I love to read and if it was up to me, I would never stop. Not even if I had school or other things to do. Not even on vacation. Especially on vacation. That being said, there are a few obstacles I face when I go on vacation and want to read.
The first one is my mom. Her mentality is that vacation (not a stay-cation) serves not only as a gateway to new experiences, but also a getaway from everyday life. The problem is she views reading as something I can do at home and so why would I waste time reading on vacation, in a place I’ve probably never been, when I can do it when we get home.
The next one is the question of where is the book? On vacation you usually try to pack as light as you can. For me, that means I can’t really bring any of my books along. Especially with the idea that I could lose them or they could get damaged. So that leaves e-books. Too bad I like physical books way better and have way more of those. And as much as I love reading, I kind of need my phone (for Instagram and Twitter, you know) so I can’t just drain its battery flipping virtual pages.
The last one is obligations. For me, this one kind of goes hand in hand with the first one. It usually comes in play when you go on “vacation” with your extended family (or to meet up with them). So it’s more like a family reunion than a vacation. At family reunions there are certain… expectations. You’re expected to entertain and play with your cousins. You’re expected to talk to your aunts and uncles and grandpas and grandmas. You’re expected to be present and not somewhere hiding with your face in a book (or a phone or ereader…).
Why do I still read on vacation? Well for starters, I’m pretty introverted. It’s really taxing for me to spend time with lots of people and being forced to constantly socialize with others. After that, I need time alone to recharge and since I’m pretty boring, reading is always the best solution. Then there’s also the fact that vacations can be boring too. Especially if you have parents that like taking road trips…
Do you read on vacation?
Why or why not?
It has been quite a while since I’ve been on vacation (or holiday, but I prefer the word vacation lol), so what I think I do, and what I would actually do could be two different things. I think it depends what kind of holiday it is – sight seeing vs lazy beach, I’d probably read more on a relaxing holiday than on one where there is loads to see and do. Reading on holiday for me was usually during travel time, and in the evenings before bed, which isn’t much different from home. R x
I read on my kindle. I can see why you would hate reading on a phone, it just isn’t practical. 99% of the books I read on my kindle have text-to-speech option, so I can put my headphones in and listen to the book. I have been known to read while on vaca.
It’s really hard for me to read on vacations. Well it’s probably because lately it’s just my mom & I on vacation. I always feel like it’s expected for me to do something with her the entire time rather than read. Plus she wouldn’t understand. She doesn’t read ever. Even if it’s a short form or something she needs to read, she’ll immediately pass it to me if I’m there. So I tend not to read on vacation, which is sad.
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