cymbeline

Bragging rights.

I wish I had them.

If I told people about the trips I take, they'd wonder where the money came from, so my lips are zipped.

Then another source of the fun out of all this is passing on what you know. Maybe I'll do that on my next trip, though I doubt I'll discover anything so terribly original. Well, maybe I can help someone.

Can you be honest and say bragging rights are cool or do you think travel is a more nobel mission to enhance your rich inner life?

peeky

I am interested in traveling now because of sites like this and of people I know who travel to Europe. My boss travels around the world and I don't think there is a country where he has not been. He kind of brags but his bragging tweeks my interest too. He lets it be known that no one else's trip could be as good as his and no one else has more fun that he does. He is kind of a pain but he has parties where he shows his slides and he is very knowledgable.

So, in conclusion, I think if someone brags about his trips it can create interest but you still know the person is a pain in the a__.

lyb

I've never even thought about bragging rights because I travel because I want to see a place not because it might impress someone. I honestly couldn't care less what people think of my travels, it's all for me.

m_kingdom2

People still show their holiday slides? I thought that this naff practice had left us when the glitterballs from the disco era vanished too. Obviously some diehard smalltimers still inflict their holidays on others, using that common method of torture that is slides!

sognatrice2

I agree with lyb, I never think about that side of it, and in fact, I have found some "undiscovered" (a strange term for an American to use, to be sure) places in my travels, and I find myself wanting to protect them from further exposure, so I only share that knowledge with only a few people of like mind who trade their stories with me.

Many of my friends are travelers too though, so the act of traveling is not really considered something out of the ordinary, the passion for it is another matter!

ira

>...I only share that knowledge with only a few people of like mind who trade their stories with me. <

Well then, I am not going to tell you about this absolutely fantastic small inn with an amazing view and a Michelin star restaurant for only $70/nite dbl w/bkfst and dinner.

jdraper

Cymbeline - Bragging rights don't usually come with travel for me. Most people think we are crazy to spend our money on travel rather than "stuff" like new cars and a larger house.I usually hear people say things like, "Why would you want to go to Italy again when you have already been there?" and "I can't believe you are going to France" (said with distaste and horror). Meanwhile I listen politly to their tales of excitement and adventure in Branson, MO (no offense to the Branson folks). On the other hand I don't travel for a nobel mission or to enhance my inner life. If that happens along the way great but I generally travel because it is FUN.
Peeky - If I tried to force my employees to sit and watch slides (who even does those anymore?) of my vacation I would have a rebellion on my hands and would probably have to give everyone a raise.
Ira - Please share the small inn with the amazing view. I'll show you mine if you show me yours.
Take Care
Jackie

Scarlett

I have to admit that when planning a trip, being on a trip and going home after a trip, I never think about "bragging rights" ..
I don't consider bragging about travel. Most of my friends travel more than I do , or at least to much more exotic places in addition to the usual.
I have friends who take round the world trips and we see them 3 months later. ( I could brag about them however
I never think about where <b>their</b> money comes from, only wondering if I could get together enough to do the same.
Travel is so personal in so many ways, it would be like bragging about how healthy my baby is ... it is something we all want to do, we feel blessed because we get to do it..It just doesn't seem like a Bragging kind of thing to me.
<b>But</b> I do not think it is a &quot;nobel&quot; mission.
It is just something that I enjoy doing and I am happy when I get to do it. ( I like to eat lots of chocolate, nothing nobel about that either, lol)Part of the enjoyment is sharing when I get back.
There are plenty of people in this world who never travel and feel no lack of enhancement to their inner selves is needed.
I guess it is all a matter of how you the individual see it.

SeaUrchin

I would think of a trip being noble if it were with the Peace Corps or helping out in some other way, but the average tourist trip is just for fun and education.
I agree with Scarlett, alot of my friends travel much more than I do and I would never brag to those friends who don't. I might tell them snippets of my trips in order to encourage them to travel too, but I usually tone it down.

In fact I get a little embarrased if someone goes on raving about how much I travel, I just chose to travel that is all, it is not some exotic skill.

Beatchick

&quot;Well then, I am not going to tell you about this absolutely fantastic small inn with an amazing view and a Michelin star restaurant for only $70/nite dbl w/bkfst and dinner&quot;

Ahhh,but Ira you can always tell ME!

M_Kingdom, you still use the word &quot;naff&quot;? I'd have thought your vocabulary was wide enough to find a new word with which to insult people.



Cymbeline, I run into the same problem you do. I try to convince people it can be done for under $2,000 for 10-14 days if they just plan carefully, and I always offer to help; but, alas, they do not believe me. Which is why I come here! Not to brag (I'm not sure I do much to brag about) but to share. Thus is the fun of Fodor's.

crefloors

I just travel for my own enjoyment. I was really excited when I got home from my first trip. Out first stop was London and after checking into the hotel we headed for the pub. My brother and I were pinching each other and kept saying &quot;we're in LONDON! Oh my gosh we are REALLY in LONDON!!!!!&quot; Of course when I got home I was full of enthusiasm and that's all I could talk about for a couple or weeks and I would see my friends eye's start to glaze over, so I finally quit talking about it. My grandfather had traveled all over the world many times, was a huge photographer and my parents would have friends over to see his slide shows. All the adults seemed to really love them, in fact would frequently request them, and I, being a teenager at the time, would be mostly bored to tears..I actually remember falling asleep during some of his presentations!! I didn't snore in those days thank goodness!!! I'm the only one in my immediate circle to have the &quot;travel bug&quot; so mostly anymore I don't say much unless asked. I LOVE to hear other peoples stories however.

cymbeline

What a lot of interesting and cool answers to my questions. I thank you for setting me straight on a little issue that has been bugging me.

I think &quot;bragging&quot; was maybe the wrong term to use when I posed the question. I just think with travel a component of it all is is 1) sharing your enthusiasm and knowledge 2) pride that you have discovered special places or overcome obstacles (like navigating on your own in foreign urban settings).

I have no one to share all this with. I take secret journeys.

Yes, then there are the down and dirty braggards, like the boss peeky mentioned -- though his bragging tweeks her interest so it's all good. Still, they are out there, though their words may be subtle they let you know chilling in Italy or Molvania really makes them cooler than you.

Though you all disagreed, I maintain that there is the &quot;noble&quot; component as travelers make material sacrifices as well as burning the midnight oil with research in order to travel unless they are rolling in it.

However, the bottom line was what some of you were getting at: it's fun!!! That's reason enough. Thank you for that one.

P.S. - Sometimes, although I get a lot out of this forum, I have found myself confused or mislead by other traveler's advice. There is something to be said for just following your nose.

StCirq

Bragging rights? I don't think so. I would never brag about an addiction.

traveldawg

There are people that enjoy travel and people that do not. Just do what you enjoy and forget about the rest. The non travelers could care less about where you went anyway.

sognatrice2

&quot;Well then, I am not going to tell you about this absolutely fantastic small inn with an amazing view and a Michelin star restaurant for only $70/nite dbl w/bkfst and dinner.&quot;

Ira, that's really OK, and I completely respect your choices.

I think there are plenty of wonderful travel surprises to go around for everyone!

I happen to love the element of surprise, and it works for me. I love to share my travel stories with personal friends, probably abecause we have many tastes in common with each other, so it's a nice exchange. I get to enjoy telling the tale without being judged one way or another, so it's fun for us.

I'm sure your style works for you, and wish you happy travels and many more inns with amazing views and Michelin star restaurants!

rj007

I could care less what other people think of my travels. My travels are for my personal enjoyment.

cymbeline

At the risk of topping my own nonsense, thanks for the good advice and well wishes all around.

St. Cirq - lol, good reply. You think you're addicted? I actually need to go to the doctor for anti-depressents if a trip isn't looming for me. Pathetic, but better than the hard stuff.

Beatchick

&quot;make material sacrifices as well as burning the midnight oil with research in order to travel unless they are rolling in it&quot;

YIKES! You've pegged me!!

Sognatrice, I think Ira was just ribbing you, which is what he does best!

sognatrice2

Thanks beatchick, I kind of suspected that, since he does have a good sense of humor.

But I don't want people to think I wouldn't offer information that might be useful here.

Just got home from a great meal with some of my family (celebrating an occasion that comes once a year for us all). They live in the middle of one of the most tourist-crowded areas of NY- the heart of Soho. They get endless tourist foot traffic passing their front door daily.

Where did we eat?

At a fantastic, little restaurant near their place where the food is wonderful, the prices are reasonable. It's very popular in the neighborhood. Do I want to give the name on Fodors? Nope.

I'm happy to recommend other great places to eat in the area though, it's just that we like to keep a few things for ourselves and our neighbors! And the owners feel the same!

And some of the places I go in Europe have that same tone too. So I only hope I can be forgiven for not broadcasting every detail!

BTW, I saw your post about Crazy Horse and the Red Cloud Nation-and found it interesting.

I once drove through the Pine Ridge Reservation to go to Wounded Knee &quot;by the back door&quot;. A little scary cause I was on my own and it was late afternoon.
There was one road, a dirt road. At some point I kind of pulled over, trying to keep calm, it's very big and such a different world in Pine Ridge, but after driving through the Black Hills, I chose it over Mt. Rushmore, which draws lots of tourists.

A car coming in the opposite direction, dust clouds trailing behind, pulled over and an elderly couple looked at me. I said &quot;Am I headed on the right direction for Wounded Knee?

The wife gave me a barely discernible smile, and said, &quot;Just keep going...&quot; then smiled a little more and waved her hand.

They drove on. I still remember their beautiful faces, lined with age, and reflecting the sunset. One of my best memories of my solo travels out west, and one that's not very glamorous at that!

Beatchick

Sognatrice, no one can blame you for wanting to keep a few favorites secret. I have a favorite resto in Paris and I only occasionally mention it but I don't want it to become overcome with tourists.

Thanks for the comments regarding the Crazy Horse article. I lived in Pine Ridge for about a 3 months, then we moved to an even smaller town called Kyle where we lived for about 1 year. After that, we lived in another very small town called Wanblee which means Eagle's Nest Butte named for the butte in the back of town.

I remember going to Wounded Knee when I was about 8 or 9. It haunted me then even though I couldn't understand the significance of the place at that age. I understand it better now. My great-grandfather helped to bury the dead after the massacre in the 1890s. My grandfather hadn't even been born yet.

Crazy Horse and the Oglala Sioux tribe is very close to me. Incidentally, my great-great grandfather was the first Indian Agent of the North Platte territory stationed at Ft. Laramie. And I have 2 Sioux chiefs in my lineage, one of whom is mentioned in a book by Stephen E. Ambrose, the historian.