It’s here and then it’s gone.
As much as you try to deny it, summer travel season is coming to a close. Maybe you made the most of your summer, took trip after trip and didn’t waste a drop of golden sunshine. Or maybe you have yet to change out of your sweatpants, let alone fit in that winery tour across California. Either way, you are not ready to let the summer and all its travel opportunities go. While ignorance is certainly bliss in this situation, there is no stopping the calendar from changing. So, if you are feeling some sadness over the summer coming to a close, chances are you’ve experienced some of these thoughts.
1. Didn’t the summer JUST start?
Seriously? It feels like yesterday that I was putting away my parka and planning my long-awaited weekend getaway to the Hamptons, and now I have to deal with weekends that don’t even extend into Monday? Does time travel faster during the summer months? If I stop blinking will summer just slow down? It’s worth a shot.
2. Can’t all of September be considered summer?
I mean, fall doesn’t technically start until the 21st. So, September is still summer, and that means that summer travel season really doesn’t end until October. I can’t be the only one who is willing to apply this logic. It think a trip to Spain is the perfect way to end the summer travel season….at the end of September.
3. I should create an ‘End of Summer’ bucket list.
I don’t want to mourn the end of summer, but rather celebrate it. I need to make a list of the places I still want NEED to travel to, just to make sure I don’t have any regrets. What a perfect way to honor the summer. Also, maybe if I keep making vacation plans, the summer will be forced to cooperate and won’t end.
4. I need to gather all my photos to remember my travels.
Since it is coming to an end, I need to find a way to commemorate my summer travels. Obviously, the best way to do this is to make a collage or scrapbook of the places I went and the things that I have done. Maybe I’ll choose my lineup of Instagram #tbts for the next three months. Maybe I’ll make them into fun gifts and give them to loved ones to make them jealous as presents. Or maybe I will build a shrine in my room. But I’ll call it a gallery wall so it sounds less creepy.
5. I should use up all my vacation time. Right. Now.
At the beginning of the summer, I told myself that I would hold on to some vacation time and use it in the fall. Now that the end of summer is in sight, I think I should just treat my remaining days like a game of poker and go all in. This may be a gamble, but no risk, no reward, right? Also, I am suddenly getting the urge to book a trip to Vegas…
6. I worked so hard for my summer beach bod.
I drank light beer. I swapped burgers for veggie burgers. I WALKED TO WORK. I did all of this, so that when I went to a different city, I would impress all the strangers around me. Now that I won’t be traveling anymore, what is the point? *Eats three burgers and washes it down with a Guinness*
7. At least I won’t have to attend another destination wedding for a while
I suppose the light at the end of the tunnel, is that I won’t have to waste anymore vacation time watching people say “I do.” I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love my friends and family, but I also love planning trips I (actually) want to take.
8. I’m going to miss packing.
I know it seems like a hassle at the time, but I am going to miss the excitement that comes over me when I am packing up my belongings to go off on an adventure. I’m also going to miss looking at my unpacked suitcase for two weeks following a trip. Good times.
9. What will I spend my money on now?
What did I spend my money on before summer travel season? Was there even a time before summer travel season?
10. I should start planning next year’s summer travel
There is no time like the present! Maybe if I start plotting next year’s summer travel opportunities, it won’t feel like this year’s are already gone… Better search for flights, just to be safe.
What do you do to get through the end of summer, post-vacay blues?
Keep on pretending it’s summer with a flight to Las Vegas
Feature Image: iStock Photo/AleksandarNakic
