Aerosmith has a song and album called Permanent Vacation. I never heard the song but liked a couple songs off the album, particularly Angel. However, it’s the title of the album, Permanent Vacation, which intrigues me.
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In August, my family and I took a nearly two-week vacation to Israel. The trip was part of the celebration of BR’s Bar Mitzvah. As you can imagine, such a trip took a good deal of planning. Thanks Mrs. MMK – yes she did the mass majority of the planning.
Anyway, as excited as I was for the trip, I had a nagging feeling that it was too short. After all, while Israel is a small country, there were many things to see. How could we hope to see all of the country, or even a lot of it, in such a short time?
Side Note: Both Mrs. MMK and I did not want the kind of vacation where we were booked every moment.
As I resolved myself to the fact that there would be some sites we simply would not get too, I still hoped for a longer vacation.
During our vacation in Israel, we visited sites/cities including Jerusalem/Old City/Western Wall, Masada, Tel Aviv, and the Mediterranean Sea. We went to a number of museums and learned a great deal about the country’s history.
So, it was a full vacation. It included family, friends, interesting sites, good food, and memorable moments. We got to experience a different culture and see how other people live. We bonded as a family and yelled too.
Pretty awesome, I’d say.
And I wanted more.
But I was in the minority.
While SJ, BR, and Mrs. MMK had a wonderful time, they also enjoy routine. BR and SJ, in particular, needed some of that routine even while away. Time spent on their electronics brought them joy. They needed it.
What – you’re on vacation in a far-away place and you want to have time to go on electronics? Yup, the boys did need it. Electronics was part of their vacation and helped them feel a sense of routine. Without time to spend on their electronics, I’m convinced they would not have enjoyed the vacation as much.
On the last day of our vacation, my family I were wandering around Tel Aviv. We walked the streets, went to museums, and enjoyed a delicious lunch. It was our only day in the cosmopolitan city.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful, I thought to myself, if we could spend more time here?
While vacation is great fun and exciting, it can be tiring, particularly when in a foreign country where the people speak a different language. We were on the move often and at times were unclear on how things were done locally. Nothing dramatic. However, there is little opportunity to go on cruise control. One needs to be on.
The ”on mode’ wore my family down, and they were ready to go home. And I suppose I was too.
Yes, even great vacations come to an end. For the MMK family, that’s okay. We’re not interested in a permanent vacation. We enjoy vacations, and we also enjoy being home and in our routines.
Enjoying both worlds – pretty good deal I’d say.
Now where should we go for our next vacation?
Looks like great memories were made! 2 weeks seems like a long time to me – but maybe not when there is so much to see, but that is a long time to be exploring!
And, of course they need their electronics – on my last vacation, I spent time online, too! I needed it as well!
Yes, our electronics have become pretty ingrained. While I definitely used my phone and went online, I think the need is different with the kids. Hard to explain.
Wow, sounds like an amazing trip. I’ve never been there. I think it’s great taking kids overseas. It’s important for them to see there’s much more out there than our (typically) egocentric nation. And yes, the electronics come too. Like you said, they need that downtime. That little slice of home is what keeps them going for the rest of the trip.
Yes, that does help them keep going.
I agree about travel – I think seeing other cultures/places helps people grow and gives them greater perspective. I’m glad we could do that for our children.
I totally understand what you’re saying. Our trip to California was about the same length, and the kids and I needed to be home after about Day 8. Eric could have traveled for another month.
Most of the places we rented had wi-fi, which was a big deal to the kids. It helps them relax when nothing is the same from day to day!
Yup, they relax with their wi-fi and brings a sense of calm and stability.
I am a big fan of vacations that are not planned down to the very last minute.
There is something nice about going away and just enjoying your time.
I am looking forward to taking my family to Israel. I have been 3 or 4 times but it has been a long while.
I hope you and your family get to go to Israel soon. It was pretty cool to be there with my family as I had been there on my own multiple times. You see things differently with your family.
How wonderful for you all!
Yes, it was a special family vacation that I hope we will all remember for a long, long time.