Step 2: booking the tickets....

I was going to say, Step 1: book the tickets but that isn't exactly true for the way I like to vacation.  For me, Step 1 is determine the place.  I don't do a lot of research, per se, in this first step, I like to go with my instinct.  I always have a running list of places in my mind that interest me - whether I read an article about them, saw photos, or just have a sense of it being a place I'd like to see.   From that list, places tend to naturally rise to the top.  Maybe it's a good airfare, or the timing just seemed right...

In this case, New Orleans was becoming the front runner for a spring long weekend getaway.  Everything just seemed right.  A city with a thriving and rich culture, amazing food & drink, nice spring climate and close enough to make a long weekend out of it.  Yes, yes, yes and yes.   Once the idea really gets planted, everything else seems to fall into place.  Which brings us to today, Step 2: Book the Tickets.  And with that click of "confirm", my entire state of being seems to relax.  Yes!!!  We're on the move!

Now I get to enjoy Step 3: The planning and research Step 4: The exploring a brand new city with my love and Step 5: (quite possibly the best of all) the after-effect.  The feeling you get when you're back at home after an amazing trip and realize all is right with your world.

Here we come, N'awlins!

(image, image, image, image)