Vacation close to Home?  

Not as crazy as you might think

For those of us who believe that a vacation has to begin with a flight, the idea of driving an hour away from home, is not a vacation.  I drive further than that to shop.  However, with the world in lockdown, we have no choice but to consider the idea.

Last spring I made the decision to vacation close to home.  A friend had told me about a cottage resort near Algonquin Park.  I went on-line and discovered that they had experienced many cancellations from international guests, and they had openings they normally would not have.  

My husband and I discussed the idea of a cottage rental and quickly decided to give it a try.  Why not, we can't go anywhere else.  Ontario is a beautiful Province, why not see it again and again.

We booked a one bedroom cottage and had six weeks to wait.  

Now the fun starts.  I get to plan what to take, and make lists.  There was a list for groceries, meal planning, kitchen utensils, outdoor activities, indoor activities, and clothes.  Even though the resort website said the cottage came fully equiped, here are a few things that made it on my list.  

• two fans, one for the living room, one for the bedroom
• a card table for jigsaw puzzles and games
• a TV tray, because you never know when you need a extra table
• ice cube trays
• a blender for mixed fruity drinks
• a tray to carry snacks to the beach
• over-the-door hooks, there are never enough hooks

I used every single one of these items and more.  Fully equipped does not mean the cottage comes with things like, dish soap, hand towels, tinfoil, and ice cube trays.  

We had a great time. We planned a picnic on the way there, took morning walks everyday, layed in the sun by the lake, BBQue'd every night, and when I brought a tray of snacks to the beach, I was the envy of the Resort.  

There's no place like home, where ever to take it.