Imagine this... You wake up, have breakfast, check your to-do list, and head to work. You have lunch, go back to work until it's time to leave, and then you can enjoy a few hours for yourself.
This is the routine for many people. We’re all eager for Friday to arrive, and many of us dread Mondays. It’s something that has become normalized.
Normalized doesn’t mean correct.
But it’s those 48 hours (Saturday and Sunday) that help many of us endure the rest of the week, isn’t it?
In recent years, as my studies/work have consumed me, I’ve come to value these few hours of the week even more and try to make the most of them, even when I often feel overwhelmed by life.
Over the past year, I’ve dedicated my weekends to traveling.
If you’re new here, I invite you to browse my blog, and you’ll see all the beauty that Cuba has to offer.
Traveling has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. From choosing the destination to planning the activities we would do.
Over the years, this planning has faded a bit, and now we tend to improvise more.
With time, the opportunity to travel has also decreased.
And that’s something I’d like to change soon.
I imagine in a few years, looking at the calendar and instead of waiting for July and August to plan a trip, being able to choose any date. It’s very difficult, but it’s a goal worth fighting for.
In these tough times my country is experiencing, traveling has allowed me to step out of my reality and connect with others, which has made me appreciate my life even more.
For example, in this post, a few months ago, we visited a beautiful place, worthy of any movie. However, the houses and lifestyle there were quite precarious.
And despite everything, the people seemed happy; in fact, they radiated that happiness.
A few weekends ago, we visited the town of Placetas—I remembered the name! :)
Placetas is a town in the center of the country. An area with very few hours of electricity. Still, I felt an incredible calm; we spent quality time together and didn’t even notice the lack of power.
These are some examples that have made me appreciate how lucky I am to live my reality and how much I need to fight to be able to travel whenever I want.
Of course, there are other more touristy destinations, like Varadero or Viñales, which are almost mandatory trips throughout the year. Those weekends are essential because resting by the sea or in the mountains is also necessary, right?
Although I admit, I’m not happy with just traveling on weekends. Come on, I’m not going to die from it, but I will work hard to change that reality.
I understand that not everyone may think the same way, but traveling is what has shaped me into who I am today, so I won’t settle for just weekends. :)
And if each trip comes with a good book, even better.
That’s the best advice I can give you... Bring a good book wherever you go.
Soon, I’ll tell you about my last spontaneous trip to Tope de Collantes with some friends. A trip that started in Placetas, Villa Clara, and ended in Trinidad. A long weekend! ;)
Anyway, if you want to learn a bit more about Cuba, check out some of these posts:
A Magin Chateau
Guajaibon
Ramaviva
If you made it this far, thank you!
Feel free to comment on anything you like.
It will be a pleasure to read your comments.
Read you soon!
[dahpilot]
All images in the post are my own