Vacation?

"So where do you go for vacation?"

The implication was "we come here for vacation, but you live here at the park - so where do you go to get away?" It wasn't the first time we have heard that sentiment. Through the years of living at Hidden Hollows Tree Farm and Retreat Center, we talked about that more than once. When you live at such a beautiful get-away location, why would you want to get away?

The question stayed with me and kept poking into my thoughts. Some would say it is a moot point - that we don't need vacation because we are always on vacation - and I suppose it can look that way. But I think it might be a good question in that it provokes other questions.

Questions like "What is the purpose of a vacation?" or "Why do we need vacation?"

People seem to go on vacation for different reasons - which then logically explains why there are so many different types of vacation. Some people would describe their ideal vacation as reading books in a hammock while others would be bored silly with that because they long for activity and excitement and adventure.

So why do some people go camping in remote places while others vacation at Disney World?

Why do you go on vacation? What do you need from a vacation?

In one way, it would seem that rest is the purpose of vacation, although people tend to joke about needing to rest up from vacation. Maybe vacation is about refreshment, rejuvenation, restoration. You know what they say: A change is as good as a rest...

Perhaps it is a change of pace. If your work is sedentary, you might need your vacations to be active and physical. If you do manual labor in your job, a quiet, relaxing vacation might be more appealing.

Perhaps a change of scenery is what matters most. Moving your person from the city to a quiet country setting can be a balm for a tired soul while someone who has begun to feel isolated or bored with rural life may look for excitement in places with lots of things to do.

The need for a change of scenery probably explains why so many associate travel with vacation. For some, it wouldn't feel like vacation if they couldn't travel somewhere.

Then there is the change of climate that draws many people. Young families fly from Indiana to the Gulf Coast to celebrate spring break at the beach. People go on cruises.

For some people vacation may be about a change of the level of social interaction. Those who daily interact with people may seek privacy and peace and quiet, while a computer programmer who works from their home office may seek out people and the fun of social activities.

Different needs. Different hopes and expectations. It makes sense that different personalities who live and work in very different environments would need different settings to refresh and restore them. What one person would describe as "the best vacation ever" would be stressful and tiring for another. Conversely, what is relaxing and laidback and restful to one would be boring and dull to others.

So how does one go about planning the best vacations? Possibly by evaluating what it is that you need.

In our case, yes, we live in a park. A place where other people come to camp for the weekend. And yes, we even live in a camper and are surrounded by mountains. But we also have responsibilities, work schedules, time cards. We do work hard - well, at least my man does. So a change of pace for him/us would be to be free of those schedules. A change of scenery can include the very same camper walls but in a very different setting - like parked along the beach where we can fall asleep to the sound of the surf.

...

So how do you describe "the best vacation ever"? What do you need from a vacation?

Have you ever returned from vacation more exhausted than before? Maybe you look forward to getting back in a routine where you can settle back in the familiar. Maybe you come back physically worn out, but mentally refreshed.

How does one plan the perfect vacation? It seems that it must start with thinking about what is needed. What part of you needs rest and what part needs stimulation?

Of course, that is complicated when vacation includes more than one person. Then you have to find ways to balance the needs of diverse personalities. And that is a whole other topic!