by Gordon Sumner

Created on: February 16, 2009   Last Updated: February 17, 2009

There is something magical about pulling back the covers of a king-size bed at a four-star hotel somewhere far away from home. This simple ritual, which usually occurs at the beginning of a vacation and continues each night for the duration of the getaway, is my personal starting point of the vacation. I can officially relax.

I'm not sure if it's the crisp, clean feel of linen sheets, the fact that someone else made this bed just for me, or the idea that come morning I have nowhere to go and no one to see that make it "ok" for me to relax. But what I do know is that vacations have become my way of escaping the drudgery of day-to-day living.

When I say that vacations have become my escape, I should be clear that there might have been a time in my life when excitement would have taken priority over relaxation when evaluating what type of vacation would bring me the most personal satisfaction. Today, with three kids, a demanding job and little free time to call my own, you might say I am "relaxation deprived".

That's what makes all of the bells and whistles at a top-notch resort worth it. Mints on the pillow, turned-down sheets, bathrobes and slippers, and an in-hotel spa are just a few of the details that carry me away from the stresses of my day to day life and into the realm of "care-free, relaxed vacation guy". My wife loves this guy, by the way. She wishes he would spend more time around the home for the other 50 weeks of the year when we're not traveling.

This is not to say that I am a grumpy, tightly wound stress case for the rest of the year. On the contrary, my wife and I have a wonderful and fulfilling relationship together and we love and dote on our three children. The drudgery of day-to-day living lies more in the mundane, joyless and even dreaded tasks, which come with the territory. Look, I am not telling you anything you don't already know. Filling out paperwork, going to meetings and logging into your computer on Monday morning are not what most normal people look forward to.

Therein lies the beauty of the vacation. It is an escape, a change from the everyday, a way to wipe the slate clean and come back energized and excited about life. Relaxing in a chaise lounge, sipping pina coladas and gazing out over the Pacific is the best way I can think of how to tune out all the noise that comes in our always-on, twenty-four seven world.

I am the first to admit that it's a vicious cycle. Though I am sure my wife already suspected, I came clean with her the other night that I am a travel addict. A junkie. At least I got that one off my chest. As soon as we get home from one vacation, it doesn't take me too long to start dreaming about the next one. Like a chronic user's drug of choice, it keeps me coming back for more. The complete relaxation that comes from a well-planned getaway is too much to resist.

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