Scrolling through photos was the last straw. A fairy-tale castle; a fado (folk song) performance; an antique streetcar navigating an undulating track. Revisiting a February trip to Portugal made my heart ache.
For a travel writer who thrives on destinations as far-flung as Greenland and Namibia, 2020 has been wearying. I haven’t missed the busy pace of my work-travel life, but I have missed the change of scenery I’ve been privileged to enjoy. By the end of summer, my husband, Chris, and I were tired of the four walls of our San Diego home. We were desperate for a breakout.
We decided to try a staycation, something I’d never thought to do previously but that seemed a logical pandemic option. I’m not talking about pretending our home is a resort. Nor was I going to pop a tent in the backyard. Puh-leez—I’m too old to rough it.
I had recently wrapped up the latest edition of my book 100 Things to Do in San Diego Before You Die (100SanDiego.com). In researching it, I thought I had experienced pretty much everything my hometown offered. Would a staycation be able to satisfy our travel craving?