One thing we've tried to do on our big out-of-state trips is visit friends and family we haven't seen for a while. On our trip to Virginia, we reached out to some friends who we hadn't seen since college. We'd kept in contact through Christmas cards and Facebook, but that isn't the same as actually getting to visit with them in person. They had lived in various parts of the country as well as in Europe for several years before returning to the U.S. and buying a home in Virginia near Washington D.C. They kindly invited us to stay at their home for a few nights while we visited the D.C. area, and showed us where to catch the metrolink so that we didn't have to worry about parking in the city. They also had some great advice on visiting a site we'd never even heard of. Not only were we able to renew our friendship with them, our oldest daughter struck up a friendship with one of their daughters. Also, one of our youngest daughter's favorite activities was chasing fireflies in their backyard.
Once again, on our recent trip to Texas, I was able to see a high school buddy that I hadn't seen since the summer after we graduated. We had lost track of each other for many years, but reconnected on Facebook. When we visited San Antonio, we made plans to meet him and his family at a restaurant. We had never met each others' families, so it was fun to meet them, catch up on what was going on in our lives, and reminisce about fond memories from our teenage years.
So, next time you are planning a trip, take a moment to peruse your address book and see if you can reconnect with someone. Not only can you get some good advice regarding places to visit, places to eat, and places to avoid, it can strengthen your friendship and provide some of the best memories once the trip is over.
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