Traveling With A Purpose

My co-worker returned on Friday from a week-long jaunt in Mexico. It was good timing, too, because I was getting tired out from working in the mail room all by my lonesome. This is not to say my job involves a lot of heavy labor -- it doesn't -- but the double duty of doing both mail runs and deliveries to all floors AND covering the security desk had worn out its welcome by weeks' end.

Most people would have asked him how it went (I did, he said it was "great" or "awesome" or something) and what he did, asked to see photos, etc, etc. I did not go any further than my initial question, mostly because I am an introverted jerk.

Now, don't get me wrong, if he would have insisted on telling me everything about the trip I would've listened. The "fuck off, I don't care" mentality is reserved only for the most special people in my life. But, yeah, I really didn't care, therefore the conversation went no further.

I have no idea why he went there, but something tells me after working with him for a year and a half that he didn't have a rigid itinerary. He doesn't drink, so I know he didn't go there to party...which is why most people my age go to Mexico to begin with. I figure him to be the type of person to go down there and just soak in the culture. There is nothing wrong with this. But I got to thinking about what I would do if I traveled, and though I wouldn't have an itemized itinerary, I would certainly have a purpose. I don't just go somewhere to see shit.

Case in point: a few months ago I was trying to decide how to use some discount vouchers I had from Midwest Airlines. I suggested to my girlfriend that maybe we should just go somewhere that we'd never been before as she was resisting going to Vegas.

After looking through the cities, I found that there were specific things that I wanted to see there and nothing more. I wanted to see the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville and Sun Studios in Memphis. If I went to New Yotk City, besides seeing obvious landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, I would be disappointed if I didn't get to take in a taping of Late Show with David Letterman or Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

I can't just go somewhere and hang out. Even somewhere as laid back as Mexico, I'm pretty sure I'd just go there to buy cheap booze and cigarettes.