To dream . . . .

If you are like me, you probably are getting more and more booklets, pamphlets, emails, texts, etc. enticing you to sign up for land trips, cruises, and excursions to destinations that you’ve been dreaming about.

Last week, I received a large new oversized dream book from Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT).  My husband and I have taken several trips with them that we have really enjoyed.  We were supposed to take a trip to Sicily with friends on OAT but that has been delayed twice so far.  Our travel friends live in another city.  I texted my friend to see if she received the book and I was surprised at her response.  She questioned why the company had to send such a large book when everything in the book could be viewed online. She also mentioned that those paper costs were passed on to us - the consumer. She has a point.  But that said, this and several other travel companies’ brochures are my dream books.  I like holding a book in my hand.  I probably wouldn’t fantasize about far-off places or get travel ideas as often if I didn’t suddenly glance at the travel pamphlets left on the table, or on the fireplace in my den, or next to my bed or in the office.   I don’t look at them just once but many, many times during the year.  During the pandemic, I certainly have looked at them repeatedly, often before I go off into dreamland. These travel advertisements have helped me take my mind off of Covid and the divisive political climate. I see them as stress reducers and happiness planners. Just thinking about these adventures makes me smile.

Everyone is different. If all this paper is too much, if you look at these pamphlets just once, you probably could email/call the travel companies and ask them to stop sending them to you.

During my conversation with my friend, she texted me, “So where else do you want to go?  You’ve gone to so many places.”  

Using the newly arrived OAT book, I scribbled down some of the trips I would like to take.  Maybe with OAT, maybe on my own with my husband, possibly with a pal, or perhaps with another travel company. 

When my husband retired a few years ago it was our plan to take last-minute trips so we could take advantage of last-minute tour discounts.  For the first time in our married life, literally just before the pandemic started (actually it had already but we didn’t know it) we took advantage of not having to be anywhere at any time and booked a very last-minute trip.    We had some travel points and thought we should use them.    We had the points and the time and so we were off.  It was an exciting experience.

People are hopeful. I am hopeful. Even though booked trips have been delayed over and over, future tours are booking up.   I don’t know if we will be able to activate our last-minute plan.  But there are enough places we want to go that we probably could find something that has a few openings.   We shall see . . . For now, we are just hoping to take the two trips that we already have on the books.

P.S. Guess what?  I just received a text from my friend who wrote that she didn’t like the paper big travel book.   She just reported that she is pulling out the OAT travel book. “Time for some dreaming this afternoon” she texted.