Some days, I can really feel my introverted side coming on strong. John and I have been doing a lot of traveling lately: he def has the travel bug and well, I promised to travel with him if I hit some goals. So in September, we headed to London with two of his sisters and brother-in-law. The trip went pretty seamlessly: J and his older sister did most of the planning– finding a conveniently located AirBnb and drafting up a rough itinerary for the week. London is a lot of fun, bc it’s a vibrant city with a lot of offer: art, music, food, shopping, plus a variety of tourist options. J always gets energized in a big city. He’s so great with directions and orientations and once you decide on a destination, he leads the way. But I travel in a manner where I like to go out and come back to the apartment throughout the day. After growing up with my father who always leads a jam packed itinerary, I enjoy sleeping in and lounging around the hotel in addition to checking out the sites. I like to rest when I’m on vacation bc I never feel rested at home. It was nice hanging out with his family in a setting different from the usual holidays and family dinners. And bc we had different interests, I actually got to see and do things I wouldn’t normally do– like scout out the Shakespeare Globe Theater and go on tours of the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. But at the end, I was pretty pooped being in the company of people.

It was nothing about them– they didn’t irk me or anything. I just needed time later to re-energize, bc I’m an introvert. The last day, John and I branched off and checked out some cool spots– Regents Garden was beautiful: a grand, lush and colorful oasis in the city. We rented bikes and had fun zipping around. We got tickets to Lion King– a play I last saw probably 20 years ago in NYC. The story is kinda simplistic and not that compelling, but the music and costumes were as amazing as I remembered. Overall, a great time in a place that’s easily navigable and lots of fun to explore.

Two weeks later, I was on the plane again. Incidentally, my friend N needed a break/getaway from the East Coast. This was right around the time another hurricane barreled through. Thankfully, the trip was still on afterwards, and we met in Denver for a few days. Again, we had a nice time exploring the city. John actually found us a great hotel downtown, so she and I were able to walk everywhere. She is so much more active and mobile now than when she visited us in the Bay Area a few years ago. One day, we rented a car and drove out to Red Rocks Amphitheater and then farther out to Breckenridge– a lovely ski town. N’s had a pretty rough last couple of years, so it was nice to see her get some fresh air and to have a change of scenery.

She’s lived in Wilmington, NC now for a very long while: she went there for undergrad, went overseas and away for grad school, and then eventually settled back. But I think she’s outgrown Wilmington, so we’ll see if somewhere farther west will draw her as a next destination. We had a good time hanging out and exploring. Even though I’ve been to Denver many times, I still saw some new things. My fav attraction? The Denver Botanic Gardens. We also tried out the Lyft scooters for the first time: those were a TON of fun. I’m a huge fan and can’t wait to take Bubbey to ride them in San Jose. Overall, N and I had some good bonding time. It’s helpful to have a friend who goes way back– who knows the whole history and drama of the past. That said, the historical context also brings up a lot of baggage– not between her and me but you know, just discussions about our families and our mothers. That drama is never easy to talk or think about, and sometimes, I find that we get ourselves stuck with belaboring the past. But the good thing is, in the end, we always strive to help one another process the pains of our histories and move towards the future. Sometimes I wonder if the old wounds will ever heal. Is there a way to acknowledge the past without letting it hold us hostage?

After all the traveling, I sure am tired. You see, at my core, I am a person of habit. I like to be home where I have a schedule, a routine, and I know what I need to do. While I love traveling, my patience for it seems to grow more limited as I get older. I’m very good at researching and booking flights, cars, hotels, etc. I like laying out a rough idea of things to do. But beyond that, all the logistics and explorations once there requires a lot of energy for me. Unlike Bubs who grows more energized exploring a new city, the experience wears on me. I like new experiences and adventures just as I usually like meeting new people and making new friends, but those activities drain me… it’s like the explanation people give for extroverts vs. introverts. The difference lies in how they re-energize. If they gain energy from being with people, they are extroverts. If they need me time to recuperate, they are introverts. I’m a social and traveling introvert. I need the downtime to rest. That’s partly why we never travel for longer than ten days. I begin to fatigue by day 5 and then I need to get home to recharge.