You're listening to life kit from NPR.
Hey, everybody, it's Marielle.
You remember the early part of the pandemic, when the days of isolation stretched into months.
At night, I would lay on the floor of my apartment with my eyes closed and listen to guided meditations to try to take myself to a happier place.
One time the prompt was something like, picture yourself doing something that brings you great joy.
The first thing that popped into my head was an image of me wandering the cobblestone streets of some small european village, probably in France.
The sun was shining, and every step I took was a feast for the eyes.
Medieval houses, colorful flowers resting in vases on outdoor tables, battisseries with gorgeous pastries in the window just waiting to be eaten.
I didn't realize until that moment just how much I missed traveling and how badly I wanted to look at something outside of my four walls or the blocks of my neighborhood.
The next year, I took a three week trip to the UK and France, and I ate those pastries and wandered until my feet hurt and filled a hole that had been growing inside of me.
Big trips can do that.
Laliaro Koglu knows what I'm talking about.
She's the articles director at Conde Nast Traveler.
On a really basic level, I think it's just being able to have a break from the crush of regular life, whether that's work or childcare or school, whatever it may be.
You know, the opportunity to just take yourself out of your routine and be somewhere else and get to immerse yourself in that place, to me, is like the main draw of it.
Now when we talk about a big trip, that can mean different things depending on your travel style and your budget.
You know, it might be a long road trip or an extended stay at a cottage in the woods or a multi city tour on another continent, but it's typically something you save up for and plan months in advance.
Lale has a big trip coming up.
She's going to Peru.
I've been waiting to do it for a long time.