Where to go...

It has happened. Again.
The travel bug has bitten.
It comes around periodically and unfortunately I don't ever see it until after it's bitten. Do yourself a favor, if you see the bug flying around you, swat it before it bites...save yourself the agony.

In case you're not familiar with the travel bug, the symptoms are: increased distraction and unfocused thinking, an urge to grab your passport and run to the closest airport, clouded mind with thoughts of far-off places, an unease at staying put. It maybe confused with ADD or paranoia but if you find yourself looking at travel websites, travel books, or even cooking various ethnic foods, then it's probably the travel bug.

I know your next question is undoubtedly about the cure! So in you find yourself bitten by the travel bug, there are only a few options:

• You could given in, grab your passport, and head to the nearest airport, taking a spontaneous trip to some place fun or exotic or interesting.
• You could ignore and suppress the urges and distractions, doing your best to focus on the life you are in, until you find the symptoms are gone.
• You could plan a trip for the future, which will satisfy your need to think on travel-related things and also give you something to look forward to, without the spontaneity of the first option.
• You could give yourself a mini-holiday to see if that might cure the symptoms. There is no guarantee this might work but if desperate, or if you cannot afford a "large" vacation, a mini vacation might be helpful. Whether taking a day-trip, treating yourself to some pampering, or planning a small activity with friends...give whatever idea a try and see if that helps.

As for my current illness, I'm not sure what course of action I'll take.
I already plan to visit my parents in Arizona later on this year. And I'd like to visit my friend in Mexico again (hopefully). But neither are plan-able right now.

I'm definitely interested in going somewhere (see symptoms) and there are a slew of destinations that I've yet to visit (Prague, Italy, Ireland, Israel, India, Australia, Puerto Rico, Alaska, New York, Washington DC) but then my struggle is whether to visit some new place or re-visit places where distant friends are...clouded mind. But then another side of me wants to take a missions trip...a trip with a purpose instead of just sightseeing...which is something I'm considering (and looking into) and would greatly satisfy the travel bug but also is not plan-able at the moment as nothing has been determined. And even then, where would/should I go? Blah! It's this round and round thinking that is driving me crazy (see symptoms). I think I'll cook myself some curry and try to suppress the bug for the time being.

But grabbing the passport and making a run for it, sounds exciting...
Only where to go???