Longing for vacation!

For those, who know me well, know that I love to travel, but with travel comes expenses and it's not always an easy choice. Do you choose to improve your daily life or do you choose for an experience. Of course you will have the pictures to show for it, but after all, you did pay for an experience. Nobody can tell you in advance how you will experience it and no guarantee that it will be a worthwhile trip. And still.....the idea of going on vacation seems like a world opening up.

For this year, I've already planned my vacation for end of next month. And tickets and arrangements were already done in the beginning of this month. Can you imagine the torture? It's like looking forward to opening Christmas presents and you still have to wait for a certain day or a certain hour or a certain someone to be present before you can do it. Time seems to suddenly stop moving and days go by like months and I can't just wait for the days to pass by quicker and I know for a fact that during my vacation time will pass by so fast that I'd just want to have a remote to hit 'Pause'.

Since I can't do anything about the time, so I'll need to keep myself busy until that day is finally here. And research is surely one of them. Google FTW!!!

This has been keeping me busy lately:

1. Groupon - not all countries are subject for deals, but if your next destination is in the states, you'll surely get some great deals. It range from food to paintball activities. Really diverse and for all ages and all genders something to plan your trip.

2. Since one of the stops is New York, I've been checking out some websites for free stuff to do. I mean, travelling is already very expensive for Surinamese citizens. Why not trying to cut costs? Some of the sites are http://www.nycgo.com/free/ , http://www.niftynyc.com/ and http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/travel-tips-and-articles/76493. The troublesome thing about some of the schedules, some of the events are not scheduled way in advance. Mostly it's a month or so, so if you're like me, planning way ahead, you might need to look it up near the time you're leaving.

3. A very nice tool is of course Google Maps. However I have friends there, but sometimes it's good to know in advance how far a certain place is. The addition on Google Maps is the directions and the 3D view. It creates a better view of what to expect.

4. Since I'm such a foodie, I was wondering if I can take on some Man vs. Food challenges. I probably can't eat as much as Adam, but I believe I can take on the heat whenever it's spicy challenges.

5. Making a list of the things I want to do at my vacation spots. There is so much to do, just so little time. More reason for a second trip, right?

Any advice for keeping myself busy while waiting for my departure date, please comment!!

Friends: quality or quantity?

A friend of mine at Facebook got very upset yesterday about some people, who claimed to be  her friends but at the very end stabbed her in her back. It's such a harsh experience, but it happens all the time in life. And of course, everyone's idea of friendship is different. Next to that, there are different types of friends.

You have friends at school/on the work floor, who you can talk about anything in your life, but after school/work, there is just no need to meet. Some friends are the ones you will see once or twice a year and try to catch up. And there are some great friends, who you hardly meet, but whenever you see each other again, it's like old times. I remember an essay, where the author wrote about a type of friends who you love to hate. We all have some of those friends too.


During elementary and secondary school, it was cool to have lots of friends. To always have someone to go out with or to be on the phone with. With time, the group of friends you have seems to shrink and your concept of friendship will also mature. In all these years I have learned this about friendship:

- it's always quality over  quantity
   you can have as many people around you who claims to be your friend, but when you're in trouble, 
   you'll see who your real friends are.
- there is a timeframe for everyone in your life. Some stay longer than others. Cherish those moments!

 

- if the friendship is over, just let it go. There's no use crying over spilled milk

With some friends, the quality of the friendship will change with time. You'll have your own crowd, your own thoughts and if you both are willing to keep this friendship, it will stay. But with some, you don't even need to say a word in a whole year, but whenever you see each other again, even though you're in a different country, a different industry, a totally different life style, you'll stay the best friends you always were.