BLOG SWAP!!!

I got paired up with James for the 20sb blog swap. I've never participated before so this is all new to me. Here is his blog entry. I'm over at his blog. Here's his entry for today. Hope you like our topic :-)

I signed up randomly for the 4th 20sb Blog Swap, and found it to be such a cool experience that I vowed to participate in as many as I could. So, for the 5th 20sb Blog Swap, I got paired with Heather. At first glance, I was a bit scared. Me, a man, write for a self-described feminist? Chances are I couldn't blag it with a drunk post about dating minefields like I did last time.

After a spot of emailing, we decided to talk about holidays. Specifically, favourite holidays. Now, seeing as I'm due to head to the Lake District for a week's hiking and relaxing on Saturday, I figured this was well timed.

But hang on. Favourite holidays. How do you choose one? I've been luckily enough to have holidayed in places such as California, Vermont, Massachusetts, Crete, Portugal, Scotland, Florida and England, and I can't choose one of them easily.

If it was based upon distance, then sure, my trips to California would nail them. But then what about culture? American life isn't really any different to English life; I'd be looking at Portugal or Crete. Or weather? Not as easy as you might think - Crete and Portugal had gorgeous weather, but there was no variation - and baking hot gets pretty boring after a while. Vermont had lovely warm summer days mingled with blissfully cool times - a real blessing when you're trekking through the mountains.

I'd rather choose based on experience. But that's another thing - is one experience truly better than others? Granted, I wouldn't put a car crash as a better experience than, say, skydiving - but you know what I mean.

My trips to the Lake District and Scotland have largely been hiking trips. I mean, if you're going to a mountainous region with absolutely stunning vistas from the summits, you're going to climb them. It's a lot more challenging than, say, heading off to Florida and taking in the sights (or, you know, beaches). But you wouldn't go to Florida with the goal of hiking and climbing mountains.

I can honestly say that every single one of my holidays has been unmatched by any other. Like last year, when my Dad and I spent ten days in San Francisco and Monterey Bay. Or when my family, including my Aunt and Uncle, my three cousins and two of their boyfriends, all trekked up to Scotland and enjoyed two weeks in the highlands. It's comparable, but uncomparable at the same time.

It's about the moment. How you feel at that moment. Looking back, with that in mind, it's actually quite obvious what my favourite holiday was.

All of them.