Hoping, Wishing, and Dreaming

I guess it's because my schedule for the next few weeks is insanely busy. Perhaps it's a symptom of summer-itis. Could be that I am a bit of a gypsy. Whatever the reason, today my mind has been cluttered with dreams of far-away lands, enjoying drinks with tiny umbrellas (minus the alcohol, of course), and curled up with a good book along the way. I've been planning my fantasy vacations!

One of the first that struck my fancy was an Alaskan cruise. How could anyone resist the beauty of the land? I've never been on a cruise and have to admit that I am apprehensive about being stranded on a boat for hours on end. Since I'm not into the whole "lounging at the beach" thing, I decided this would be a short enough adventure without all of the sun and heat.

After going to the Bavarian region of Germany a few years ago with the University of Memphis, I have always wanted to head back to this beautiful part of the world and explore more of Europe. I absolutely loved my short time in Salzburg, Austria and really want to go back. Of course, my list of cities to visit also include Prague, Vienna, Paris, Berlin, London, Madrid, or Rome. Sounds like the perfect vacation to me! If I were independently wealthy and could take the time off of work, I would spend months traveling throughout the continent, visiting museums and sites important to music history.

Since I probably won't get to leave the country anytime soon, I'll have to settle for a vacation in the States. Where do I want to go? While I love both Los Angeles and New York City and will go back many times, this is a time to explore something new. That means two areas are up for consideration: the Pacific Northwest and New England. With those choices, I want to head to the East Coast--preferably during the fall. While I would like to visit some of the metropolitan areas, I think I would prefer a scenic train meandering through the countryside.

I must come back to reality now. Vacationing will be a possibility in late July. Until then, my days will be spent teaching a classroom of students that don't want to be in school and evenings preparing a musical with children. Honestly, I love what I do and wouldn't have it any other way. I'll just hold on to some of the fantasy vacation planning to get me through some of the tough days to come.