nay sayers
Aug 3rd, 2006, 06:47 AM
#21
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Betty, I sympathize with you, because my husband and I are going to Kenya in September, and as my husband is less than enthusiastic about this trip, he is especially tuned in to the negative comments from people, and there have been a lot of negative comments from friends and relatives. The other night we were at a concert, and the man next to us told my husband that natives are slaughtering people right and left in Kenya and Tanzania, and they cancelled their trip because of it. UGH! I tune into the people who are excited for us, and there are lots of those people, too. And I've gotten so used to the nay sayers anymore, it bothered me A LOT at first, but now I just smile and nod...sometimes I say, "Yes, I think we are crazy", but mostly now I let it go in one ear and out the other!
Cindy from California
Cindy from California
Aug 3rd, 2006, 08:00 AM
#22
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Betty,
I am not sure if you are already on your trip or not. You don't need to get rid of your friends. Some will just never get it and you can agree to disagree. But pictures and video will convert a few of your friends when you come back.
My mother was "one of them", who never wanted to go to some 'terrible foreign place'. However, last year my sister and I used pressure and guilt to get her to come on a safari. My Mom's two sister are at least FIFTY times worse than my mom. Basically she didn't even talk to them about the trip before leaving because she didn't want to be criticized.
My Mom came on the safari and had a great time. Her eyes were opened.
She let her sisters see video and pictures. While neither of them would ever leave the country, even if you paid them, they looked at our footage and said "Well that looks nice."
You have no idea what a huge step that is. It will just have to do.
I am not sure if you are already on your trip or not. You don't need to get rid of your friends. Some will just never get it and you can agree to disagree. But pictures and video will convert a few of your friends when you come back.
My mother was "one of them", who never wanted to go to some 'terrible foreign place'. However, last year my sister and I used pressure and guilt to get her to come on a safari. My Mom's two sister are at least FIFTY times worse than my mom. Basically she didn't even talk to them about the trip before leaving because she didn't want to be criticized.
My Mom came on the safari and had a great time. Her eyes were opened.
She let her sisters see video and pictures. While neither of them would ever leave the country, even if you paid them, they looked at our footage and said "Well that looks nice."
You have no idea what a huge step that is. It will just have to do.
Aug 3rd, 2006, 11:36 AM
#23
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Betty, we have had the same experience, with co-workers as well as some family members!...curiously they are all enamoured of behemoth-size cruiseships with 3 hour stops in harbour...so I guess I am just as bad as they are when I think "why would anyone want to go on a cruise and share a holiday with 2000 other people, insulated from the wildlife, culture, and environment???" (of the destination, not the ship population...!)
I guess "travel" and "holidays" have different meanings for different people
(but I suspect there is a certain amount of envy - I know because I've dreamed of Afree-kah for 40 years! - and it seems to me that a lot of baby-boomers have grown up with Africa as a dreamy but unattainable destination.)
You're making YOUR dreams come true so ignore them and revel in the anticipation! We are!
The enthusiastic and encouraging friends on this site more than make up for the "wet blankets"!!
I guess "travel" and "holidays" have different meanings for different people
(but I suspect there is a certain amount of envy - I know because I've dreamed of Afree-kah for 40 years! - and it seems to me that a lot of baby-boomers have grown up with Africa as a dreamy but unattainable destination.)
You're making YOUR dreams come true so ignore them and revel in the anticipation! We are!
The enthusiastic and encouraging friends on this site more than make up for the "wet blankets"!!
Aug 3rd, 2006, 02:39 PM
#25
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Our Sister/BIL were really excited about joining us on a private Kenyan safari last winter but then backed out without a good explanation. So we continued to book the trip without them. We had an amazing time in Kenya.
The relatives took a Princess cruise to Mexico instead.
When we both returned and compared notes, they were telling us about the dozen or so flamingoes they had seen at the San Deigo Zoo. We then told them we had seen between 1 and 2 million flamingoes at Lake Nakuru!!!
They were really sad that they had changed their minds about the trip. It turns out that the cruise ship incident off Somalia had scared them off.
We never felt we were in danger in Kenya. It was a fantastic experience not to be missed.
The relatives took a Princess cruise to Mexico instead.
When we both returned and compared notes, they were telling us about the dozen or so flamingoes they had seen at the San Deigo Zoo. We then told them we had seen between 1 and 2 million flamingoes at Lake Nakuru!!!
They were really sad that they had changed their minds about the trip. It turns out that the cruise ship incident off Somalia had scared them off.
We never felt we were in danger in Kenya. It was a fantastic experience not to be missed.
Aug 3rd, 2006, 05:44 PM
#26
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Your comments are wonderful. I'd rather life and experience it than sit in a shelter and only talk about it. I've decided it's ignorance or jealousy. Although your point is well made, I pooh pooh cruise ships. Fortunately my children all have the gift for travel adventure and straighten my head out when I get influenced by others. We have been on some pretty wonderful trips but I have a feeling this will top all of them. What will we do after this? My husband and I are always talking about the next trip. Trips are like a good book, you always need a couple extra waiting to be read. Stay tuned. We leave Saturday, two more days, but who is counting. Betty
Aug 3rd, 2006, 06:36 PM
#28
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cindysafari,
I can't wait to hear your husbands "Post Africa" thoughts. I'm trying to convince my husband to joing me next time, he is a bit reluctant. I have yet to hear of anyone being disappointed. I wish you well!
I can't wait to hear your husbands "Post Africa" thoughts. I'm trying to convince my husband to joing me next time, he is a bit reluctant. I have yet to hear of anyone being disappointed. I wish you well!
Aug 4th, 2006, 08:32 AM
#29
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Thanks, Countingdown, I hope my husband comes back very glad that he went...I have a feeling this will be the case. And Betty, here is one of my favorite quotes, and I remember it while people are telling me we are crazy for leaving the country for a "horrible place" like Africa.
<font color="blue">"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
- Mark Twain
</font>
<font color="blue">"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
- Mark Twain
</font>
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