Vacation Anatomy part 3: The memories
“Two weeks away, feels like the whole world should have changed, but I’m home now, and things still look the same.” I think Dido puts it really well in this line from Sand in My Shoes, as that post-vacation letdown never gets any easier, no matter how often you travel. It’s over. You had spent such a long time anticipating this trip, and then you went and now… now what?
Now it’s time to develop those pictures, that’s what. Just because the physical part of your trip is completed doesn’t mean your vacation is done. Go through each exposure and laugh at the face you’re making in that one or how cool the Eiffel Tower looks in this one. Take out all those cool new souvenirs and remember the story behind how you found that perfect vase in a tiny little shop down a dark “oh my God, why am I walking down here?” alley, but it turned out to be a total treasure trove. Call up all your close friends and arrange to meet over coffee so you can give them the gift you brought back for them and describe all the cool things you saw. Yes, your vacation might be technically over, but it’ll still be fresh in your mind for months, years to come. Embrace this. Use the words “remember that time…” as much as possible and milk every good feeling you can out of your trip.
Of course, now that one trip is behind you, we can smoothly transition back into the Anticipation stage again. Travel is like a drug, once you get it in your system it’s hard to get out and it leaves you craving your next fix. So do it. Start thinking about where to go next. I mean, you have to do something with those vacation days, right? 
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