Variety is the spice of vacations

Life is a pressure cooker! As I browse the aisles at the local grocery store, I often relate to the poor little lobster with his tiny little claws rubber-banded together, pacing in circles in his little glass world waiting for the big boiling pot at the end.

Life as a business person is stressful in the least, hectic for sure and chances are at some time you are going to call your travel agent and say those magic words we hear every day: "I need a vacation!" No one understands these words more than me, for I said them moment by moment as I checked off the days counting down to my weekend in Jamaica.

The reasoning for the need for most business people is obvious -- phones ringing, deadlines approaching, and everyone, including clients, peers and supervisors, want "just a brief moment." A 24-hour day is divvied out like a piece of pie as you scan the piles of phone messages, e-mails and projects, deciding who gets a slice of your day. Yesterday alone I had four people state in frazzled exasperated tones: "Oh boy, do I need this vacation!"

So as I laid under the palm trees swaying against a soft tropical wind I pondered what really was the perfect vacation? Obviously this answer will vary from person to person. But I feel there are some questions you should really consider as you search for a getaway that will return you home feeling, if not rested, at least satisfied.

1. What do I really like to do both at home and abroad? For me, I had to finally realize that I really like to sit back enjoy a cup of tea and read a book. Those who know me realize how out of character this is.

I would wind through my vacations like a Tasmanian devil, spinning at warp speed to all corners of the world and spend every waking moment visiting every possible attraction, hardly sleeping, afraid I would miss something. Did I come home rested and relaxed? No!

I had never asked myself what I really like to do. This sounds crazy because you will never see me anywhere in Cape Girardeau at home or out sipping tea and reading a book. Why? No time! Often as we grow up we forget what we really enjoy doing, what really makes us happy.

Try a vacation doing something you enjoyed doing as a kid. Riding bikes, walking in the rain, fishing. You may have convinced yourself over the years you don't want or like to do those childhood activities, and once you try them again you may be surprised.

2. Try something new on your vacations. Last year for me it was a massage. For years I thought a massage was a waste of time and money. When I thought of getting a massage I picture what I remembered in the movies as a kid, some big guy named Sven doing small karate chops to tenderize every muscle in your body like a fine steak. I could not fathom why anyone would consider paying $60 an hour for this service.

Last year in the Bahamas I bit the bullet and tried something new. I am hooked and no vacation is complete or leaves me fully rested without one. Aroma therapy combined with relaxing music and an hour of relaxation seems to put the world in perspective for me. And massages are like snowflakes -- no two spas or masseuse are the same.

3. Don't sweat the small stuff. Vacations never ever play out how you think they will. And the world is filled with people some of them great some of them not. If you are in a career where the focus is on service you can be driven crazy on vacation. Travel-related products boast of service, but often other cultures or people do not have the same idea of what it means to meet your travel needs as you do.

I promise you that as you travel you will be greeted by tired, burned-out people, who just like you need a vacation. So don't let them ruin your vacation just because they are way past due going on theirs. Their actions may make you want to send them on vacation -- permanently.

Carolyn Kempf is president of Elite Travel and Cruise in Cape Girardeau. (334-1234 or carolyn@elitetravelinc.com or www.elitetravelinc.com)