A Palm Springs Christmas (Part 3): The Ghost of Christmas Future

 All in all, our vacation was a wonderful experience and I loved having so much time with my boyfriend since we'd been so busy with both of us being in school for the past couple of days. All of our hikes and travelling to the ocean were probably my highlights. However, I don't think I'd go back.

While the weather was preferable to the -30 degrees back home, it wasn't as warm as I would've liked. I spent a large part of the trip in big sweaters and cozy sweatpants as the temperature hovered around 15 degrees. I remember a few years ago, when we were in Kelowna, we had one plus 40 day. That was one of the best days of my little human-lizard-hybrid life. 

I also felt that there wasn't much to actually do in Palm Springs. So many of our days were spent inside watching movies or reading, which aren't bad in and of themselves. However, when I go on vacation if I'm reading, I'd like to be doing it while suntanning on a beach, soaking in the sun we Canadians barely get in the winter. The three main things to do were hiking (which we did enjoy), golfing (which I resent), and shopping (which Carl resents). There weren't any sites to see, like the Chapel of the Holy Cross we went to see in Arizona. We had planned to do a day in Disneyland, but, when we checked, the park had been booked up until mid January. 

What I like when I go on vacation is experience new things-- as cliche as that sounds-- but it's true. I like learning about the history of places (like the ghost tour we did in New Orleans), try local cuisine (like beignets, also in New Orleans), see some neat architecture and cultural spots. Palm Springs had some local spots, but a lot of the places my boyfriend and I ate at were American chains that we don't get to have in Canada (namely Panera bread and Krispy Kreme donuts). 

One of the best parts of our trip, specifically in terms of food, was a local steakhouse we visited early into our trip (which I highlighted in a previous post). Besides that one, we visited a few more local dinner spots that were pretty good, but none stood out like that steakhouse. 

The worst part of our trip, by far, was the required COVID-19 testing in order to get home. It was ridiculously expensive and nearly impossible to get an appointment for. We had to drive all over the state and pay enormous funds to get home. Our first test, I never even got the results back from, even with the cost being three times what it was in Canada, and (theoretically) would've taken 2 days longer to get the results from. Namely the issue-- aside from the overwhelming crowds also attempting to get tested--was that we had to get a test within 72 hours of our flight, but most testing locations were having results delayed for up to five days later. So, if you did miraculously find a testing place that you could get in and out of without too much hassle, and you got your test right at the start of that 72 hour period, you still may be too late to get results before your flight. 

The older I get, and the more I travel to the USA, the more unwilling I find myself to ever stay there for any extended length, let alone live there. I think the measure of if I truly enjoy a place is whether or not I can see myself ever living there. In places we've visited in BC, specifically a small ski-town we visited and Kelowna, my boyfriend and I have repeatedly discussed if we would live there or not; what our lives there would be like; raising a family in that location; et cetera. For example, in Kelowna, we've discussed if we ever moved there, we'd like to buy an acreage just outside of the city and plant some fruit trees there. However, I struggle to see myself anywhere in the USA, not to mention Palm Springs and California. 

Upon reflection, I don't think I'll be leaving the country again until COVID requisites have calmed down a lot more than what they are currently. Even when my partner and I decide to leave the country again, there are only a few more places in the States I'd like to visit (well, really, it's just the South-- specifically Georgia and Texas-- and Vermont in the fall). But more than any of those places, I'd very much like to travel to Europe, specifically European countrysides. The more rural areas we've travelled to always seem to end up being more enjoyable to my boyfriend and I. There are more independant little shops and restaurants we enjoy there, and the hikes are all the lovelier. 

Until COVID regulations relax, I think my boyfriend and I will be staying in Canada for a while. There are so many gorgeous places and landscapes to enjoy here, the headaches of travelling else where seem to make it barely worth it to leave. Both of us adore BC, especially with how close it is to us, where we can drive there ourselves and spend the car rides chatting together, as we twist through mountains and past crisp blue lakes. I think we've agreed that for next Christmas, if we do travel, we might go to Banff or Jasper for an extended weekend. 

Staying in Alberta keeps us in some appropriately Christmas-y weather (except the -25 degrees it is as I write this), we don't have to drive on many (if any) really gross roads, like we probably would were we to travel to BC, and with the right snow gear, we can go on truly wonderful hikes. A prime example is that of our Maligne Canyon hike in Jasper a couple of years ago. Look at this: 

And this:

And THIS!

Any ways, this has all been a very long winded way of me saying that as much as I loved having so much time with my boyfriend, I don't see myself returning to Palm Springs. I have too many places I want to visit to justify spending more time travelling there. Next Christmas, I think we'll do a couples-weekend away, but spend most of our time at home, with the animals. Maybe I just don't want to leave them again and that's why we'll spend next Christmas here.