Like many folks at the final days of summer, I went on vacation last week. Kind of.
Ah, vacation. The magical time when we pack our bags, leave our cozy homes, and travel to distant lands. . .to do exactly what we do at home: sleep. Yes, folks, we spend hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars to sleep in a bed that isn’t ours. It’s the great vacation paradox, and it’s silly when you think about it.
Let’s break it down. You spend weeks, maybe even months, planning the perfect getaway. You research destinations, compare hotel prices, and read countless reviews. You finally book that dream vacation, and the excitement builds. You imagine all the adventures you’ll have, the sights you’ll see, and the food you’ll eat. But what do you end up doing? You sleep. A lot.
The first day of vacation is always the same. You arrive at your destination, exhausted from the journey. Whether you’ve been on a plane, train, or automobile, travel is tiring. So, what do you do? You check into your hotel, admire the room for about five minutes, and then collapse onto the bed. “Ah, this is the life,” you think, as you drift off into a deep, travel-induced slumber.
Day two rolls around, and you’re ready to explore. But wait, that bed was so comfortable. Maybe just a few more minutes of sleep. Before you know it, it’s noon, and you’ve slept through half the day. No worries, you tell yourself, there’s still plenty of time to see the sights. But first, breakfast. Or is it lunch? Brunch? Whatever it is, it involves food and more sitting.
By the time you finally leave the hotel, it’s mid-afternoon. You wander around, take a few photos, and maybe even visit a museum. But all that walking is tiring. Time for a nap. You head back to the hotel, and once again, you’re in bed. “This is what vacations are all about,” you tell yourself, as you drift off for another nap.
Day three, and you’re determined to make the most of it. You set an alarm, get up early, and head out for a full day of adventure. You see the sights, take more photos, and maybe even try some local cuisine. But by the end of the day, you’re exhausted. Back to the hotel, and you guessed it, back to bed. For me, the 94 degrees in Orlando plus 175% humidity meant that by 2 p.m., I was gassed.
And so it goes. Day after day, you spend your vacation sleeping in a bed that isn’t yours. You could have done this at home, for free, but where’s the fun in that? There’s something about sleeping in a strange bed that makes it feel like a true vacation. Maybe it’s the novelty, or maybe it’s just the fact that you’re not at home, where there are chores to do and responsibilities to manage.
In the end, vacations are a wonderful paradox. We spend a fortune to travel to new places, only to do what we do best: sleep. But hey, if sleeping in a different bed for a few days makes you happy, who am I to judge? Just don’t forget to set an alarm. Then again, it’s your vacation – spend it how you want.
(Get more sleep-filled vacation tips from Chris Kamler on Twitter, where you’ll find him as @chriskamler)
