Traveling without Expectations

Today JD and I are off into the great unknown of Indonesia.  I’ve packed my bathing suit, sunscreen and obnoxiously bright dresses.  But this time I’m leaving something behind: expectations.

No, not completely.  I expect things will be great.  I expect places we see will be beautiful.  I expect to swim and maybe even get an albino version of a  tan.  However the planning of this trip has been out of my hands.  This trip comes courtesy of other people’s wedding.  We are joining JD’s brother and sister-in-law on their honeymoon.  Crashing it, really.  They’ve done the grunt work of looking up websites and comparing hotel rooms.  Now, we get to sponge off their labor like two lazy beach bums.

I love it!  I love not knowing every detail, not quite remembering what time our flights get in or exactly where on the map we’re headed.  I love not caring where we eat or even which temples we see.  I love that I have no checklist in my head and no itinerary to read.  I love how simple, basic and vague my expectations are.

I think this is what a holiday should be.