Vacation

One of the really awesome things about my job is that I get great vacation time. In fact, I get so much great vacation time that I can't seem to use it all. I'm losing a bunch of vacation hours when 2011 comes round. That's alright though. I have attempted to squeeze some things in here. Like Panama!

I went to Panama for the week of Thanksgiving with some wonderful friends. I have no complaints about this trip! It was a true vacation. We sat by the pool and read, then for a change of scenery we walked down the jungle lane to our own beach, then when we got tired of the salt water we walked back up to our pool. We read and read and read--I finished the Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, some smutty beach read that I don't remember the title of, and then the Help. Really great reads! Then we ate, nothing too remarkable but good food.

We did encounter a rainy day that limited our beach sitting, so ventured into El Valle which was an amazing day! We found mud baths, sat in natural hot springs, zip lined through rain forests, over waterfalls...hmm. It was so beautiful!

Here's where vacation is accomplished--I didn't think about work, people, the cold air of Boston, or anything! I forgot it was the end of November, not summer everywhere, I let the sun bake me, I lathered sun screen like it was my job for the week, and all good things!!! It was also just long enough that the last day I did feel like I had my fill and was ready to get back to life. Three weeks later I'm ready to go back to Panama where it's warm. I've decided one of the best sensations is the warm sun massaging your bare shoulders.