, New York. We ordered take out Chinese food to our hotel room in Springfield, Mass. and although we waited 1½ to get it …it was indeed fabulous and plentiful. 

The range of experiences I encountered during this trip undoubtedly has transformed me from the person I was before I left or perhaps more aptly said has reconnected me to the person I once was many years ago. As a child, my family lived two summers in Saratoga Springs, NY and one summer outside of Portsmouth, NH. I loved both of these places and have plenty of happy memories from each. I visited both of these places and was amazed by the outpour of recognition and remembrance. Suddenly, I was transported to the innocence of the late 60’s and the appropriate soundtrack of my early life-mowtown,the beatles, the beach boys and assorted one hit wonders…..Perhaps it is as they say, “you can’t go home again” but, at least, for me, it was nice to visit.

Lori,

the experientist