Start

This year will involve more balance in my travel.  I'm not going to subject myself relentlessly to pain and suffering and extreme heat like I did in 2014.  I'm actually going to take some real vacations!  To some cold weather places again!

When D and I were going over our respective years, it came to light that my energy level was higher than he had ever seen it.  It had to have been because I wouldn't classify most of my trips last year as vacations at all.  They took more out of me emotionally and physically.

A week in Bangkok, a week at the cottage, several long weekends were the only instances I remember feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.  They represented such a small percentage of my overall time off.

Still I ended the year feeling quite strong and needed only a few days' worth of rest before feeling like I can go at it full on again.  Happy about this realization, want to maintain it, but still going to aim for better distribution of time and geography this year.

Because of my penchant for planning ahead, there are some places I've already committed us to ages ago that would be too much of a hassle to modify or cancel so we will be going.  The not planning for more than 3 months guideline is otherwise going exceedingly well.

One exception was the use of a flight credit before its deadline.  I did end up booking a flight for May (Original goal was for a flight in March -- Wasn't "allowed").  The experience took 7 phone calls and what felt like a year off my life and never again will I cancel a flight with Delta -- Will only change it.  Am so glad to be rid of it finally.   Where I will get to go will make up for the aggravation.

Had I known about all the computer glitches/hang ups and hidden e-credit rules not listed in the terms (Won't stress you out with the gory details) , I would have gone somewhere last week because where I was looking at, in the end, would have worked.

I've cancelled plenty of flights in my time but Delta takes the cake with respect to byzantine rules and regulations.  It felt like I was getting penalized again for cancelling.  That the $300 fee I'd already paid and had no problem with paying, wasn't enough.  Otherwise I really like and am loyal to their product.  Yes I did send feedback to them about my experience.

D's year wasn't such a highlight for him career or health wise.  He was glad to bid farewell to 2014.  It did turn around for him with respect to work by the end of the year.  He feels great about his new position even though he had to work between Christmas and New Years.

He also hopes to have hit rock bottom with health issues and that things will stabilize, start looking up and get fun again.  We both know he has taken lots of things for granted and it is time to tighten up in those areas.  I believe they are the kind of realizations we all come to terms with individually in one aspect or another in our lives, some of us sooner than others.