Snow P.

Sober Vacations

A sober vacation is a holiday anyplace, anytime, in which you plan on staying sober. You can book a "sober vacation" with a company that specializes in this type of trip and that means the tools of sobriety will be close by. You still have to use the tools in order to stay sober. There is a popular term called "sober cruises" which is a misnomer as there is no such thing as a ship without alcohol. The term only defines a fellowship vacation organized by a sober travel company who brings a group and sobriety tools onboard.

Since I specialize in "sober cruises," I have people who call me and email all the time asking if there will be any alcohol onboard. That is the right question if you are conscious about staying sober, finding out where the obstacles and alcohol are in your path. I got one email recently admonishing me for saying there are bars on ships. It would be a disservice to pretend there is no alcohol on ships, as it is not true. Also, many people like to come on cruises and bring their regular families for a vacation, kids, in-laws, aunts, grandmothers, and it is very comforting for them to know that we are all close by if they need us.

I've had several people who call and ask if I know of an isolated resort or island that they can go on vacation to that has no alcohol so they will be safe. I tell them, no such place exists, especially for an alcoholic. I have been miles and miles away from alcohol, but if I wanted to drink, time and space could never stop me. I tell them to wait until their sponsor says they are spiritually fit enough to go on a vacation.

Here is what page 101 in the Big Book says: "Assuming we are spiritually fit, we can do all sorts of things alcoholics are not supposed to do. People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes, we must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn't think or be reminded about alcohol at all. Our experience shows that this is not necessarily so.

We meet these conditions everyday. An alcoholic who cannot meet them, still has an alcoholic mind; his only chance for sobriety would be some place like the Greenland Ice Cap, and even there an Eskimo might turn up with a bottle of scotch and ruin everything!"

I just spent 11 days in Europe and took 35 alcoholics touring in Spain, Italy and France. It was amazing to tears. To be with people who have been brought back from the dead and have the good fortune to travel in safety together and see the beauty we all missed due to drinking is truly special. This was a group of tourists wearing the God glasses and seeing the whole trip differently than the regular tourists. There were so many moments when God's presence was evident all we could do was nod in silent recognition to each other. As I looked up at the Sistine Chapel, the ceiling of all ceilings that I have only seen in books my whole life, all I could do was weep. How did such a lost kid like me get so found? How did I get so lucky? How awesome is the Higher Power that saved us all? It seems like just a short time ago I didn't think I was going to live through yet another hangover from hell, and now I awake at dawn hungry for the next assignment from Him. It keeps getting better and deeper and better.

Staying sober anywhere in the world takes conscious thought. Plan your meetings and you plan your sobriety. If you are traveling for business or pleasure and have optional travel dates, go to www.aa.org and see what conferences or conventions are happening in the area that you are traveling to so you can make a fellowship event the centerpiece of your trip. If you don't think you will have time for meetings while away, take the meeting schedule and intergroup office phone number of that city with you anyway. You can print it off of the Internet. Call when you arrive just to let someone know you are in town and that you want to check in. That's what I do as it makes me feel like I am not alone in a hotel room. If you are in an airport and feeling wonky, ask them to make an announcement to have "Friends of Bill W." meet you at the ticket counter. Even if no one shows up, you are not alone, as God will meet you anywhere.

www.SoberCelebrations.com

 

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