Hello hello my beautiful readers! I hope you have been surviving winter. I have finally, at the beginning of March, begun to get the winter blues. My energy seems to have left me, I have started requiring more sleep, holing up watching more TV than usual, requiring copious amounts of caffeine to get me through the day and suffering the itchy eyes and runny nose of the dreaded winter allergies. Don’t get me wrong, I have for the most part kept up with my many activities, but I have certainly been slacking on the weeknight swimming and socializing, and I’ve found myself much more tired at work. Once I get out of yoga at 7:30 p.m., I am done. There has been no convincing my body or mind to get into my bathing suit and duck back out into the cold night. I have also been wishing I had a snuggle buddy to curl up with on the couch, and have been craving carbs like it’s my job. It’s sort of terrible. But, this usually happens to me in January (with way, way more blues) and it hasn’t arrived until early March. I call that a win! Especially because I know that spring is about to arrive so these winter blues are about to be kicked to the curb! In the words of Robin Williams, “Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s Party!'”
So you might be interested to know, what could I possibly have to write about when it seems that I have been living my life on the couch? (And by living my life on the couch, I mean for about two hours a day, which is way more than my typical 20 minutes a day. Hello, The Bachelor, New Girl and Once Upon a Time, which I have recently rediscovered). Well, my friends, what else is there to do when your body is craving sunshine, energy and freedom than to make some amazing plans and to give your sluggish mind something to daydream about?!
I have had a hard time, as I often do, scaling down my many ideas into some concrete plans. There is just SO MUCH that I want to do, and three weeks of vacation a year (even with the added long weekends of the new job) isn’t nearly enough to do it all. I have been struggling with what to do and what not to do (still debating over an invitation to Bonnaroo, but although it would surely be fun, not sure it’s worth the money/ time off work. Plus, I’m worried I’d be the oldest person there). So, I have picked two trips to start with, and will very likely add more from there!
Number one, I have booked a trip with one of my best friends in the entire world and her friend (who I also adore) to Zion National Park and Denver this spring! I have heard the most incredible things about Zion, and you’ll see why with a simple Google Image search. It looks absolutely breathtaking. After being cooped up inside, I want nothing more than hours and hours of fresh air and sunshine! Here we come, wild Wild West! If anyone has any tips for hikes and short backpacking trips out there, please let me know as I plan to explore, explore, explore the shit out of that park while there. We’re thinking about doing a backpacking trip where you literally have to wade through chest deep water. How exciting is that?! Oh adventure! As for Denver, that was tacked on to the end of the trip as you can literally fly from Vegas (where you fly in and out for Zion) to Denver for $50. I have been saying for years that I want to check out Colorado as a potential place to live, so here is my (cheap and easy) chance. We haven’t planned too far into that trip yet, but definitely plan to do a hike in the Rockies, catch a show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre and obviously drink some delicious microbrews.
Number two, I’ve finally started planning a long weekend out to Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park in August with my dear old dad. He has been dreaming of getting out west to explore the national parks for as long as I can remember, so I’m taking the initiative and making that happen. I’ve never been on a long trip like this with just my dad, and I couldn’t be more excited! He is the best, and I’m so pumped to help him achieve this dream. He’s very much a homebody, so I’m hoping that this trip will inspire him to reach for more of his travel dreams!
Other things on the agenda for this spring include taking a digital photography class, which starts March 22, hopefully finding an outdoor rock climbing class so I can transfer out of the gym and planning at least one local backpacking and beach trip (Dewey, anyone?). I’m so ready to take advantage of all my weekends and to live my non-work life outside as much as possible. I’m so pumped for flowering trees everywhere, open outdoor beer gardens and warm spring days and nights. Oh, and I have deleted my online dating apps. It was stressing me out – and I am a firm believe that dating should be fun. I guess that means I will have to talk to real live people out in the world instead.
I’ve been on such a journey to transform from a caterpillar to a butterfly, and spring is the time when I really tend to awaken. I have accomplished so much this winter – I can’t wait to see what the next season brings! My best friend (from college) is visiting me this weekend so hopefully she will help kick the winter blues to the curb as well.
What are you all looking forward to this spring? Anything you’re super excited for or gung-ho to accomplish?
Audrey Adventures 