Ideal Vacation Essay

Example #1

An ideal vacation for me is a vacation that takes me away from all the things that are in my normal routine. I want to get away from the things that occupy my everyday life such as school, my hectic work schedule, chores, and most of all stress. Vacation is where I kick back, relax, not worry about money, and try things that I, on a normal basis, would not try. My vacation starts the minute I start to pack my suitcase because that is when the real relaxation begins.

When I know that I have my suitcase packed and my trip thoroughly planned I am at ease and ready to go. The ride down to the warm Florida beach is half the fun. The excitement that builds on the way there makes it that much better when I get to my destination. When I get there I go to my very luxurious condo with a beach pool and palm trees everywhere. This is the perfect setting for my ideal vacation. Now that I am officially on vacation the rest of the week consists of everyday relaxation. The best part about going to resorts with all-inclusive amenities is that it takes real work out of the picture.

The job for the resort staff is to meet the needs of every guest, including me. I sit by the pool after unpacking and just unwind and start on my vacation tan while a staff member brings my lunch straight out to me. Whenever I get back to my room from my long day of leisure it has been spotlessly cleaned and I did not have to lift a finger. I end every day with a quiet walk on the beach and anticipate what I will do on the next day. Another exhilarating factor of my vacation is doing all the things that I could not do if I were still at home. I then get ready and go out for a thrilling day of adventure.

First I go parasailing in the morning while overlooking the beautiful city. I could go scuba diving next but instead, I choose to take an afternoon ride around town to see the sites and see what the entire city has to offer.

 

Example #2 – My ideal vacation

Hello, everyone. I’d like to tell you about my ideal vacation. To make my vacation perfect, certain important things need to be taken into consideration. These things include who I spend my vacation with, where I want to go, what I want to do, and the sort of weather the place has.

It can be an ideal vacation when all these things are met. First of all, I like to spend my vacation with people I love and I feel comfortable with. They could be my family, friends or even my future boyfriend.

Secondly, I love traveling to other countries. I love visiting new places because I can experience different cultures and meet different people who I wouldn’t normally get to meet. When I go abroad, I get the feeling that I’m living in a big world and that all my worries are so small and pointless.

It would be great to go to a country I have never been to before. I’ve heard from many people who’ve been to Europe that Barcelona was the best place they’d ever visited. Barcelona is a city that has beautiful beaches and is known for having sunny and clear weather, so if I had a chance of going to any country I wanted to, I’d choose Barcelona as my ideal vacation location.

On my vacation, I’d like to relax on a beautiful blue beach. I want to sunbathe and get a tan, too. Most people think of this sort of image in their heads when they come up with their idea of an ideal vacation, and I agree with them. I know it’s because the media influences people’s ideas. But, I’ve always wanted to experience a vacation like that at least once in my life.

So, considering all things, I’d want to go to Barcelona with the people I love, and visit many famous tourist spots and enjoy being in the sun and getting a tan on a beautiful beach. After having fun on the beach, I’d like to eat delicious Spanish food for dinner.

 

Example #3 – Mexico

It seemed at first like any other family trip with mom all excited and planning, my stepdad telling everyone not to pack too much, getting on another plane, and then we land. The first thing that I noticed was the heat, it made my knees buckle. Then looking around and seeing all the men with guns, everyone seems so serious going through the lines that have a green and red light that either says that you can go or you have to be stopped and searched. It was scary seeing all of this right before my eyes. Everyone was speaking a language that I wasn’t understanding. All sorts of people running out to us trying to give us rides or selling stuff, I don’t know because I don’t know what they were saying.

Once we found the bus that my mom had reserved it was a long, hot, bumpy ride through poverty and dirtiness. What seemed like a ride that wouldn’t stop and seeing accidents and almost being in one myself, we finally reached a green, tropical area along the beach, where our condo was. The moment we got into the condo we all got our bathing suits on and ran to the beach. The first thing that I noticed was how hot the sand was. The sand wasn’t thought the sand that had in Washington, it was soft and clean and dry that was without rocks and sticks in it. We found a place to lay and put our stuff under one of the large umbrellas. When we went to go into the water I noticed something that I will never forget.

The Mexicans were roped off from our area and all lined up wanting to sell us jewelry, shirts, hats, and pottery. My brother said that they tried to sell him some marijuana, but no one tried to sell me any of that stuff. Which is a good thing because I am only nine. I didn’t go to the ocean as fast as my brother and younger sister did.

Or I didn’t do what my older sister did, which is flirt with the pool boys and try to get her tan started. I stayed with the people selling stuff. I kept thinking that I could swim any time but I could never talk and bargain and try to learn there language. I got so lost and I think that sometimes they had me say the wrong things because they laughed after having me say some phrase of theirs. I liked being the center of attention. I have learned so much about Mexico by just trying to talk to the venders. I even made friends that I think I will always remember and try to keep in touch with.

From the time that we stepped of the plan until we got to the condo, it was such a different experience than I never expected or could even imagine what a different world a little plane ride could bring me to. I kept comparing my home and surrounding the home and surroundings of these people outside of the bus walking and working and having their everyday life.

I looked over at my mom who was glued to the window, eyes wide that kept saying, ” Kids! Look over here! Did you see that?” She looked like she was fascinated by this different lifestyle. My mom is the most exciting person to go on vacation with because she will research it before we go and always be happy no matter what. Yet sometimes she gets very annoyed with all of the little facts that no one cares about.

My stepfather on the other hand just kept saying, ” This bus is taking fucking forever. I want a cigarette.” Then he must of felt happiness remembering that he was allowed to smoke anywhere and everywhere as he smiled and lit up his cigarette on the bus. He doesn’t seem to enjoy getting there as much as just being were we where supposed to be. My stepdad is not a very happy man, he is a very negative person. I was waiting to see if everything that came out of his mouth this trip was colorless and rejecting. My older sister next to me was hot and sweaty, she didn’t show much emotion as I don’t think she knew how she should act or feel at all. My younger sister was bouncing all around looking from window to window and asking lots and lots of questions.

I think she just so excited to be somewhere else that she was trying to take it all in, but not knowing exactly what was going on around us. My older brother, on the other hand, couldn’t understand why all of these people just didn’t move somewhere nicer, he is very spoiled by his mom. His mom gives him everything that he wants just because he is this big sports player. For myself, I thought that it was funny how everyone acted differently to the same bus ride where I think that I watched my family’s reactions more than reacting myself. When I go on vacations I don’t show any emotions until I am having fun because I like to watch everyone else’s reactions.

As my mom wanted to take another trip to Mexico this year I instantly remembered my first trip to Mexico as I have been there three times now. I was excited to go, wanting to feel and see different cultures and have a fantastic vacation as every trip to Mexico was just as eye-opening as the first trip. Being here at home and surrounded by our life with money, cars, school, and friends, I forget about the different life that others had in Mexico.

I feel the excitement coming back to me every time the mom wants to take a trip there. My first trip changed my whole perspective for other cultures and got me thinking about it would be like if I lived in Mexico or if I had to go through all of the poverty. It makes me think how different my life would be if I lived there and thankful that I live where I do, but yet so excited to go down and meet all of the friendly people that can even remember me and my name when I see them.

Mexico made me notice that with all of the friendly people down in Mexico and their not so great lifestyle, that I now have a better understanding of everything that I have. Even though my life, my family life is different because it is just my mom and me now, when we go to Mexico I still feel the same way about Mexico as when I had my big family. So I think that the place impacts me now with the same feelings no matter who I go with, it is just a special place. No matter how many times I go to Mexico it is like the first time every time.

 

Example #4 – Holidays and Ideal Vacation

My ideal vacation would have to star with the weather being nice and warm. The place I would like my ideal vacation to be on a sandy beach with no parents to be annoying and boss me around. I would take a couple of my really good friends that I hang out with all the time.

It wouldn’t have to plan anything on this trip or have to book anything it would all be ready to go. The food and everything we need would not cost a penny. The hotel we would be staying at would be a five-star resort and the best around. We would have the best room in the whole hotel and it was amazing.

In our room would be an indoor pool, to begin with. The hotel room would be the size of a house and it would have flat-screen televisions, cable, laptops, and high-speed internet and a hot tub in every bathroom. There would be a huge kitchen so we could cook and it would be stocked with all the great food we like. Next, to our huge room would be a spa that is open to us all day and night. That day we could go to it whenever we wanted. The spa people would treat us like royalty and they would wait on my friends and me hand and foot. We would go to the beach and tan and relax because it only allows my friends and me.

The beach also would have a huge snack bar and boardwalk. The second floor of our hotel would have a huge mall with lots of cool stores that we like. We would be able to get any shoes, clothes, and anything else we wanted for free. We would stay as long as we want and do whatever we want and have no rule. That is what my ideal vacation would be and yes it will never happen. My ideal vacation was to explore and see Alaska’s greatness, for the first time. The glaciers are real floating pieces of ice, the mountains are majestic, and the ocean is nice deep dark blue.

There are waterfalls and don’t miss the much talked about Northern Lights. There is also a lot of preserved undomesticated land with wild horses and habitat. Nothing could be further from the truth when you think of all the things people say about it coming true. Everything is wondrous; the air is very fresh. You can’t help but absorb the mountain fresh air through your body. Stepping into Alaska is like stepping into an internal spa unit. All great vibes surround you. Now that’s a worthy vacation to me, one where you feel the difference inside and out.

What makes these things so great is that they are a permanent fixture of this earth. There is beauty enough to last through one’s life. The glaciers and mountains will last longer than any brick building or house. When I was in the eighth grade, I remember walking to school during the winter, and it was so cold I developed icicles on my eyelashes. It was not cold enough for the schools to close. And snowshoes were not needed because I walked on a path, but having actual icicles on my eyelashes was more fun than having a snowball fight, and cool.

The impact of that great vast land of preservation on my life is permanent. Once you see it, you will always remember how big that bear or moose was you saw, or how blue that ice was the glacier was made out of. Sometimes when I’m in the city I still confuse the tall buildings with what I thought was a mountain. And when you compare city life to terrain life, it’s very similar. The obstacles are the survival of mother earth, instead of the products of mankind. One of my favorite family traditions is the summer vacation. Every summer without fail we go on vacation.

For the past ten years, we have been going to Disney World with our family friends the Battaglia’s, so it has turned into a tradition up until last summer when we broke our Florida adventure to go to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We have been going on vacation with the Battaglia for so long for a very good reason. It is because everyone gets along. My mom, Mr. Battaglia, and Mrs. Battaglia are very good friends. Ronnie Battaglia, who is 19, is my best friend and we get along great. My sister Katie, 16, and Beth Battaglia, 18, also get along very well.

This works out great because we are all old enough to go out and do our own thing without getting the parents too much involved. Since most of the fun things to do are located right near the hotels we stay at we rarely need to ask them for a ride anywhere, so everyone gets there way and it turns into a great vacation for all of us. We have been going to Disney World together for as long as I can remember. We know the place inside and out. Where all the best rides are, which park is the best, it even got so bad that we knew what time the lines for each ride was shortest.

Disney World always comes out with some kind of new ride or show each year so that is what mostly kept us continuing to come back year after year. One the day though while we were planning our next trip we decided it was time for a change of pace. We thought that Myrtle Beach, South Carolina would be a nice place to visit. My mom had already ventured down there with a friend and new that everyone would enjoy it. So we went down there last summer and it was a big transition for all of us.

It was more of an adult vacation which was good because we were getting a little too old for Disney World.

At first, no one was too fond of it, but then after visiting many places such as the boardwalk, golf, and clubs we all began to enjoy it a little more. In conclusion, I found that traditions don’t always have to stay the same. We changed things up a bit and it might be for the better. Who knows, Myrtle Beach could be a new vacation spot for us and a new tradition in the making. How I Spent My Summer Vacation, My boyfriend, Greg and I felt it would be a great opportunity to spend some quality time with our friends. We were going on a three-day camping trip with long time friends, another couple, Chris and Heather.

Chris is the go-with-the-flow type of guy but only if Heather allows him to do so. Heather is a very kind person who looks out for others. She just crosses that line of being concerned with being motherlike. See we spend a lot of time with them, but it’s like other people’s children, you can go home and leave them, this time we couldn’t. You may be asking yourself why would we decide to go camping with such people . . . I just don’t know. This question would overwhelm Greg and me for the next two weeks while planning this getaway.

Greg looked more pessimistically at the trip then I did. I thought if you go looking for a bad time, the only outcome will be a bad time. Realizing that we could be each other’s only sanity from Heather’s overpowering behavior and Chris’s childlike mind, we made up little cues to give each other if we needed to get away. We stocked up on interesting reading material to get lost in and relaxing alcoholic beverages to take off the edge. We packed up the trucks and we were off. Chris’s friend from work recommended the campsite so we decided to follow him since he had the directions.

We traveled up interstate 84 eastbound over the Newburgh Beacon Bridge and made our way to the State Taconic Parkway. Now, this is where Greg and I looked at each other in agreement that the trip was going to go only downhill from there, the parkway that we had gotten ourselves onto by following Chris was for passenger cars only. We both had commercial trucks. About fifteen minutes on the highway we passed a State Trooper, thank God he didn’t budge from where he was sitting. Through that hour on the parkway, we must have passed four Troopers, none of whom pulled us over.

Finally, and I mean finally, we arrived two and a half hours later at our campsite. All four of us got out of the trucks to observe where we were going to spend the next three days with each other, Greg and I found some humor with our surroundings. We were roughly twenty steps from the bathrooms and ten steps from our neighbors. We knew it couldn’t possibly get any worse until we heard the BANG of the bathroom door. I guess the camp people wanted to make sure the door would close properly to its full closer, a spring used to shut the volt door at a bank was used to shut this simple hollow wooden door.

With the startling noise of the door, our neighbor let out several YEE-HAWS to his full capacity. With our minds made up that we were doomed, we applied our bug spray and set up camp. Chris was predetermined to create the largest campfire on the grounds. Greg said it is because he’s a pyro. So with the evening closing in, Chris sparks up a fire with a flare no less. Maybe he was just biding his time but I’ve gotten a larger fire on my grill at home. Either way, he was happy, Heather allowed him to play before he had to go to bed. Shortly after Chris got his pyro like tendencies out our neighbor decides to do the same.

Tex, as we all agreed on calling him because of his big white cowboy hat, threw a fourteen-foot log and a couple of bushes in a pile and to create his masterpiece. Watching him light it with gasoline Chris’s manhood was on the line, Tex’s fire was blazing. I’m sure you figured it right, Chris added more wood doing nothing but smothering it. On that note, we decided to head to our tents and go to sleep. Did I say sleep? We wanted to sleep but Tex seemed to have a snoring problem. Chris and Heather slept right through it, Greg and I, on the other hand, didn’t. We found it funny.

We couldn’t believe how Mrs. Tex slept with that but I guess she was used to it. We finally made it sleep around three or so to be woken up by the crashing of the door and Yee-haws by our loud friend Tex. We got up and had our necessary dosage of coffee. It surprisingly was a relaxing day of no required energy. I found the greatest chuckle in Greg’s experience of taking a shower. He told me in the most serious voice how he has never felt so violated. The showers were small, very dirty and overly populated. That second and last night I think is the most vivid to me of the entire time.

Earlier a middle-aged woman, by herself, set up camp, well her chair at the site next to us behind Tex. We didn’t pay much attention to her all day. Night drew in and cries played with his fir, Greg sat back and laughed and Heather and I cleaned up from our chicken dinner. From our lights, at the campsite, we could see the lonely lady sitting by herself in the dark. Chris, being told by Heather, went over to offer the woman a lantern and interrupted her. She was crying hysterically. Little did we know from that moment on she would not leave us alone until midmorning.

We all found out a lot more about this stranger then I think we knew about each other. Her name was Kim. She was crying because she just experienced a serious heartbreak after five years. We became very aware of her stalking potential by the way she explained how her heart got broken. A cup, which she brought to our site, was soon to be believed as full of alcohol. She was sloshed, repeating everything. I lost count of the times she told us of her breakup, her children, her job, her breakup, and her job. She also seemed to take to Greg very well; you could tell she liked him.

I thought it was quite humorous since she could have been his mother. So since you have a basic understanding of what I did this summer I’ll close on this, gather more information on where you will be staying if you choose to go away with friends, find the humor in the people like Tex he could be a better company then middle-aged drunken women named Kim. MY BEST VACATION. Today, I would like to tell you about my best vacation. A few summers ago, my sister, her colleagues and me took a vacation to Nha Trang for 5 days. As you know, the vacation was special day!

We visited many well-known places such as Vinpeal Land, Hon Tam Island, Diamond Bay, Thap Ba Pagoda,… and so on. On the way riding in the cable car to go to Vinpeal Land, we saw several jellyfish in the very blue water. It is the first time I have ever seen an extremely beautiful view like that, so I felt very interested and relaxed. We stayed there all day to play games, visit the aquarium, take photographs; we spent another day diving into the sea to view the colorful coral. At the moment I felt anxious because I couldn’t swim, but when I saw the coral, its beauty made me forgot all things.

The next day, I took a boat for somewhere that I don’t know to eat seafood such as fish, cattle fish, shrimp… The food was so fresh and delicious. At night, we rent a bicycle to ride along the seacoast. It was so romantic journey. After we are utterly exhausted, we dropped in shift shop where we ate lobster, grilled meat roll and drank sugarcane juice… The last day before came back home, we went to the market to buy specialties and souvenirs for our family and friends. Although I got sick after the vacation I felt so happy from my heart. I love my vacation so much.

 

Example #5

An ideal vacation is a vacation takes a person away from all things that are in their normal routine. Some people want to break away from certain conditions that occupy their everyday life like school, a hectic work schedule, housework, and the biggest one of them all stress. Vacation is where they get to kick back and relax. They won’t have to worry about money and will be able to do things that they would not normally do regularly.

The vacation begins the minute she starts to pack her suitcases. She packs light-colored clothes, sandals, a few bathing suits, sunblock, and a camera. Who knows if she will be able to go on another vacation? Once she has finished packing and each item is done and checked off the list, it is time to start relaxing. When she knows all the bags are packed and she is ready to go, shell has a calmness about her and she will think “Okay this is happening”.

She starts to think about the beautiful sandy beaches, the clear blue water, and the beautiful weather. When she arrives at the destination the first idea that she gets is to hit the power button on her cell phone. The excitement starts to build and she cannot wait to get to an all-inclusive resort, so she can see what the day will bring.

Now that she is officially on vacation the rest of her time will just consist of total relaxation and enjoying her time there. The best part about her going on vacation is that she has the privilege to stay at a resort. At a resort, they don’t have to worry about paying for meals every day because they are all-inclusive, so if she’s a big eater then she wouldn’t have to worry about paying every day for a meal or a snack. She could eat all day if she wanted to. The resort staff is there to tend to her whatever her needs may be. The resort also has many activities that she will be able to participate in from sports to dance lessons.

After she unpacks her suitcases, she decides to go down by the pool and unwind. The resort staffs are there as soon as she has a seat by the pool asking “What would you like for lunch”. As she waits on the food, she takes in the beautiful view and the warm weather. Once the day comes to an end she decides to take a walk on the beach and watch the sun go down and think about what she has planned for her agenda tomorrow. There is so much to do and see on vacation she just wants to take it all in.

 

Example #6

Now that she is officially on vacation the rest of her time will just consist of total relaxation and enjoying her time there. The best part about her going on vacation is that she has the privilege to stay at a resort. At a resort, they don’t have to worry about paying for meals every day because they are all-inclusive, so if she’s a big eater then she wouldn’t have to worry about paying every day for a meal or a snack. She could eat all day if she wanted to. The resort staff is there to tend to her whatever her needs may be. The resort also has many activities that she will be able to participate in from sports to dance lessons.

After she unpacks her suitcases, she decides to go down by the pool and unwind. The resort staffs are there as soon as she has a seat by the pool asking “What would you like for lunch”. As she waits on the food, she takes in the beautiful view and the warm weather. Once the day comes to an end she decides to take a walk on the beach and watch the sun go down and think about what she has planned for her agenda tomorrow. There is so much to do and see on vacation she just wants to take it all in.

 

Example #7 – Contrast of Vacations

Summer and vacations are synonymous, especially with my family. Does Chevy  Chase and summer vacation ring a bell? With a family of six, anything is possible. There are two types of excursions that we take every year. I refer to one as my family vacation and the other as my family trip. My family vacation to the beach is an annual event, but my family trip destination is always different. This past summer my family and I went to Wyoming. Both experiences were the highlights of my summer but for very different reasons.

We begin packing for our beach trip shortly after my grandmother arrives from  North Carolina. My dad’s twenty-five-year-old surfboard is securely tied on top,  and we are stuffed like sardines into the car with the week’s groceries packed in every nook and cranny. My dad always insists that we take everything with us;  it would be a sin to spend good beach time at the grocery store. The trip down is uneventful, and we make our traditional only stop at the Subway for lunch and gas.

I was taught early on that there are limited drinks on travel day because bathroom breaks are unheard of. After an early start, we arrive to find our three-bedroom, three-bath condo just as we remember it. We especially enjoy having a VCR in each bedroom, After unpacking the car, my family and I head for the beach. The familiar smell of the salty air, the rhythm of the ocean waves,  and the gentle breeze across my face are like long-lost friends. The beach routine begins.

Just as we do on the day we leave for the beach, my family and I wake up early to prepare to leave for Wyoming. My dad says that getting my family of six ready to go is like launching the space shuttle. For this trip, luggage is limited to what we can each carry. We all convince my dad that there will be grocery stores in Wyoming. After a quick trip to the airport, we board a jet to  Atlanta and take a connecting flight to Denver. The highlight of our plane trip is the long-awaited lunch, which is a real disappointment. My mom and dad nap,  while my sisters and I watch a movie.

We arrive on time at the Denver airport,  where our rental car is waiting. I notice how bleak and dry the land looks, and  I can not see a mountain anywhere. We begin our adventure not knowing what to expect. We arrive at our cozy little cabin that stands in the shadows of the  Grand Tetons only to realize that there is only one bathroom. Now that may not seem like a big deal to you, but if you have your bathroom at home and are suddenly sharing one with five other people, life can be traumatic.

Beach days always begin the same way. Around nine o’clock, the two tents are set upfront and center as close to the water as possible. ( We spend twelve  hours on the beach each day, and shade is a must for all of us). The coolers,  packed with drinks and snacks, are carefully set under the tents. Next come to the  chairs, shovels, books, surfboard, and of course the Wall Street Journal. My dad travels untold miles each morning to make sure that he has his favorite reading material.

With the adults under one tent and the children under the other, we begin a daily regimen of reading, sleeping, eating, and maybe a game of cards.  Exercise might include a slow walk on the beach, a swim in the clear blue water,  or digging a hole. For some strange reason, we always dig a hole so deep that we think we might reach China. We all gather at the end of each day to watch the sunset over the ocean, and so it goes for seven slow, lazy, relaxing days.

Unlike our lazy mornings at the beach, mornings in Wyoming begin at the crack of dawn. There is so much to see and do that my parents want to take advantage of our time. This trip is not for the faint of heart. Each day brings new experiences such as horseback riding, rodeos, hiking, white water raft trips,  and much more. It is an exhausting schedule, especially when my dad leads us on a three-mile hike that turns out to be seven miles. We spend evenings listening to the babbling creek outside our door or watching a neighborhood moose graze near the creek. Did I mention there is no TV? My family passes the time by talking to each other, playing cards, or reading books for entertainment. My sister says she is going to frame the book she reads, claiming that it is the longest book she will ever read. So our days in Wyoming begin and end, never two days the same.

Seafood is the beach, and we take full advantage of its availability. We go to the local market and purchase shrimp, fish, and scallops to cook and eat as we please. A trip to our favorite restaurant, The Toucan, is always on the agenda. We leave early in hopes of making it back before the sunset. As soon as we step out of the car, we smell the aroma seeping from the kitchen. After two hours of waiting, we finally sit down, elbow to elbow, and enjoy our seafood dinner. One night like this is enough!

Wyoming, on the other hand, holds a wide variety of dining experiences. Quite by accident, we stumble across a hole-in-the-wall restaurant called the Buffalo  Valley Cafe. We enter cautiously and find that we are the only customers.  Seating capacity in the cafe is around twenty, so we all spread out.  Surprisingly, the food is wonderful, and the desserts are even better. We decide to go back a second time for buffalo burgers, only to find that it has closed for the season. We prepare picnics daily for lunch so that we can enjoy the beauty of the land while eating. The rangers tell us that picnics for hiking are not wise because bears are everywhere!

Adventure and routine are two adjectives that I cannot characterize as good or bad. Routine is familiar, comfortable, relaxing, and traditional. Adventure is new, unknown, unpredictable, and exhausting. Thus our two kinds of vacations are entirely different, but each is meaningful in its way. Spending time with family in familiar surroundings is a long-established tradition. Spending time with my family exploring new places is unforgettable. It is difficult to decide between one or the other, and luckily we did not have to make this decision. Variety is the spice of life.