Do you know the top 5 secrets to staying in touch with friends you made on vacation? If you do, you could transform a vacation friendship into regional cuisine, fine antiques, a calendar, a website, or even another vacation! Sure you could email or text - boring! Communicating should be fun, just like it was on your vacation.
Pay attention. I'm going to share the top 5 secrets to staying in touch with vacation friends and getting the most out of it.
Secret #1: The best thing about vacation friends? They're usually from somewhere else, but not in a bad way! Take advantage of the differences by exchanging local food items via mail. Plan your food exchange for special occasions. For instance, a Texas pecan pie ships well, especially in exchange for a Washington State apple pie. Both look great on a Thanksgiving table, especially when they're not usually available. Even better, French champagne is a great trade for a bottle of Californian red - if you're lucky enough to have met people from France. And you don't have to ship food! Exchanging recipes is a great way to try out home-cooked authentic local cuisine. You'll amaze your friends with Coq a Vin, tapas, and Maryland crab cakes. Staying in touch is easy when the incentives are right, and there's no better incentive than fresh Georgia peaches overnighted in exchange for Canadian gooseberries.
Secret # 2: Do you know how to use your local antique shop to get exotic items from distant lands? Take advantage of the distance again by exchanging items that are only available where you live. It's a great way to collect things from other places and cultures, and you might end up with something that looks great on the wall! If you're from Arizona, it's easy to find an antique shop with some antique silver and turquoise, and it can be pretty inexpensive. Of course, turquoise jewelry is tough to find in Hong Kong - but an old ceramic Buddha isn't, and its fun to rub his belly for luck! Exchanging gifts is a great way to keep in touch.
Secret #3: Take lots of pictures with your new friends, because they'll be looking at them for the rest of the year! A calendar is a great way to bring back old memories. Each time you or your vacation friends check the date, you'll be reminded of the time you spent together. You may even be moved to call or write. Making a calendar with pictures from your vacation is fun. Gather your pictures together, and select one for each month, or go crazy and make a few collages! There are lots