Oh, I have the wanderlust.  This is not such a good thing right now, given the infant in my care and his father, who is still 7,000 miles away.  But that doesn’t stop me from lusting…

The travel plans I have right now are for the RWA conference (and in-law visit) in Nashville in July.  But… that’s work, you know?  That’s not a vacation (though I will attempt to make it so).

Where do I want to go?  The better question would be, where do I not want to go? 

Janine Ashbless blogged about attending the World Horror Convention and made me want to visit Brighton (England).

Shanna Germain has been blogging about her time at a a writer’s retreat in the Oregon Wilds and now I want to go to Oregon.  (I’m also seriously coveting Shanna’s Scottish-inspired wellies.) Actually, Portland has been on my list of places to visit for a very long time.  I want to go to Powell’s. 

At the moment, I’m sitting at the airport waiting for Sheri to arrive from Chicago.  But I am hoping to visit her later in the year because I could really use a girls’ weekend.  It was lovely visiting her last August, but I was pregnant and uncomfortable and too tired to keep up my usual breakneck pace.  (I also was unable to partake in the free Scotch tasting at the pub she took me to.)

Of course, I can’t think of Sheri without thinking of Paris.  How I wish I could have worked my schedule around her month-long stay in April 2008.  Has it been two years already?  The time, it flies.

And now I have a kid and that means thinking about future trips to Walt Disney World.  Speaking of time flying, It’s been ten years since Jay and I last went to the Magic Kingdom.  (I went with a friend for a long weekend a few years ago, but it’s a bit of a blur due to her being mostly incapacitated by motion sickness and me indulging in a little too much alcohol.)

The cherry blossom trees are in bloom, which always makes me think of Washington, D.C.  (Another one of those places I can’t wait to visit with Patrick.) It’s been several years since I visited D.C. to hang out with Joe for a few days.  My friendship with Joe dates back to the late 80’s, though I think we’ve only seen each other twice in the past twelve years!

Facebook makes my wanderlust that much worse.  Friends talk about visiting Paris, the Bahamas, even Manhattan and Miami-- and I feel a tug of longing and a desire to make reservations.  Somewhere, anywhere… with husband and baby or completely alone…

Of course, my city is calling me back, too.  It’s been nearly three years since I was last in London to celebrate my 40th birthday.  It’s been too long.  I miss London.

I suspect I will spend some of my time with Sheri this weekend talking about the places we might go together.  Sometimes daydreaming about a trip placates the wanderlust.  For now…

Posted by Kristina in Musings at 11:17 AM Permalink