This little trip by Puget Sound was exactly the kind of getaway I did not realize I needed.
After settling into apartment life, I have been trying to figure out what travel looks like for me now. I am not living in a van anymore. I am not moving from place to place every few days. I have a home base now, which I love, but I also still miss that feeling of waking up somewhere new and letting the day unfold in a different place. Especially seeing sunrises and sunsets in diverse settings.
So I booked a small Airbnb by the water, packed up Georgie, brought way too much food and gave myself a few days to just be somewhere else and take it all in. The sunrise and sunset did not disappoint.
I didn't show up with a big itinerary or plans. I like to kind of wing it and see what I feel like doing each day. Of course there was so much enjoyment doing nothing. By nothing I mean my granny hobbies like, reading and knitting on the deck and watching the wildlife outside, seeing the sun rise each morning and the sun set each evening. Heaven!
Then there is Georgie, my wild child. It's better explained via the video.
Why This Kind of Trip Felt So Good
I think sometimes I forget how good getting away feels even when you have to pack up all of your stuff - which can feel a bit like a chore in the moment. But once you get there it feels completely worth it.
This was not a big adventure in the way van life used to be. It was quieter than that and less anxiety inducing only because I don't have to constantly figure out where to stay for the night or if I'm going to get a knock on the door or deal with hot weather and no A/C. Remember that last summer when I was traveling in the Scamp trailer full-time?
I watched the tide come in and go out. I sat outside with coffee. I read on the deck. I wandered into town for a cafe breakfast. I had a really good meal by the water. I watched birds drop shells on the beach and Georgie sunbathe like she knew this was meant to be relaxing and and enjoy the moment.
And somewhere in the middle of all of that, I felt my brain start to slow down a little, because it can go wild with feeling guilty about doing "nothing". Why does this happen? Is this my nature or a learned behavior? I typically chalk it up to Corporate America and all my time there, but I haven't been in that crazy environment since 2018.
That is something I am still learning. Rest is not always about doing nothing. Sometimes it is about giving myself enough space to notice what is already in front of me.
A Note on Feeling Guilty for Resting
One of the things I talked about in the video is that little tug of guilt that showed up while I was sitting there reading.
I knew I had work waiting for me. I knew I could have been editing. I knew I had things on my list.
But I also knew I needed to sit there with my book and let myself have the moment.
That is still not always easy for me. I can talk about slow living. I can believe in it. I can build a life around it. And still, my brain will occasionally try to convince me that I should be doing more.
So that little pause by the water felt important and felt freeing. Just a small reminder that I do not have to earn every quiet moment.
Things Mentioned in the Video
Here are a few things I mentioned or used during the trip:
Book I was reading:
All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert: https://amzn.to/4f8cgtR
Book I found at the bookstore:
Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About by Isabelle Klee: https://amzn.to/4ydiLEs
Skincare mentioned in the video:
Typology French skincare products:
Get a FREE 9-Ingredient Soothing Serum when you spend $50 or more using my link: https://bit.ly/4eWRYU7
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I Want to Do More of These
This trip made me realize how much I want to keep adding little getaways back into my life.
Just simple places where I can bring a book, make coffee, explore a small town, sit outside, and remember that I still really love seeing new places.
I cannot wait to do more of these little solo retreats. And when the weather cools down, I am even thinking about doing some car camping again.
Not full-time travel and not van life 2.0.
Just small adventures and exploring.
A Little More Slow Living in the Mail
This is also the heart behind The Story Post, my monthly mail club.
Each month, I send a small envelope filled with thoughtful pieces meant to help you slow down and notice your real life a little more. Inside you will find a personal letter from me, a 5x7 art print, a recipe card, a prompt card for intentional living, and a small extra goodie tucked inside.
A little piece of mail that invites you to pause, do something simple, read a few words, reflect for a moment, or bring a little beauty into an ordinary day.
This trip reminded me how much I need those small pauses, too. Coffee outside. A few pages of a book. Watching the tide come in. Letting the day be less full on purpose. It's the simple things that really brings us back to ourself.
That is the feeling I try to bring into each month’s envelope.
If you would like to join The Story Post, I would love to send one your way.
You can join The Story Post by clicking here.
