Israel!

"Have you ever been to the U.S?" I asked him.

"Non," he replied. "I am poor so I do not get to travel."

I nodded, "I'm poor because I travel."

"touche." he responded.

This evening, I fly to Tel Aviv. To say I'm excited is the understatement of the century. There are a lot of reasons I am thrilled for this trip, not the least of which is the fact that it's the first time I've been overseas in a couple years.

Travel is unlike regular vacation. And I've been really lucky to take some fantastic vacations over the past couple years, but it's not the same. Vacation is great, and super necessary, and we don't take enough of it. Vacation, however relaxing it may be however, doesn't supply the same release/rush as traveling.

When you travel, really get far away, you put yourself so far out of your comfort zone, that you are completely removed from any semblance of real life. That break, while not necessarily relaxing, is incredibly rejuvenating.

So, I'm off to the desert, and off the grid for a week. Shalom.