Today is a big day. Not because I fly to Arizona tomorrow. I'm not a nervous flyer, never have been. I do always get butterflies for about eight to twelve hours before my flight but I reckon that's because I'm nervous about missing my flight. As soon as I'm at the gate waiting to board, the butterflies take a nap.
Its not because I'm going to the Grand Canyon (finally, right?).
It's not because I'm once again intrusting the lives of my "kids" to someone else. I happen to have a reliable pet sitter who, as far as I can tell, does well by my cat and dog. I will surely have several days of the shadows when I get back though. They follow me around relentlessly for at least three days after I get back from any trip longer than two days.
No, today is a big day because tomorrow I go on a trip with someone I'm dating. This is a first. Virgin Territory for me. I didn't even go on a real trip with my ex-husband. I don't count a trip from Utah back to Seattle to visit family, doubly so because we drove and there was no hotels or equal stressors.
We fly out Friday very, very, painfully early and we'll be back almost as early on Thursday. That means fully six and a half days together. That means practically living together for those days. We will be eating, sleeping, um . . everything-ing together. He's going to meet my mom and step-dad for the first time too. Which I'm not terribly concerned about but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at all concerned about.
I think we've maneuvered through the minefield of expenses pretty darn well so far. We haven't been seeing each other so long yet that we've merged incomes and unfortunately, neither of us is independently wealthy. Instead, we had to have a talk about expected expenses for the trip, how much each of use can afford, how we like to travel (five-star hotels or one-star tragedies?), etc. We have both put money out for reservations so that if either back out, we're equally screwed.
We've made some rough plans about things we want to see, like the Grand Canyon and a huge telescope, but left the overall itinerary mostly open. I feel like it will be a good "test" (I don't really want to use that word, but have here for lack of the exact sentiment I want). People are different when they are under stress, in airports, trying to give or take direction, worried about costs and keeping their partner happy. To be honest, I'm more worried about him seeing a side of me that surprises him or turns him off than vice versa. I've cautioned him about the seasoned traveler in me that shuns meandering in the airport and packs sparsely. I'll definitely need to remember that I'm not traveling alone for work and act accordingly.
Wish me luck. You'll hear about it next week, whether you want to or not!
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