Where are you going on Vacation this year?

[Blackpaw]

Nowhere.
We never go on vacations.
I just can't seeing spending money that way.
I want something for my money.

People vary.

Indeed! I am the complete opposite--I much prefer to spend my time and money on experiences than on things.
Travel, for me, is transformative. I come home changed every single time. And traveling with DH? Whoa mama--we have new revelations about our relationship, about each other, about our shared dreams, every single time we go away together. I can't tell you how much I love travel, and how much I prefer it over things!

Isn't it great that we vary? Makes the world so interesting.

Im with Haven, Kenny, cant get the travel bug out of my system! but i wish i could, because then id have so much more $$ to spend on diamonds. Its good that we vary otherwise the price of diamonds would go up that said part of me hopes i get to a point where i dont want to travel anymore, and i want to 'settle down' (i could have a panic attack just writing those two words!!)...

 

[partgypsy]

As far as being a "tourist" I see that as a pejorative, an us versus them view. It's true "too many" tourists are bad, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas, diluting local culture and outpricing locals. But tourism can be beneficial if structured well to provide income to people living in these (culturally/georgraphically/environmentally) rich locations.

I distinguish between "traveling" where you travel low to the ground, eat where locals eat, rent their rooms to sleep, have interesting conversations with both locals and other travelers, and "vacationing" which is where you going somewhere to escape the usual unpleasantries/routine of every day life.
Neither is bad, just different.

 

[Lotus99]

We're probably going to Vegas for a few days at the end of September or beginning of October for our annual anniversary/preseason hockey thing. I love Vegas.

I wish we could do more travel, but money has been tight for a few years. I really want to go to Hawaii or on another cruise. Hubby hits the big 5-0 next year, so maybe Hawaii would be appropriate.

 

[Tanzigrrl]

Staying within the US this year:

1) just back from NYC. It was great! I visited a very good friend and my husband was able to do some research for his next project

2) Southern CA. I'm from there, originally, but I'm presenting my work in a conference in June and will visit my family while I'm out there.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

We don't have any travel plans at this time... We have a couple of major life changing events coming up (good things!), so we cannot commit to anything until we know what's going to happen. I do plan to take the kids to some of the national parks around the area. There are SO many beautiful places to visit here in the NW that hopefully that keeps the kids happy.

 

[Clairitek]

My big vacation this year is going to be two weeks in Tuscany with my mom, aunt, aunt/uncle, first cousins and their SOs and their kids, and one family friend in an 11 bedroom villa near Florence. My mom and her siblings are generously giving us all a the trip, expenses paid, as our inheritance from our grandparents. We are scattered all over the place (New Zealand, Tennessee, Michigan, California, Rhode Island) so we don't get together all that often.

Other than this trip I am going to Seattle for a girls' weekend (with ALL PSers! ) and home to Rhode Island for 4th of July week. Can't wait!

 

[Octavia]

C-tek, when are you coming to Seattle? I moved here recently and I would love to meet up with you and the other PSers while you're in town!

My big vacation isn't until the fall -- going to Turkey to see the in-laws. I don't have enough vacation time yet to do much else, unfortunately.

 

[Maisie]

Wow some of these itineraries are amazing!!! Justginger, princess are these usual vacations or for a special occasion?
Masie that B & B looks beautiful (and surprisingly sunny for England). I think B & Bs are romantic but my husband differs.

I really hope it is sunny when we go! Its been raining for weeks and weeks!

Cornwall - my family have had a house there for over 60 years so it's close to my heart.

We are escaping London for the whole of the ghastly Olympics.

How lovely! I think London will probably be a nightmare during the Olympics!

 

[TravelingGal]

Spain, for la tomatina.

Then right to Scotland to enjoy the whisky.

 

[justginger]

I've always wanted to be there for La Tomatina, TGal. Never around at the right time of year though. Take some photos for me!

 

[TravelingGal]

I've always wanted to be there for La Tomatina, TGal. Never around at the right time of year though. Take some photos for me!

Will do! My friend and I have been talking about it for years...this is 13 years in the making!

 

[Imdanny]

I live in Hawaii and I don't take vacations. I live in such a remote place that going anywhere is such a long way to go. The cost of living is the highest in the US so I can't really afford to go someone else every year for fun. Also there's the fact that I spent the first part of my life moving a lot and traveling so I don't feel like there's anywhere I haven't been that I just have to see. There are places I'd like to go if time and money were no object but it's just not a reality for me to say, go to Venice because I'd love to see it. I know you're all going to get out your small violins for me. It's ok. I'm tough. I can take it.

 

[lknvrb4]

lknvrb4, my family used to go on a big vacation every year and we STILL talk about our stay at a ranch as being our absolute favorite ever. We stayed at the Lazy L&B in Wyoming, a week of FUN. I think you guys are going to have an unforgettable time.

I got the idea from a lady I used to work with years ago, she said her kids said that was the best family vacation.

 

[princesss]

From age 19 to 25 I lived most of those years in other countries.

The tourist experience is not attractive to me.
Yes, people vary.

Kenny, of all the things you've ever said on PS, I think I find this the absolute hardest to understand. As somebody that has lived abroad, is currently living abroad, and wants to live abroad for the rest of her life (primarily to be able to visit as many places around the world as possible), I am honestly struggling to process your statement. Obviously people vary, and of course I'm glad both of us are able to live lives we enjoy, I just don't understand how living abroad cured your travel bug rather than making it insatiable.

 

[zoebartlett]

Nowhere.
We never go on vacations.
I just can't seeing spending money that way.
I want something for my money.

People vary.

Indeed! I am the complete opposite--I much prefer to spend my time and money on experiences than on things.
Travel, for me, is transformative. I come home changed every single time. And traveling with DH? Whoa mama--we have new revelations about our relationship, about each other, about our shared dreams, every single time we go away together. I can't tell you how much I love travel, and how much I prefer it over things!

Isn't it great that we vary? Makes the world so interesting.

Haven, I'm the same way. I mean, sure, it's fun to get gifts and choose something special I "need" to have once in a while, but as a general rule, I prefer experiences rather than objects. (I do, however, seem to come home with a piece of pottery from each of my travels.) That's precisely why my husband and I never buy gifts for each other. We've been together for almost 9 years, and we've only gotten each other 2 gifts that I can think of.

 

[zoebartlett]

Princesss, my in-laws feel the same way as Kenny. I'd love to hear his perspective, too, because as someone who loves to travel, it's hard for me to imagine. As far as my in-laws go, they lived in four different countries while D.'s older siblings were growing up. My FIL was in the army, so he was stationed in various places for a few years at a time before moving on to a new adventure. They traveled so much and the way my Ils tell it now, they kind of got burned out. They had to keep up with learning new languages, cultures, and customs, and they were very happy to return to the US and live a slower paced life in familiar surroundings near family and friends. They say they've seen so much of the world that they're quite happy to stay home now. I can understand not wanting to live abroad but it is hard for me to understand not wanting to go on an occasional vacation.

So Kenny, what are your thoughts?

 

[Haven]

Zoe--It really is scary how similar we are! I collect pottery, DH and I only exchange gifts when we find something very special (which has been rare!) and of course, we're both reading specialists.
Doppelgangers without the sinister implications????

I popped back into this thread because DH and I officially decided to cancel this week's trip to Spain because I am 10 weeks pregnant and suffering from terrible, constant nausea. HOWEVER, after reading about some of your plans to rent a cabin with the family you've inspired me to try to arrange a big old family vacation in the UP with a bunch of our family. It will be fun to hang out by a lake, fish, and just lazy around with everyone for a week, I think. I'm just going to wait until later in the summer when I'm beyond the first trimester and (hopefully) feeling much better.

My mom's family went to Holland, MI every summer, and DH's family went to the UP throughout his entire childhood. Maybe we can start a new tradition with our own generation.

 

[Haven]

I know quite a few people who dislike traveling. Some of them have been on a couple trips, but others have never left the country. I know one friend had a terrible bus-tour experience through Europe in college and that ruined her opinion of travel forever, but the others are just plain more comfortable at home, and more interested in acquiring things than experiences.

The only time it really baffles me when people dislike traveling is when they've never actually traveled. (Or, when they've only traveled in organized, shuffle from one site to the next tours.) In those cases I feel they haven't yet had the opportunity to experience a truly life-changing trip, so they just don't know what they're missing.

I'm really interested in the way different people travel. DH and I are slow, low-to-the-ground travelers. We like to hunker down in one place and get to know it as much as possible. I have a good friend who just wants to check off as many items on her been-there-done-that list. Needless to say, we've tried to travel together and it wasn't successful. Neither of these approaches is better, just very different. (Though she is very judgmental about the way we travel. She can't believe it when we spend two weeks in one country. As if that's even close to being long enough in one country!)

What kind of traveler is everyone? Do you go on arranged tours? Do you plan everything yourself? What's your pace? Your favorite thing about traveling? (Am I allowed to ask follow-up questions? Sorry, maybe that's the teacher in me popping up.)

 

[Imdanny]

I used to love to travel. Bus, train, plane, car, subway, you name it. I made my own travel arrangements and booked flights for my family since I was 11. But dang it, I'm tired. I'll leave the traveling up to you more adventurous souls and enjoy looking at your pictures on the internet.

 

[Haven]

I used to love to travel. Bus, train, plane, car, subway, you name it. I made my own travel arrangements and booked flights for my family since I was 11. But dang it, I'm tired. I'll leave the traveling up to you more adventurous souls and enjoy looking at your pictures on the internet.

Danny--I've always pictured you as a hot young thing.
What's next? Is your real name even Danny?

 

[FrekeChild]

What kind of traveler is everyone? Do you go on arranged tours? Do you plan everything yourself? What's your pace? Your favorite thing about traveling? (Am I allowed to ask follow-up questions? Sorry, maybe that's the teacher in me popping up.)

We aren't going on vacation this year, but we are going to two pretty awesome places next year. Instead, we're moving to another state.

As for Haven's follow up questions....we plan everything ourselves and we typically pick a few things and say "Ok, we have to do THAT." and most of the time we stick to it. But usually we do a little research beforehand, pick one or two things per day that we would like to do, and then play it by ear.

Seeing as how we will have a toddler when we vacation next, I'm guessing we'll have to be even more lenient when it comes to pre-planning activities!

Favorite thing about traveling? Food.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

We just left Paris--and had the best time: I was sorry to leave--Tuscany is currently very cold and wet! So far tho, the landscape looks stunning (we are in Siena).

I do look forward tot he heat of Palm Springs in Aug. Yes, yes.....

cheers--Sharon

 

[Imdanny]

I used to love to travel. Bus, train, plane, car, subway, you name it. I made my own travel arrangements and booked flights for my family since I was 11. But dang it, I'm tired. I'll leave the traveling up to you more adventurous souls and enjoy looking at your pictures on the internet.

Danny--I've always pictured you as a hot young thing.
What's next? Is your real name even Danny?

That's the persona I give off because old habits die hard.

I'm 43 and I wish my name was Danny. I love this name. It fits me even better than my own (first name, please see the thread I linked to in the "when will gay marriage happen?" thread).

LOL!

 

[Haven]

Hey--My husband's a 42-year-old hot young thing, so YOU haven't changed a bit in my mind, Danny! Or whoever you are. Off to discover your real name . . .

 

[Imdanny]

Hey--My husband's a 42-year-old hot young thing, so YOU haven't changed a bit in my mind, Danny! Or whoever you are. Off to discover your real name . . .

OMG, don't bother! It's soo boring.

 

[Haven]

Hey--My husband's a 42-year-old hot young thing, so YOU haven't changed a bit in my mind, Danny! Or whoever you are. Off to discover your real name . . .

OMG, don't bother! It's soo boring.

Well, I tried. But then I got caught up actually reading the thread. And now I'm sucked into the content. I'll figure it out though, soon enough! Back to the thread.

 

[Imdanny]

You can learn my middle name in that thread, cause I didn't say my first name. You can read my sad, sad story about not being able to use my own middle name.

 

[justginger]

My traveling style varies depending on who is with me, my budget, and where I am going. I generally stay fairly low budget, preferring to use my money to stay longer instead of more luxuriously. I do regularly troll the reviews at Tripadvisor to make sure I'm not checking to a fleabag nightmare of a hotel though. We never, ever stay 5 star, or at all-inclusive resorts. That is NOT traveling to me, with no interaction with the local culture past a generous tip to the pool barman. I also like to stay in fewer places for longer times, but am known to travel around a bit when an area offers a great variety of landscapes/activities.

However...my signature way of traveling is to never go back! I make exceptions to that rule very, very rarely - there are always so many other new places to go that I never get around to going back to old destinations. However, I *will* be returning to both Paris and the Interlaken area of Switzerland this year, having last visited in 2004. The only other place on my "would return to" list is Aitutaki. Sigh. It was paradise.

 

[Kismet]

We're planning on going to San Francisco and Napa Valley in the late summer/early fall. My husband also wants to take a long weekend somewhere in New England or upstate New York in June.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

What kind of traveler is everyone? Do you go on arranged tours? Do you plan everything yourself? What's your pace? Your favorite thing about traveling? (Am I allowed to ask follow-up questions? Sorry, maybe that's the teacher in me popping up.)

We usually pick out activities ahead of time and then are on the go the entire time trying to see all there is to see. We normally do not do tour groups, but we join one when we went to an isolated little spot off the tip of Vancouver Island, BC, where we kayaked out to a remote little island. It was SOOOO much fun. We loved it. We took a second kayaking tour the following year but it wasn't as much fun, so I learned that having had the right tour guide made our first experience so enjoyable. The girl knew all about the history of the people there, the plants/trees, mystical beliefs, etc., and we will always remember that as one of our best vacations.

DH doesn't like to rest on vacations, which can be a bit challenging for me. An ideal vacation for me is sitting on the beach w/a mixed drink and soaking in the sun. DH likes to walk around and check out all the buildings, stores, museums, etc., so we usually go to places that have a lot to see. We also take a lot of road trips. We always rent a car if we fly somewhere. I'd be afraid to travel to Europe because we are so use to renting a car and we'd probably crash the car if we went to England and had to drive on the other side of the road!!! The only vacation we didn't rent a car was when we went to Virginia in our early 20s visiting family. We decided to go up to WA DC for a couple of days and took a bus and that SCARY!!! We didn't even have a hotel picked out. We just wandered around, found a place and it turned out to be creepy. We were young though, so I guess that's okay. We DID get to see the Hope Diamond while there! Now that we're older, I always have hotels booked ahead of time.