COLUMN: Step away from the grind before it grinds you up

  • Melissa Herrera (COLUMN)
  • April 1, 2014
  • 399
                        
COLUMN SUMMARY: When was the last time you bid adieu and went on vacation? Even for a few days? If you can't remember than it's past time. Read on for some tips. It’s been a whale of a week for me and I’m ready to lay on a beach somewhere, anywhere really, though preferably where they refill the glass beside me on a regular basis. The only place I know that common folk get this fabulous treatment is, yes, most Mexican beaches. Almost twenty-five years ago we took a weekend trip to Acapulco, this when we were living in Mexico with his family. It was the most beautiful, tropical sight and affordable for us living on fumes. We rented a room from a local family for pennies and proceeded to bake in the sun and eat seafood for three days. I’m talking fresh seafood dripping in the bucket just pulled out of the ocean – prepared fresh for you for less than a gallon of gas costs. It was the drinks, though, that cold, cold glass of coca-cola that never hit empty. I’ve never had a glass of pure bliss like that one. Those waiters that served the beach from their perspective restaurants knew how to please and the first rule was to never let that glass hit empty or the ice cubes melt. Total bliss. For most folks, spring break means heading to a warmer locale for a week. When I still lived at home, we would travel down on Pioneer Trails to Florida. My dad helped form and start Pioneer and we couldn’t wait to get on that crowded bus and head south. Sunny days and warm sand awaited us, along with succulent shrimp and a piece of chocolate cream pie in Pinecraft. Those were languid days, full of youth and promise. These days, my preference is not the gulf side of Florida. When I go on vacation I want to go where there is nobody I know. With our daughter living on the Atlantic side in West Palm, we’ve gotten to see a new side of Florida. It’s a much different vibe over there and we enjoy it. Vacations can be costly, prohibitive really, and this stops many people from taking them. I know several people that haven’t been on one for over ten years. This, to me, isn’t acceptable. Everyone needs to get away from the norm, from their regular lives and see a new side to things. There are so many bargains out there to get you places that if you haven’t been on a vacation in a while, you need to take advantage of. There are sites like Kayak, a travel aggregator, which compiles prices for you and lets you compare flights, hotels, and rental cars. Several other sites I like are AirBnB, where all you do is type in what city you’re staying in, and it brings up rooms – much cheaper – which are offered for rent. It’s a cool little site with lots of potential. Also, for the next several months Frontier Airlines is offering very cheap flights in the continental U.S. at very low cost – some for $69 or less. Have you tried out the Mega Bus as well? It is a bus line with wonderful coaches that gets you from point A to point B at minimal cost. My daughter once traveled to NYC for $30 round trip! If you love adventure there is also what’s called couch surfing. In essence it’s some wonderful people offering up their couches for you to sleep on while on your journey. That is what I call adventure if you’re game – it comes with great reviews and lots of people using the site. There should be no excuse for not stepping away from your life – even just for a weekend. It can give you a new perspective on your life and get you separated from the grind. If we let life grind us to pieces we will have nothing left to give back. Take a day, even a week away and your mind will come back refreshed and ready to be productive once again.


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