The term staycation was popularized by city dwellers detailing how, instead of flying off to Europe or the Caribbean, they spent their vacation “discovering” local museums, leisurely shopping and eating at charming bistros just around the corner.
We in the Centre Region can certainly do this. A visit to the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau or its Web site, www.centralpacvb.org, will amaze you with all the possibilities. You can spend a day on campus just visiting the museums. Lots of history is found in Boalsburg and Bellefonte or on other nearby day trips. However, what I am recommending is something different, what I call a radical staycation. The purpose is to give you all or many of the similarities of going away but without leaving home.
When people are asked why they go on vacation, the most common responses are: change of pace;
new experiences; see how others live; eat different food; get a new lease on life; meet new people; buy stuff; and bragging rights.
It is time to think outside the box. If you want to accomplish most of the above and go back to work with a different view of life while not leaving Centre County, here are some ideas. Remember, this is radical!
If you are Catholic, go to a Baptist church; if you are Pentecostal, worship with the Episcopalians. If Sunday is your day to sleep in, set your alarm for 6 a.m. and take a long walk or climb Mount Nittany.
If you are an early riser and jogger, sleep in, watch cartoons and then drive to the doughnut store to order at least three of the largest creatures in the case — and wash it down with a large Coke!
If your idea of healthy eating involves making sure the expiration date on the ice cream is still good, go to a supermarket and shop only in the aisle or section marked “organic” or “natural” foods. You could try organic granola topped with some fresh fruit and chocolate soy milk.
If you faithfully go grocery shopping with a list, do the following: pick a different supermarket, shop at a different time, and leave the list at home. Go down every aisle and buy only items you have never purchased before, even the type of milk you choose.
Remember one of the reasons for travel is to eat different food.
Unplug or turn off the following: TV, phone answering machines, computer, cell phones, BlackBerries (there is no reception in the Amazon jungle) and park your car. Get a bus schedule, take a taxi or, better yet, walk.
With no electronic distractions, you will have plenty of time to read. Go to the library for a selection of books you would never routinely pick. If you read mysteries, try reading some poetry or history (no peeking at your e-mail while you are at the library!).
I did say this was a radical experience and not for the faint of heart. If you decide to give it try, let me know what happened.
Cathy Phelps has lived in Centre County for more than 35 years and has worked in travel for more than 20 years. She has worked as an educator in New York, Puerto Rico and Suriname, where she was principal of the American School. She can be reached at cbphelps71@netscape.com.
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