Article July 12, 1999 Issue

The great getaway

You don't have to go to the mountains to reach new heights.

By Nathan A. Talbot

I had just arrived back in Katmandu. I'd come down from 18,000-foot Gokoyo Peak in the world of the Himalayas, and it was apparent to my wife that the sixteen-day trip had been a rough one. Some of her first words were memorable: "Next vacation, we're going to Disney World!"

Getting away can mean many things to many people. And different cultures may enjoy different ways of finding a change of pace. Whether you enjoy the theater in New York, an evening view of the harbor in Hong Kong from atop nearby hills, a visit to Mayan ruins in Central America, or just some quiet time in the hammock to catch up on reading, a holiday can and should be more than just getting away from the job. In today's fast-paced world, it's all too easy to take along some of the mental baggage you were hoping to escape.

So what's an ideal vacation? Some will say that the ideal isn't so much a question of what you do. It's more a matter of how you do it. In fact, if you start out with the "how," the "what" will become much more fulfilling and enjoyable.

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