vacay [i'm baaaccck]

I'm baaacck!

We officially got back from Bali yesterday, and let me tell you what I have learned: (1) I love that place, and (2) I am not the traveler I used to be.

I have these glamorized visions of pre-full-time-job Lynsey and she was so spontaneous, jumping on planes to Hong Kong with less than a weeks notice, remembering the tricks of the trade for falling asleep on planes, eating local food, and meeting people from all over.  She was a pro.

But apparently, post-full-time-job Lynsey, while still a traveler, is a little out of practice.  As evidenced by the constellation of bug bites on my body I forgot to bring spray for, the burn on my chest I forgot to protect against, and the straw that is now my hair.

I even got a heat rash while bopping around Singapore on the way home, and Singapore wasn't even that hot! And, unfortunately, the story doesn't end there.  I then proceeded to put leggings on over the heat rash before an 18 hour plane flight.  Pure genius, I tell you.  Genius.  Needless to say, pre-full-time-job Lynsey is embarrassed by this story.

Apparently traveling is nothing like riding a bike.  Although, I also learned on this trip that I no longer know how to do that either...

Makes me wonder, is this the reason why parents don't like to travel?  They forget how to do it?  Or is it really the "traveling with kids is so expensive" excuse?  After this last trip, I am beginning to think it might be the former....you decide.

However, there is one thing that I still know how to do, and that is shop!  So to make up for my lack of traveling prowess, I went a little crazy in the loot department.

My favorite of my haul being these handwoven hand-dyed Ikat fabrics.  I walked into Nogo and almost died, I was so in love with everything there.  I walked out with six different fabrics that I intend to use on the daybed in my "office/dressing room" (and by this I mean our third tiny bedroom) re-design.  

I.  Am.  In.  Love.

I will say that no one else was as crazy about this monkey-man animal fabric as I was.  But I love how crazy it is.  I also got a gorgeous green Ikat that I intend to turn into a comforter to go with all of the pillows I am going to make using these fabrics.  Dying to see it all together (including this "antique" box we picked up).

So at least I wasn't a TOTAL embarrassment.  I did come back with something other than bug bites and a heat rash.  

And while I may have been a complete disaster, I remembered why I love traveling and I can't wait to start planning our next adventure.  Thailand?  Morocco?  Brazil?  I am not quite ready to give it up.  Although, that heat rash stunt could be enough to do it next time....