7 Days of Bleisure in Carefree: Day 1

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s I embark on my next publishing journey – a website dedicated to Bleisure Living™ — I celebrate by treating myself to a week-long bleisure trip, appropriately timed with Independence Day.

I’ve selected the Boulders in Carefree, Arizona. (You can’t make this stuff up!) I spent a long weekend there over Memorial Day and decided to return. Amazing gym and spa…not too much screen glare at the pool …and decent Wi-Fi. Oh yes…and a quality coffee machine in the casita.

Day 1 AM:

I’m giddy (as I always am when I’m off on a trip), despite the fact that I had to traipse through a downpour en route to my Lyft this morning. The light rail in MN is being torn-up, so I decided to splurge. I’m loving Lyft these days. Courteous drivers…efficient app…and great communication. Interesting how one CEO’s meltdown can create a huge new opportunity for the competition.

No Wi-Fi on the plane due to technical difficulties. Hmmm…that’s where my Boomer problem-solving skills come in. I still have Word. And a notebook and many gel pens. I just bought $20 worth of paper magazines too. Started with the New Yorker, so all my brain cells wouldn’t die-off in the first 24 hours of travel. After 20 minutes, I see that beautiful blue glowing light. We have GoGo! I celebrate by buying the unlimited monthly subscription. Now that the Bleisure Living site is live, it’s a legitimate business expense!

Travel Tip:

Pack snacks and stash away free (healthy) food on the flight. When you wake up at 5am for a flight you’ll be hungry again by 9am, and you’ll save a bundle if you don’t buy treats at the airport or hotel. I am partial to Quest Bars, RX Bars, and XXX single-serve dried fruit packs.

Day 1 PM:

After an exhausting check-in snafu (more about that another time), I am settled in my awesome room with uninterrupted Wi-Fi (which was essential because I had to co-host a webinar today).

I discover that a large and loud conference is at the resort, complete with drunken revelers dropping loud f-bombs in the bar. Luckily they left early for dinner.

Katie the bartender introduced me to her specialty cocktail. A diet cherry martini made with REAL sour cherry juice and vodka [image]. It has fruit in it, so it’s healthy, right?

A nice surprise when I returned to my room — a gift package and bottle of wine from the awesome Concierge (who helped with my check-in issues). Customer service is not dead…it’s just napping sometimes.

Travel Tip:

Off-season resorts are great for cost-savings, but in-season hospitality and ambiance may be lacking. Make the best of quiet time at the bar to chat with the bartenders (who always have great stories) and find out their favorite concoctions.

Bizarre Story of the Day:

I saw these (a gang of javalinas, natives of Arizona) on my way back from dinner. Supposedly they will not attack humans unless you feed them (which I had no intention of doing).

 

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