Best Trip of My Life

Blog Challenge Day Ten: Best Trip of My Life

This is another one that I find impossible to narrow down to just one. I've been a few places and I've had a few adventures. But I think of my trips like I think of songs. Each one has a meaning and a feeling and a special something that binds it to me. Even when I traveled on business I tried to fly in early and leave a bit late just to wander around on the terrain and see what the world had to show me. It's long been a favorite thing of mine to rent a car wherever I am and gather up a cup of coffee, a map, my cell phone and an open mind and just set out to get lost for a bit.

It terrifies my mother when I do that.
It makes me feel free.

When I travel for pleasure I like to turn off clocks and NOT pay attention to time. I like to eat when I'm hungry and sleep when I'm tired and move about when I feel like being in motion.
It's my personal rebellion to being a slave to time, my phone and the relentless ticking of the clock.

So I've loved most of my trips. Most.

But from Baton Rouge to Boston, L.A. to Florida, Phoenix to Providence, St. Louis to "almost" Cancun one vacation sticks out as being my ideal type of vacation.

New York City.

I adore New York City. I love that its old and worn and as established as it is new and modern. I love the buildings. I love the people. I love the enormous amount of diversity. I absolutely love that you have to do New York City on foot or you will miss all the good stuff. I love it's secrets. I love corner neighborhood grocery stores, coffee shops, theater, art and parks nestled right in the middle of the big bad city. I love it all. I love that you could live and breathe the city your whole life and never know all that she has to offer ... All twelve WHOLE miles of her.

And on one very crappy day at work I took about 7 seconds to spontaneously decide that I was going. So I bought a backpack, bought a ticket, called a friend and made it happen.

Spontaneous definitely meets perfect vacation criteria.

So I dropped myself smack in the middle of Manhattan and decided to let the city carry me wherever it felt I should go. I had a very loose idea of what I wanted to see and absolutely no time frame in which to do anything at all. Or everything. Or nothing. Or something. Or have everything change at the drop of a dime.

No concept of time and / or agenda. Criteria two.

I walked. About 150 or more blocks a day.
Here are some of the highlights of a little vacation that left a huge mark on me:

Ended up in the middle of the pit at Ground Zero on September 11th. It was a happy accident and I was glad to be there on the anniversary.
Thought it a brilliant idea to wear flip flops and then thought better of it. I ended up slipping into a very shady shoe store and purchased my beloved Green NYC Haitian Drug Cartel shoes.
Almost got trampled by a horse drawn cart while I stared in awe at the city rising up to me and rushing all around me.
Ate some of the best Indian food I've ever had from a family owned hole in the wall. Yummmm
Got lost on the subway, got locked into a subway car and promptly got my lil Texas butt hollered at to leave said subway .... Much to the amusement of native New Yorkers.
Got "dirty water" hotdogs in the park and when I tried to take a picture of George Clinton looking homeless man he tried to charge me 5 bucks for the picture. Awesome.
Walked from Times Square to the Metropolitan and took in some art. Lovely!
Laid on a park bench and stared up at Rockefeller Center ... Enthralled.
Wandered Battery Park.
Wandered Greenwich Village and got lost. Super awesome.
Stumbled across the NYC sex museum and went .. Just cuz I could .. And got the underwear off the mannequin in the lobby.
Went to Strawberry Fields and took in the silence with great respect, wonder and reverence.
Stood on the Hudson River and watched the city vibrate and sparkle against the night sky. Mesmerized.
Sang out loud in Central Park ... Cuz I didn't feel the need not to.
Sat in Union Square park listening to old men fight and bicker around the cement tables while sipping coffee.

Best. Blisters. Ever. 

Let the vacation guide you. Do not guide the vacation. Definite criteria.

Came home after four days actually rested and longing to come back again and again.

Coming home better than you left in all ways possible. Absolutely necessary criteria.

That's the way I wish I always traveled. My backpack, my music, a universe of new experiences, a world of food, excellent nights rest and full full days of complete submersion.

I'd like to see all the cities I'm curious about in just that way. All in. Open to everything. And I want to come home feeling completely full and still wanting more.