It's right around this time of year that I start thinking, "Can winter be over already? I'm so done with this cold!" Gloomy days, the thought of endless more weeks of this bitter chill, bare trees, and bulky coats just sound dreadful! There are different ways that people try to beat the winter blues. Some chose to visit warmer destinations while others embrace the snow and winter sports. Case in point - my sister and I. Over the holidays, I went south to a warmer climate in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico while Shruti made her way up the alpine region of Lake Tahoe. They were two very different kinds of vacations...






The vacation I took was a lazy one. I hung out by beach and soaked in the sun.  The most strenuous activities I did involved eating, drinking lots of cucumber margaritas (they were unlike any kind of margarita I've ever had!), and napping on the hammock. My husband and I also ventured out to the city center where we strolled along the boardwalk, chatted with the friendly locals, and did some tequila tasting (after all, this is the land of tequila!). Being someplace warm and roaming around in shorts and sundresses felt amazing to me. In a word, this trip was bliss...

On the other hand, Shruti's trip was an active and exhilarating one. She did snowboarding and snow tubing down the slopes, attended the Snow Globe concert to catch some of her favorite artists, and got a taste of the local nightlife. The temperatures would go down to the 20s so she had to make sure she bundled up well. That meant LOTS of layering and wearing a puff coat along with gloves, a scarf, mini-heat packs, and what not! But overall, Lake Tahoe was a gorgeous place to visit with breathtaking views.

What is your kind of vacation? If you could do a getaway right now, would it be someplace warm or cold?