All I can think about is the beach

Every time I am on break, be it in Winter, Spring, or Summer, all I can think about is the beach. Now, yes, I do live in Southern California, but these are not the beaches I dream about. Our beaches are pretty, but cold.

I have fantasies of tropical beaches... constantly. Really, I sort of kind of forget about it when I am working, but as soon as a break hits, all I can think about is the possibility of a tropical beach vacation on a future break. Considering that I am 15 weeks pregnant, the next time this looks possible is probably Summer of 2010. Although the tropics would work in January, I don't know that I would have much fun with a 4 month old baby on vacation. Now, an 11 month old baby, that I could deal with.

I have always had this constant fantasy, but the issue became greater after experiencing Miami last summer. To be honest, I did not like Miami. I did, however, love the Florida beach and ocean for its tropically clear water and warmth. I could even deal with the intense summer heat, given that I stay in the water a lot. It was the town I wasn't such a big fan of. It was so crowded and so expensive and so... metro (I also had a bad experience and lost my purse and found the police the opposite of helpful). Mostly though, I really want a more secluded beach vacation. I don't really want to be laying on the beach to a back drop of a major city; I find a more secluded natural environment to be my cup of tea. In fact, as most of my California friends know, this is why I prefer Malibu beaches that I can hike down to for some peace and seclusion.

Anyhow, my fantasy destinations change on a regular basis. My current longings are for a combination week of Maui/Kauai/Oahu (mostly Maui, I am thinking) or somewhere in Puerto Rico. I like the Americanish aspect of Puerto Rico, while it still will have a cultural flair and is significantly cheaper than Hawaii when it comes to shopping and eating. I also found a site that does house/condo rentals and there are tons of them for less than $100 a night! We could do a week dream beach vacation for less than $2000 for our whole family. That is sort of amazing, and I really, really want to. I could be totally happy with just lying on the beach and eating delicious food for a week. I really don't need much more to be happy. Okay, a little bit of exploring could be fun. That is sort of why the idea of Hawaii appeals to me- lots to explore.

Ah...... why do I do this to myself?