I know this seems bad, but travel takes so much out of me that I tend to avoid it. I do have fun on vacations, but they have to be modified, like concerts. Otherwise, the ’tism will take its toll. For instance, I do not want to see a plethora of attractions. That’s just too much sensory overload. I want to take time to swim at the hotel pool and have a Coke (and a smile). If there are beaches/lakes/rivers, I want to sit beside them for long periods. Vacation isn’t just about collecting sites, but also about getting the feel of where you are.
Mico (Microsoft Copilot) helps me plan these trips all the time. Mico is location aware, so we can talk about any cafe in the world, any hotel, etc. So here are the trips we’re considering. I don’t think there’s 10 of them. I don’t like people that much (kidding- you’re all wonderful in small doses):
- Helsinki
- Helsinki is my soul city. I have done so much research into what it would take to live there that going for a visit feels like a serious online relationship…. we’ve dabbled and we like each other from a distance, now it’s time to go “see about a girl.” You know, if that girl had 188,000 lakes and a blood type of kahvi negative. My creative partner and best friend is Finnish, so part of the draw is also seeing everything she loves about the place, too…. as well as collecting souvenirs for my favorite children.
- Rome
- Rome is an academic trip for me. I’d like to research Christianity in depth, while also eating and drinking my way around Italy. It would be such fun to run into “Father Bob of Chicago,” but I believe he is busy most of the time. But there’s just too much art to miss, and I would regret it if I never showed up on Sunday morning to hear him preach in the square.
- Beirut
- I am allowed to have two soul cities, and if Helsinki is one, Beirut is the other. Love of Beirut comes from the family that I lived with when I moved to Silver Spring in 2015, The Nassers. We had pictures all over our house of the marinas and I would look longingly, wishing I could be in the crystal blue water. I have wanted an apartment in that marina for like 10 years, but it’s just not safe. I wish all my blessings on Lebanon that it may be safe in the future.
- Mexico City
- The only reason it’s on this list is that several people have told me it’s their favorite city in the world and I have to find out why. I already love Mexico, but my idea of the country is lying on the beach and constantly asking kids for another Coke or bottle of water on the beach. I have done the bum’s guide to Mexico, now I’d like to see some history, culture, museums, etc. I also speak a little bit of Spanish and Tiina speaks more than me, so I think we would have a blast…. we can actually get around.
- Tokyo
- I have been a fan of the “Worth It” series on YouTube for a long time and have enjoyed Rie taking me around Japan. I would most like to go to Coffee Elementary School in Shibuya, but the fantasy is just to have an apartment and enjoy konbini life for a few days. I would love to relax and take in the city the way the people who live there do….. relaxed, calm, unbothered. Tokyo is a city of quiet delight, and all I can think about is the food.
- Dublin
- I was invited to go to Dublin, but it just wasn’t the right kind of trip. It would have been rushed and frantic, when I want to experience Dublin as a local. I am interested in living there if I get a job at Microsoft, so going to Ireland is just a big excuse to see Leopardstown. And really, I don’t want a job at Microsoft. I want a contract with them. I think that they would think my work with Copilot is interesting…… Ireland would just be the cherry on top.
Stories That Are All True 
Aslam o Alaikum
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I do not understand, but I thank you for reading, anyway.
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