8 Vacation Things

Denise tagged me to do the 8 random things meme and since we're approaching our trip to Florida, I'm gonna share 8 vacation tidbits about me and my traveling habits....

1. I'm a fidgety driver and can't be a passenger....the best was to keep me focused on driving (as opposed to birds and signs and other cars and stuff on the side of the road) is good music...I drive best with Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Willie Nelson, Nanci Griffith or Loretta Lynn...just to name a few...but I'm really picky about what plays when or I want to start flipping channels or tracks and that makes J a little crazy...and I'm supposed to be driving

2. I hated beach vacations as a kid and we took a lot of them....spent most of my time reading sci-fi back at the campsite or cabin...now, beach vacations are my favorite...I will spend all day outside in the water and heat...in the evenings, I love sitting on a balcony or deck, drinking beer and watching the ocean

3. I totally dig going to the most obnoxious tourist trap gift shops possible...tacky souvenirs just make me laugh...especially Florida ones...there's a shop in Myrtle Beach called the Gay Dolphin (haha) that sets a standard for all others along the coast

4. We always buy a Christmas ornament from wherever we vacation....started years and years ago and it's kinda goofy and cheesy, but whatever....I do have my sappy moments from time to time

5. I'd much rather have a place to stay where we can fix our own meals than eating out....just much more relaxing to me than getting ready, going out and hassling with a restaurant...we especially love fixing fresh seafood off the pier....cooking is a big part of what I enjoy while we're traveling

6. Camping isn't vacation to me anymore...J and I have been once and it was a disaster...camping was our primary mode of vacation as kids and now it just seems like too much hassle and not enough comfort for my taste....and if we're at the beach it almost counts as camping if we're staying in a hotel without a tiki bar and cabana boys to bring us drinks with fruit in them

7. I can be a tad OCD when it comes to planning a travel itinerary....again a childhood throw back and it has been a source of some conflict as J believes vacations should be just that and unplanned other than hotel reservations

8. In spite of attempts from both of our parents, this will be the first family-ish vacation either of have taken in over 20 years (and it still doesn't involve them)....we'll be spending some time with about 30 of J's aunt's bunch, then a few days with her oldest niece and her family...I'm a little scared