Oh the Places You'll Go

So I always do three things before I travel to somewhere new. Especially if its somewhere I'm excited about going.

1) Do my research. Right now, I have three library books about New York City that I've already finished reviewing, as well as two books I've borrowed from friends, along with a question I posted on Facebook, just to make sure I'm aware of the must-sees. My brain works best assuming this may be my only opportunity to go there, so I need to know what I absolutely don't want to miss. For example, what if I missed the Rick Springfield museum just because I didn't bother to do enough research about where I was going. (No worries, there is no such museum in NYC, but I only know this because I was thorough).

2) Stress out a little about all the mundane stuff I need to get done beforehand, like will I get enough laundry done, or will I need to buy socks in Manhattan... How I need to clean the kitchen and bathrooms because I don't like coming home to a messy house... and how I need to put together a comprehensive list of all the things that I need to have someone do while I'm gone, and the stuff I need to remember to pack.(like the dance tickets!)

and

3) Get super excited. Pack a notebook and my camera to record the adventures. Look up gluten-free friendly restaurants (which reminds me- I need to make it to Hello Cupcake when I'm in DC). Try to remember I really won't have time to see it all, so just keep a list of possibilities handy (organized by geography and open hours).

It's really that simple. I feel pretty lucky that I get to do this- even when it's organized around trying to get a ton of work done in a very short period of time, and when only a few hours in the evening and the weekends are free time. I try to count my blessings for these opportunities to explore, to get to know new people and places, and to learn.