Oh The Places You'll Go

               "Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. Oh! The places you'll go!" - Dr. Seuss (Oh, The Places You'll Go) Dr. Seuss was a genius. He saw things that others didn't. He wasn't afraid to be regarded as a loon. His books are so elaborate with metaphors and morals...yet somehow simple enough that you understand them best when you're a child. That I think is magic in itself. As Le Petit Prince says, sometimes adults just don't understand what's crystal clear to children. Somewhere along the way we lose that part of our imagination.
              This weekend was one of the most stressful in a while. Full of frantically looking for new vacation destinations. Places we could find available airline seats to. Vacant hotels. Transportation once we got there. It was a lot to put together. But in looking through all of the hundreds of possibilities, I can't help but marvel at how much there really is in the world. From the pyramids in Egypt to the mountains of Switzerland. The Eiffel Tower to the Australian Opera House. I've traveled quite a bit in my lifetime, but there's still just so much to see.
               The fantastic thing about traveling though is that the best things happen when you absolutely least expect it. Last year for spring break, we were hoping to go to New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, all of those states over there just to get them knocked out and say we'd been there. I wasn't particularly looking forward to the trip, but it ended up being one of the best we'd ever taken. Mostly because we had no idea what to expect. I'm sure if there had been no earthquake and we went to Japan, it would have been great. Lots to see and do. But I knew what I was headed towards. 
               Our last forty eight hours of searching, planning, booking, cancelling, rebooking, uncertainty have been insane. Three days ago I was certain I would be in Japan next week. It was crushed. Now my amazing parents have managed to put together a seriously fantastic-sounding vacation along the French Riviera on five days notice. I have no idea what to expect from this trip. It will be new to everyone in my family. I'm sure there will be bumps along the road. Like Dr. Seuss said, the journey may be hard, our arms may get sore and our sneakers may leak....but Oh....The Places We Will Go.