Staycation

A: I'm going to vacation next week. One week off from work! Yay!
B: That's great! Where are you going to?
A: No where. Just stay at home and relax to the max.
B: Ah you're going staycation.
A: Staycation?
B: Yep. Staycation. It's where you suppose to go on vacation, but you stay at home.

That was the conversation I had before I leave my office last week. Or similar conversation like that. I'm not sure when the term "staycation" became official. But in 2009, they did add this made-up word to the dictionary. It even has its own Wikipedia version!

This year I already have 3 staycations. And all of them feel great! And I'm planning to have more staycations in the future, rather than vacations. Why?

Because... I hate air travel.

As I grow older (not sure since when), I grew more and more disliking air travel. I  don't like waiting to check my bags in the counter. Then that long walk to the gate. Then waiting to board. It's just drive me nuts! Yes I can shop around, but usually there are no arcade in airplane, so after window shopping, then what to do? Just waiting. Sure there's facebook and multi-media stuff, but then what?

And then, waiting for the lines to form up when they call out your seat number. And the fact that I get nervous when I'm board on an airplane. I hate that claustrophobic feeling when I had to put my small luggage below the chairs. And then I heard someone coughing. Great, virus spread in a small space. Then some baby crying. Oh where's the peace and happiness? Where's the serenity when I need it? Definitely not in a plane. And don't forget that uneasy feeling when someone lurching over you to get his bag stored at the top baggage space.

And the take off time. That funky funny feeling when you clutch to the front of your armrest. Praying, hoping, and wishing that the pilot will not make any error in the attempt to fly this iron bird to the sky. You close your eyes and your hands holding your loved ones. You feel gravitated towards the clouds. And the fact that soon you have to pop your ear. Aarrgh!

Finally you have few peaceful moments to watch a movie, or listen to the music, but suddenly there's that urge to go to the restroom. Great! Because now there is a line. You gotta wait again. And when it's your turn... what's that smell? Omigosh! That cramped space and that distinct odor that you can't wait to escape from! It's probably the quickest time to number one!

You get back to your seat and checking how many times this flight had left. Still 4 more hours to go. Great, just great! The person sitting in front of you recline her seat, and now you have less leg room. Wonderful isn't it? You swear that next time you'll choose a first class flight. As you always do whenever you fly in an airplane. But then you realize that money doesn't grow on trees and there are always better use of money rather than upgrading to the business or first class. You dismissed that idea.

Then it's the time to enjoy lunch. Food always makes me happy, and airplane food is one of them. It's not great or anything, but I rarely have any complains for the airplane food, which is the only thing that make me happy when I'm 35,000 feet above the land. And the good news is, you can have refill on your drinks and snacks. But at this time I gotta be wary for the drinks, because I don't want to make a second trip to that horrible little room labeled rest room...

20 minutes before your flight ends, the pilot made an announcement that we are so close to our destination spot, and you cheer at your seat! Well, not literally, but that feeling of freedom that you've been longing for so long... so excited! The airplane soon makes it descent, and you just can't wait to get this flight over and done with.

You see the small cities from above. Your eyes leap with joy to see the small cars become bigger and bigger as your plane gracefully going closer to the land. You finally felt the wheel touching the ground. It's that moment where you want to unbuckle your seat belt, but you know you can't. Not until the plane reach its final resting place, gate A67. You think it's over, but technically it's not yet. It's now the time to............ wait again. Although you see other passengers already unbuckle their seatbelt and start standing up. Some of them standing up funny, with some shoulders and head bit bowing down because they're too tall to fully standing up. Otherwise their head will bump into the top baggage space. Some other people start turning off their cell and texting around. The waiting game.

After what it seems to be forever, finally the lines start to move. You're walking away from your seat, towards the exit, and of course the person in front of you have to stop you from getting there because she's getting her bags out from the top baggage space, with difficulty. You wait patiently and wonder if you ever going to make it out from this plane. 30 seconds later, she finally able to get it out and suddenly the world is in harmony again. You say thank you and smile at the nice stewardess who had served your beverages and stepping out from the plane.

The happy moment is here again, now that you can breathe fresh air, and have lots of space to roam around! But wait! You still have to get your other bags, right? The big one that won't fit in as carry-out bags? That moment when you feel you're free but you're not free yet? Sigh. You dutifully go to baggage counter area. Scouting which counter that will deliver your luggage. It's baggage counter number 10. And where the heck is that?

You finally found the baggage area, and here we go again. Waiting for the bags. The rubber belt start moving and you start scanning each bag one by one. Eventually your bags arrived and the moment where you saw your bags, you feel like,"That's the one! That's my bags!". You wait impatiently until the bags arrived at your spot, and grab it like there's no time like now.

Next, you find a cab and he take you and your family to your hotel. Then the check-in time. Since you endure that long flights and the whole ordeals, this another waiting period is nothing. Soon enough you get your keys, and finally you can relax on that big king Californian bed. Phew!

And that's why I choose staycations.  No fuss, no drama, no waiting. Don't want to fly anymore unless I absolutely necessary have to. Although I've detailed how excruciating it is for me to fly, but I know I'll fly again one day. Just not in any near future (I hope).

Maybe I should try cruise next time. :)