Opposites attract, but can they travel together?

Although Daniel and I enjoy many of the same things, we also have major differences in our personalities and ideas. For example, before he even starts boiling water for his morning tea, he gets dressed. I, on the other hand, can hang out in my PJs for hours. In fact, I’ve become an expert at fitting “sweats” over my PJs when necessary. Daniel considers the back of our dining room chair to be his closet. He neatly stacks his clothes at night in the order he will need them in the morning. On the other hand, I know where there are closets in our house and usually use them.

I go for the simple, even though I have three personal computers; my desktop, a personal laptop, and the company computer assigned to me for my insurance work. Daniel has a laptop that is easily 20 years old, weighs 30 pounds at a minimum, and has every tab and program open. On his desktop: 2 CPUs, three screens, WIFI extenders take a massive presence on his messy desk. The NASA control room is probably more compact.

Recently friends returned from a month-long trip to Africa, and their photos started to stir the wanderlust in me. Though Daniel and I agree on closing the restaurant sometime during the Christmas and New Year holidays, the idea of travel is still a little daunting to me. I have concerns about COVID-19, finding a dog sitter, and more worrisome, traveling with Daniel, which is an adventure with stress.

Holiday travel, even before COVID-19, always has its challenges. There are weather delays, flight cancellations, crazy holiday travelers, children screaming, people carrying packages and gifts, with “carry-ons” the size of steamer trunks, crowded planes, and other unknowns. I am easygoing and can roll with the challenges. I am accustomed to the fact that there will be issues out of my control. Daniel, however, isn’t a ‘take it in stride” kind of guy. Delays, gate changes, lost luggage or other glitches send him into an immediate tense, angry and impatient mood.

If COVID-19 and Delta calm down and we can travel, I can already picture our negotiations. His priorities are eating in great restaurants, a possible visit to a museum, but only if there’s a good restaurant nearby.

He wants great food; I want pampering. My hands feel like sandpaper from cleaning them and the café’s tables with bleach about 20 times a day. My bunions are growing from standing on my feet for hours at a time, my back hurts from lifting, and I’m tired! I would be happy to eat at McDonald’s if there is a spa nearby.

Daniel is more physically exhausted than I am, and rightly so. He does the cooking, lifting, heavy cleaning, loading and unloading groceries, and constant movement while in the kitchen. His panacea for this exhaustion; sleep, great food, great wine, and superb service. My dream: two-hour massages, pedicures, manicures, facials, and other spa treatments to soothe the body.

I predict that COVID-19 and affordability (we bought a restaurant this year) will determine the vacation, probably a few weekends away and some day trips. With limits to time and money, the question is whether we will go together?

Separate vacations may be the cure! He can wine and dine into oblivion, and I will be unreachable at the spa!