We’re getting ready to go on a vacation this summer. I’m ready, Thom’s ready... we both need the time away and off from the day-to-day of work and life. Thankfully, we have a fantastic Travel Agent, Tammy McDaniel, who plans and executes amazing adventures for us. Whether we need a trip to see, go, and do; or like this year we need a trip to see no one, go nowhere, and do little or nothing... Tammy’s Journeys is like no other agency I’ve ever used. This year is no exception.
Thom will start asking me questions about the location, flight, pickup, resort, food, you name it; about 5 days out. Then, he’ll ask me again about 3 days before we leave. Yet again the night before. Aaaannnnddd one more time sitting in the airport (laughing). Now, he has the same links, email messages, and information that I do... he just wants to hear it from me, The Best Gurl.
Once we get to the destination airport, he’ll start grumbling because he won’t see whomever is supposed to pick us up. There will only be about 40 or so drivers standing in luggage claim with signs, but he expects me to spot ours instantly (like I already know who it will be or something, SMH)! Once I find the driver and we get our luggage, off we go.
Please don’t let us get to the place we’re staying before it’s ready for us! That’s another long grumble (laughing)! When we finally get to our spot we split up. He goes to inspect everything and I start unpacking and organizing my things. Then, we swap!
Sitting on our balcony (Tammy always, always gives us a room, apartment, suite or home with one), and taking in a deep breath, we finally relax and chat about the flight, ride, driver, location, whatever floats into our mind. We’ll talk about what we want to do for the evening, or rather Thom will ask me about what there is to do and about the restaurants, food, entertainment and options (laughing) and I’ll go get the brochure, open the App or we’ll go on a walk-about to answer him.
Inevitably, at some point during the journey there, on the way back home or as we tool about wherever in the world we happen to be, someone will look... and look again. They will hesitantly or sometimes rudely, walk over and ask, “Are you...” Never Fails. Every Trip. Every Time. I wait while he patiently answers questions, signs his name and poses for photos. “No, I don’t want to be in the picture, thank you. I’ll be glad to take it for you.”
It’s fun traveling with Thom, in spite of him expecting me to know everything about anything and the interruptions of people who want photos or autographs (laughing). It’s fun because we know each other and know how to give each other enough space and quiet to relax. Sometimes together and sometimes in separate rooms or locations. That way, it really truly is a vacation for both of us and we come home relaxed and ready to get back to work.
At least, until about 2 days before it’s time for us to leave, when the questions start again!!