travel – The Great Kaysby

A Place Where Dreams Are Born

Do you have a favorite place you have visited? Where is it?

“My home where dreams are born, and time is never planned. Just think of lovely things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever in Never Never Land!”

Remember those iconic words from “Never Never Land”? As a child (before growing up), Peter Pan’s home checked all the boxes for a favorite location! It had pirates and mermaids; it had a secret underground house and a cave! Not to mention the fact that it was an island. Plus, there was a lot of singing which is always fun! JM Barrie knew how to create a place that felt personal to us yet familiar to all.

Unfortunately, as we grow up, sometimes we forget how to find our own Never Never Land. We become so busy with the mundane – jobs, bills, etc – that it can be hard to take time to visit different places much less figure out a favorite. Sometimes we even stop dreaming about seeing exotic places that to us would be like Mermaid Lagoon or Pirate Cove. However, one thing I have realized is that to be a favorite place to visit, the location does not have to be exotic. In fact, some of my favorites have always been simplistic. So what are they?

As a child, my favorite place to visit was my Grandma’s house in Kansas. Oddly enough, I never called it Grandma and Grandpa’s. Where they lived had a lot of things we did not get to enjoy at home. They had Sonic for getting Limeades; they had Casey’s for getting Taco Pizza. Plus, there were a lot of cool touristy things to do that never really changed which provided comfort and nostalgia. Bonus, they had Keno before it was popular. It was fascinating to sit and watch people play!

Fast forward to adulthood, and I still enjoy sitting and watching people. Though I will say the locations have changed a bit. Now I also have way more favorite places to visit including:

Half Moon Cay (favorite Carnival Cruiseline Port)

Niagara Falls (favorite place to see waterfalls)

Holiday World (favorite theme park)

Anywhere With Mountains or a Campground (favorite place to unplug)

Museum or Art Gallery (favorite learning experiences)

Gettysburg (favorite Civil War battlefield)

America’s Historic Triangle (favorite general historical area)

St Louis (favorite place with lots of free activities)

Buc-cee’s (favorite place with clean bathrooms while traveling)

The more I get to visit new places, the more I find myself adding things to the list! They may not be Never Neverland, but they are places where dreams are born!

What are your favorite places to visit?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

The Wonder of a Weekend Getaway

Who can relate to not being able to completely relax at home? Maybe you’re distracted by dishes in the sink, thinking about laundry that needs to be done, or just feeling like you’re “supposed to be doing something productive” because you’re at home. I can absolutely relate to this! That is why I struggle with the concept of a relaxing “staycation” even if going to do fun activities during the day. To combat this, I have found that one of the best ways to relax, recharge, and reset is the Weekend Getaway.

What constitutes a Weekend Getaway? In my book it is spending a night or two away from home with family, your significant other, a friend or friends, or yourself. My idea of a Weekend Getaway also involves a place that you can easily drive to in three hours or less. The location does not really matter as much as the ability to unplug from everyday life. You can spend your Weekend Getaway in a hotel, tent, cabin, rental property, etc…whichever you find the most relaxing! It might even change based on the activities that you have in mind for the particular Weekend Getaway!

For me the best Weekend Getaways involve things I cannot do at home. For example, one of my absolute favorite things to do is to order room service or have food delivered and eat it in my pajamas while in bed. I find it super relaxing to eat something tasty while also being super comfy! Another favorite activity is to write while I am on a Weekend Getaway. I find that when I am away from home it can be a lot easier for me to focus on my writing as there are way fewer distractions. This can also be applied to reading! If I am with other people, I also love chatting, playing games, and doing activities like hiking, visiting museums, going to zoos, attending food/beverage tastings, and shopping. I am also a huge fan of little things that I do not have at home like super hot showers, tubs with jets, and fireplaces! Oh, and if it is summer and water activities are available, I’m there!

But the most important part of the Weekend Getaway? Returning home feeling rested and recharged. There is restorative power in getting out of your routine (i.e. comfort zone)! I highly recommend a Weekend Getaway at least once a season as a way to restore balance!

Do you think Weekend Getaways work wonders? What are some of your favorite Weekend Getaways?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

I Love to Travel, But…

As you may recall this blog started as being focused on travel and food. Though I’ve gotten away from that in recent years, today I’m returning to my roots albeit with a different spin. Upon returning from a recent trip, I found myself thinking “I love to travel, but…” with a list of a few of things after the but. The thought was finished with some of these:

…but I miss Mr Kisby and LilKsby when they are not with me.
…but I miss my pets.
…but I miss MY bed. It seriously does not matter how comfy a hotel bed is, it is not the same as your bed.
…but I miss MY shower. There is nothing like coming home to my shower with my usual water temp and spray settings! Plus, hotel water tends to wreak havoc with my skin.
…but I miss MY comfy chair. My six year old recliner covered in a fuzzy blanket is my most relaxing place to sit. I’m in it now! LilKsby and one of the pets are sharing it with me!

I’m sure I’m not the only one who can relate to the “I love to travel, but…” sentiment. What are the things that would follow your “but…”?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby