Planning
Be Sure Your Pets are in Good Hands
Bellatrix (Trix for short) I love to travel, but I always hate leaving my pets. It’s a dilemma that I know a lot of people have, what to do with my pets when I travel.
I know a lot of people use dog kennels and doggy daycare places or hire someone. There are even apps for it now. But what do you know about these people taking care of your pets? What other pets are they going to encounter?
Willie I don’t know about you, but my pets are my babies. I can’t entrust them to just anybody. I always leave my cat, Bellatrix, with family or a close family friend, same with my dog. Its people that I know and that my pets know. Not some stranger. My dog, Willie, has some reactivity issues and can not be around dogs he doesn’t know.
I also will often pet sit for family and friends as well. There is something reassuring knowing that your babies are with people you know and trust, not strangers.
Luna, My Brother’s Dog 
Gilligan, My Dad’s Dog
I always know that my pets will be well taken care of. Its sad to leave them for a couple weeks or even for a couple nights but it’s always great to see them when I get back home. I look forward to seeing them more than anything else.
Stamina Needed
Main Street on a Foggy Night at Disneyland This is not a very fun thing to think about, but it is important to do so before a trip, especially when you’re going some where like Disneyland. There is a reason for the saying that there are no calories at Disneyland, you burn a lot getting from place to place and back again.
Are you prepared to walk several miles a day and stand in line for long periods of time? Chances are you’re not. I mean how many people really spend 12+ hours a day walking and standing normally? I stand all day at both of my jobs but that’s usually no more than 8 hours.
You don’t need to be physically fit to travel anywhere, but preparation does help with not spending a couple days of your trip with your feet and legs in agony. This doesn’t mean you have to go out and join a gym, get a personal trainer, or whatever. You just need to go on walks a couple times a week, they don’t even need to be that long or every day. Just enough that your body is more used to the activity of walking.
You can never be fully prepared for the exercise you get on a trip as you walk and stand around much differently when you are at an amusement park or sightseeing. But it does help a lot to not go straight from sitting on the couch or at a desk several hours a day to all day on your feet when you probably also jet legged and tired.
All I do is try to take my dog for a walk around the neighborhood a couple times a week. I don’t go very far right now, but as we get more in the habit and build up that stamina the better for going longer distances and being in better shape for my upcoming trip to Disneyland.
I personally hate exercising. I hate getting all sweaty. Which is why taking my dog for a walk doesn’t feel as much like exercise as going for a run or to the gym. My dog also greatly appreciates the walks although he tends to be overly hyped about them and pulls too much.
I tend to have my phone out to play Pokémon Go and now Harry Potter: Wizards Unite while on these walks as well. I will also listen to a podcast or music. These things also help me feel like I’m doing a fun activity rather than exercising.
You just have to find something to motivate you to get off the couch a couple times a week. Your feet will thank you when it comes time for your trip. (And also, be sure to have COMFORTABLE shoes that are broken in for walking on your trip. NO NEW SHOES unless you want even more blisters.)
The Adventures Begin
I turned 29 a couple of months ago and realized I needed a change to my life before I turn 30 next year. I thought a great thing to do for turning 30 would be to go to Japan and view the Cherry Blossoms on my birthday. I have never been that into parties, but I’ve always loved traveling.
The problem with this was all of my family, that I would normally travel with, have all been very wishy-washy about agreeing to actually go. This disappointed me but I recently realized, even more than just an awesome trip, a bigger change for me would be to save up the money and go myself even if no one else comes with me. Afterall I am 29, I don’t need my family to plan a vacation. Hell, I planned the entire trip my mom and I took to England and Scotland last year.
I actually had as much fun planning and researching various things to do as I did on the trip itself. I have already started planning Japan, despite still saving up the money for it.
As a way to ease myself into traveling without my family I am going to Disneyland in September. This is a very easy trip for me to start with as I have been there several times over the years. I even worked there 8 years ago as part of the Disney College Program.
Now I won’t be completely alone in Disneyland. While I am there, I will be meeting a friend from Australia for the first time in person. She actually helped to encourage me to not only travel for myself, not my family, but also to start this blog of my adventures. She’s also planning to meet up with me in Japan in April too.
I believe Disneyland will be the first of many incredible adventures to come and I hope you enjoy my journey as much as I plan too.
