One of my concerns is getting a car rental with enough trunk space. I know there are luggage requirements on this trip to account for souvenirs/gifts to bring back home. Earlier this year, we rented a van, and the trunk space was infinite. But some SUVs have a small cargo area. The car rental center assigned us a van with plenty of room. This trip is a multi-city trip, so every city would be a gotcha box.

Technically, today is a free day. Nothing in the trip planner since our friends are arriving at midnight. Glancing at my phone, it is only breakfast. We have two choices: Santa Barbara or Disneyland. Amazing beaches, Spanish architecture, or everyone’s favorite mouse. We also wanted to save Disneyland for another day in case our friends wanted to visit. I didn’t want to start the trip with a suitcase full of Disney merchandise, so we started driving north.

Apparently, Santa Barbara is a great idea. Traffic out of LA was a breeze, and we enjoyed the scenic Route 1. Palm trees and ocean waves lined our path. Who said LA had terrible traffic?

Once we got to the beach town, everyone was on vacation. Hawaiian shirts, khakis, sunglasses, tans. Beach vibes everywhere and lots of white hair. We rested at a brunch cafe which had outdoor seating. The patio area was filled with parasols and mimosas. Typically, where we’re from, the weather is either too hot or too cold. So this was a pleasant way to start the trip. brunch outside next to a water fountain. The waiter brought out avocado toast, a fruit smoothie, and my second coffee for the day.

On trips, I try to stay caffeinated as much as possible. I want to make the most of my time and avoid sleep. Don’t really want to add coffee to my regular daily schedule. I’ve noticed that if I have coffee in the afternoon, I stay awake until 2 AM.

Around this time, our friends had messaged that they were on the plane. Boarded with Snoopy-themed entertainment. Super jealous! I just hope they secured some good pineapple cakes. We will see them in 12 hours. Looking towards the Pacific, I oriented myself towards our friends. They were over there somewhere past the horizon. Safe travels.

After lunch, we walked to the wharf. The beach life is too chill, especially for me, still in “work-mode”. Haven’t adjusted to vacation mode yet. It felt weird changing my routine, from back-to-back 9-5+, weeks with aggressive project schedules, to drinking coffee on a beach. I left emails unanswered, ignored my team’s group chats, and my laptop closed. Having all this free time and a lack of responsibilities was unfamiliar to me. I did feel this way in Europe, where time seemed to flow differently. Part of me wanted a refresh on work-life balance.

Enough of this town, let’s head back to LA.