By Alexandria Nolan-Miller
Isn’t it funny that one of the best parts of travel is the anticipation long before the trip begins? You aren’t there yet, the bags aren’t packed, and still the magic has already started working on you. The promise of new places, different scenery, and an alternate rhythm of life, even if only for a few days, is enough to lift you out of the everyday. The ordinary softens because something different is ahead.
For months now, we have been living off the anticipation of our spring break and summer trips. The thought of them has carried us through busy weeks and long afternoons. For spring break, we chose the ultimate spring breaker destination — not because we’re trying to relive our youth, but because it’s drivable from our home in Houston and refreshingly simple. South Padre Island: legendary playground for college students, high schoolers with permissive parents, and now, apparently, our small family.
There’s something amusing about that contrast. But convenience won, along with the promise of sand and salt air. We reserved a beach bungalow at a resort right on the water, so our son can wake up to waves rolling onto the shore. That detail alone feels magical. We pore over local restaurant menus. We study the room layout online — the balcony, the view. We check average temperatures and debate which stretch of beach will be best. We scroll through photos and picture ourselves there.
Then there’s our summer European adventure, which brings even more to anticipate. As stressful as planning can be — comparing airlines, calculating connection times, making sure our seats are together — there’s an undercurrent of excitement running through it all. The logistics may feel tedious, but they’re tethered to something wonderful.
Packing brings its own quiet drama. We try to avoid overpacking or underpacking, aiming for that elusive Goldilocks middle ground. The negotiations begin weeks in advance. Do we really need that extra pair of shoes? Will we regret leaving behind a jacket? It’s a balance between preparedness and practicality.
It’s not always easy to be patient, but sometimes anticipation is a gift in itself.
Even in those anxiety-tinged moments, excitement bubbles beneath the surface. We know these micro-stresses will pay off when departure day arrives. Each confirmation email, each saved reservation, each carefully chosen seat assignment feels like progress — small investments in future joy.
The bigger the trip, the greater the anticipation. There’s more to imagine: different cultures, unfamiliar languages, new foods, new routines. We debate practical questions — Should we get roadside assistance? Is the sea-view room worth the splurge? How much time should we allow for customs? — but even these details hint at adventure.
All this preparation injects energy into the humdrum of daily life — the endless emails, the early alarms, the predictable routines. The vacation before the vacation might be its own kind of escape. Those small mental departures, when your mind drifts to sunny skies and warm breezes, feel like tiny rebellions against monotony.
In the months ahead, we have experiences planned — moments worth dreaming about. And yet, every day beforehand, we live a little piece of that dream. Every review we read, every town we research, every conversation about what excites us most — these are part of the journey. They make hard days lighter and good days sweeter.
The trips will likely land somewhere between our wildest expectations and inevitable travel hiccups. They may not be perfect. They rarely are. But the adventure begins the moment we click “book now,” and it continues until the car pulls back into the driveway.
So here’s to the vacation — and the waiting in between. It’s not always easy to be patient, but sometimes anticipation is a gift in itself.
