I Need a Vacation

Note: As many of you will be keen to point out, my “Round the World” travel didn’t officially commence until December 29, when I took off for Peru. That said, my decision to undertake a global journey was cemented (though perhaps not known to others) by August 2007. Therefore, I’ve decided to include all travels after August 2007 in this travelogue. If this is unsuitable to you, please send me an email detailing your grievances, which I will promptly ignore.

I needed a vacation. After reviewing my calendar, I realized in August 2007 that I hadn’t take a real vacation (i.e., more than two consecutive days away from work) in at least 10 months. Fortunately, due to extensive business travel around the world, I’d amassed an impressive arsenal of Continental OnePass miles, so this journey could be completed at minimal cost. So, during a brief visit to my Dad’s house in August, I called up my friend Drea to see if she’d like to go on vacation with me. The conversation went a bit like this:

Me: “Hi Drea! How are things?”

Drea: “Oh, hey. How are you?”

Me (ignoring her question): You haven’t been on vacation in a good while, right? I didn’t wait for her to answer. So, I think you should join me on my next vacation.

Drea: Um, okay. Where are you going?

Me: Well, I haven’t planned that yet. But I’m pulling up the Continental Airlines route map on the Internet. Okay, here it is. Oh yes! Let’s go to Buenos Aires!

Drea: I’ve never been all that interested in South America.

Me: What? Your name is Andrea Garza! Your grandparents didn’t even speak English and were immigrants from Mexico. How can you not be interested in your own culture?

Drea: Right. My family is of Mexican descent. That’s got nothing to do with Argentina.

Me: Well, I know, but I was hoping that I could sway you with my mock indignation.

Drea: Nope. But good try.

Me: Thanks. Well, fine then. Okay, I’m looking at the map now. The weather will be awful in October, so let’s nix the UK. Studied abroad in Spain, so that’s out…”

Drea: I’ve never been to Paris. I’ve always wanted to go there…

Me (ignoring Drea again as I continue to think aloud): So, that eliminates all of western Europe. Oh! It says here that Continental just began service to Athens. I’ve never been there. How about Greece? We can look at loads of old stuff there. You were a History major; you love old stuff!

Drea (by now rather bemused): Okay. That sounds fine.

Me: Done deal.

And that was that. On October 10, 2007, I was off for Athens.