1. Planning.
You finally have a destination set. Now it's time to plan. If you have a father like mine, planning means writing out a daily itinerary with an hour by hour schedule for the entire week. "From 9-11, we'll stay at the beach. Then, 11-12 is lunch time." Okay, dad, let's see how long until the plans change.
2. Packing.
I never know what to pack for vacation. How am I supposed to know what I'll feel like wearing a week from now? My suitcase usually ends up filled with random pieces of my favorite outfits. Hopefully I remembered to pack socks this time.
3. The night before.
You feel nervous for the stressful drive to the airport, where the whole family feels rushed even though our flight isn't for another three hours. But going to a new place is always exciting, and I really love airplanes.
4. Arrival.
When you finally get there, you expect to be able to relax, but dad's itinerary starts right away. It's already 2 p.m. and we were supposed to be done with lunch by now and on our way to the beach. You realize your "stress-free week" is going to be more work than actual work is.
5. The first few days.
The first few days are really exciting. Once you get over the fact that your itinerary is garbage, you relax and enjoy exploring. You take your time, taking in all the excitement of being in a new place.
6. The middle of week.
By the middle of the week, you realize you haven't done half of the things you were planning on doing, so the vacation goes from relaxing to frantic. Your family starts running around like crazy people trying to fit in the rest of the stuff that was on the itinerary. By the end of the week, you need another vacation.
7. Returning home.
By the time you get home, you're even more exhausted than you were before you left. Vacation was supposed to be fun and relaxing, but it ended up being stressful instead. When you return to work on Monday and people ask how your trip was, all you can say is "I need another vacation".
