Thursday, September 6, 2012

It's All About the Journey


This past summer I had the amazing opportunity to go to BEA (BookExpo America) in New York City. As soon as I purchased my airline tickets I started planning my trip. I asked my friends what they wanted to see and do while we were there and then started making an itinerary. If you don't know me, I will tell you now, I love to plan trips and parties. Planning is half the fun! While in the midst of this my friend told me about a doughnut she had heard about on the travel channel. It was a peanut butter and jelly doughnut. To be honest it didn't sound that great until she described it in detail. I was intrigued so I added that to the list. While researching this doughnut I found out the place also sold creme brulee doughnuts. Now that sounded mouthwatering (side note--I also love to eat).  I don't live in NYC or anyplace that really has mass transit. So while the doughnut place was only five miles away from where we were staying it was too far to walk and I didn't want to waste money taking a cab, so that left the subway. My friend Erica, who willingly, without hardly any grumbling, crawled out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to be my subway guide. We had to change subway cars four time to get there. (Thinking back, this is when the grumbling began.) I was feeling quite proud of the fact we made it there.
Really it was quite an excursion for baked goods. The best part: while we were checking out, the lady working told us we should check out their new location. As soon as she said this I knew, just knew what she was going to say. The new one was only about a mile from our hotel. As I sat there eating the doughnuts (which were AMAZING--the creme brulee was my favorite) and packing up the ones I was bringing back for my roommates and friends, Erica pointed out how much better our trip was than it would have been to the other one. Half the fun was going some place new, barely making the train exchanges, talking to people about our doughnut quest. She was right, and on the way back I reflected on how true that is. Sometimes the best, most memorable parts of things are the journeys taken to get there. Every reward is sweeter when you've had to struggle to get there.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I am a horrible grouch before 9 am, but no fair! My grumbling didn't start until she told us we'd gone way farther out of our way than necessary! Oh! And you also left out the, like, eight block walk from the last subway stop to the actual doughnut place. And the eight or so block walk from the hotel to the FIRST subway stop! LoL! ;)

That was such an awesome trip! The whole week was amazing and your planning skills still flabbergast me. Don't over-plan my trip to California! We have research to do! :D

<3 you, dearest!

Angie said...

Mmmm. Now I'm hungry! It sounds like an adventure and I totally agree. The rewards are sweeter the harder the struggle to get there.

amberargyle said...

I totally imagined you saying all this 100 MPH. ;)