allisonm

I am guilty of having taken a Paris trip in April but not posting a trip report. (I did post most of one about our Ireland trip last fall and have linked photos to both.) When we came back from Paris, I began mentally composing a report but then WHAM!: there was SharonG's report and there was no way I was going to tell about our much more subdued trip while that one was fresh! So when I feel as though I have something worthwhile to contribute (and sometimes not necessarily worthwhile!) I continue to post, but I am not what would be called a "frequent" poster. I am, unfortunately, an addict and check in every day. I appreciate all the information I take from here, whether I am able to use it or not. Thank you all!

sandy_b

First off, a million thank yous to those who have helped me plan my trips. I don't post my trip reports for the following reasons.

1. I write them for myself. I try to write down every little detail I can remember; therefore my travelog is VERY long. This bores some people to tears.

2. Since I write them for myself, I state my opinions and I am sometimes not politically correct.

3. I don't write as well, as witty, as interesting as most of the posters here and I hate it when my spelling or grammar is corrected.

4. If I don't like a place and say so, I am lambasted.

I do usually put a post out that I took a trip someplace and have a journal for whoever is interested and I am happy to share.

There are a lot of good reports here now, I can hardly do any work because I keep having to check back and see if any new episodes have been posted.

Happy travels everyone,
Sandy (in Denton)

LoveItaly

I sure am not one that writes interesting reports as so many on Fodors do.

But I wish that everyone who really wants to would post their experiences, thoughts etc. about their trips.

IMHO everyone on Fodors has something to offer. Not everyone can be as witty and interesting as some are, that is true, but information everyone has to offer is valuable.

And personally when I read someone is taking a trip I really enjoy hearing about it after they return home and get settled in.

Different personalities here on Fodors is like in our real life. I have friends that make me giggle and laugh ever time I talk to them. Others are more serious. Others are shy but very interesting in their own way. Some our introverts and some are not. Some are Foodies and some hardly remember to eat. Etc, etc. I enjoy and love them all, and celebrate their differences. Nothing is more boring then having everyone in your life exactly the same.

So please, do not feel like you do not have anything to contribute after taking a trip. If you would like to share your adventures I know so many here want to read about them, even if not all respond with a post.

Everyone has something precious to offer the rest of us (excluding the trolls of course!).

seetheworld

Hi starrsville, great question. I like it when posters return and give an update -- however brief or detailed.

Before Fodors, my travel experiences were just that, experiences. I didn't make many mental or physical notes of every restaurant or activity but now it is becoming a common practice. (Not so sure that it is always such a good thing).

I've written a couple of trip reports but I am not a writer. I did, however, on my last trip to California create more of a journaling experience for myself which was fun.

I enjoy reading the reports of others and know for certain that their reports are more entertaining than mine. But I won't let that stop me from posting and sharing. In fact, I look upon the information that I share as a way to preserve my own experiences and that really is what matters the most.

SeaUrchin

I read alot of the trip reports at least in the beginning, sometimes they peter out into bickering or personal messages. It is all a part of the Fodorite Experience.

I posted a couple of reports under a different name(s) before registration and a few since then. I write them to be sort of humorous and I throw in some facts for good measure.

I have taken some excellent inspiring and fun trips before I knew about Fodors, too bad it is too late to report them. I'll just have to travel more frequently for more adventures.

Good points, Love Italy.

bigtyke

I always go bac to the post where I asked a question and tell what I ended up doing. I wish more would do that and it puts all the information in one post rather than a separate trip report

sockboy

Interesting comments about trip reports. I never thought it was expected to post a trip report, or even a nice thing to do. I just thought that some people like sharing their trips and others don't.

I always saw my way of giving back to the board as answering questions about my home area and places that I know about.

I also didn't realise that people like reading them that much. For the most part I don't find them all that interesting. But I do like talking about my trips - I think I will post one after my fall trip!!

NYCFoodSnob

Thank you's are nice but I could care less. I think the joy is in the giving. But, then again, I'm not terribly <i>needy</i>.

If I know from previous posts that your trip report is going to read, &quot;cheap, cheap, cheap, and more cheap,&quot; I won't bother to click on the thread. This saves me from clicking on most &quot;report&quot; threads here.

If your trip report doesn't grab me by the thong within the first few sentences, I'll quickly skim to see where you stayed and where you ate. If none of those choices shows any more creative thought than your writing style, I'll quickly leave and never visit the thread again. If I enjoyed the writing, I try my best to say so.

Sometimes, if you say really strange things about a place I love, I will be tempted to call you on it.

I haven't read a good trip report in a very long time. I may admire someone's clever writing style but, unless they stayed in someplace lovely and ate at great restaurants, the creative writing may not be able to hold my interest. I remember enjoying a report from Grinisa but she offered the link to SlowTrav, where it was posted.

Too many trip reports remind me that there's a whole lotta wannabe travel writers out there and most can't get beyond the basic requirements for a boring diary. Writers who belabor every eentsy-weentsy detail of every second of their day should be thrown into the Grand Canal and silenced forever. I vote we be allowed to grade them.

I tried writing a trip report once. Never again. Without the making-a-sale aspect of the effort, there's simply no motivation to finish. I'll stick to short bursts of verbal flame every now and again.

Mary_Fran

Perhaps some Fodorites are reluctant to post a trip report because their vacations didn't turn out as well as they'd have liked, or they may have had some unpleasant experiences, and they are reticent about posting an uncomplimentary report, which may provoke impassioned attacks by lovers of the places they found lacking.

I love posts such as &quot;Did anyone else find Rome to be a horror?&quot; I totally disagreed with the premise - Rome is my fvorite city in Europe - but I admired the pluck of the poster in speaking her mind, and I enjoyed reading all the responses.

And Bettyk, I read your report before seeing yoour post on this thread, and I really enjoyed it and thought about complimenting you and agreeing with your comments about Beilstein and Hotel Haus Lippmann (sp?), but I couldn't think of anything worthwile to add. I had the same experience after posting about our Germany trip in the fall of 2003, except that I didn't get a single response. It hurt my feelings a bit, but after rereading my reports about the cities I visited, I was satisfied with them and didn't worry about it anymore.

LoveItaly

Hello NYCFS, and your point is?????

kmh7

I am new to this forum as most of you regulars probably already know. I thought perhaps erroneously that after asking a question there was no further thought by the answeree. I have a long and complicated trip planned which I am very excited about, but I would not have thought that anyone was concerned but me. I have a big thanks to Bobthenavigator who guided me in a different direction than my original intent. Probably most of us newcomers are thankful for the help, but none the less intimidated to post a trip report to the experts.

MzPossum

I agree with Marilyn and the others that said they don't post trip reports because they've either gotten little or no responses when they did, or criticism, or don't feel they write as well or as interestingly as others. I fall into that category. I do appreciate all the people who have helped me and answered my questions (I hope I've been good about thanking) but usually my updates don't get much comment. As previous posters have said, some are talkers, some are listeners.

MzPossum

Hi bettyk. Just re-read your answer. Very true--has happened to me.

aggiemom

I agree with you, LoveItaly.

NYC - you live up to your screen name for sure.

TRSW

Maybe some dont post a report due to the fact they have poor typing skills( I know mine pretty much suck)or are worried about the ever present &quot;spelling police&quot;.

LoveItaly

TRSW, let me assure you, noone has worse typing skills then I do. I never typed until I got my first computer. And the spelling police - oh who cares. These post are not business letters. Fodors does not have a spellcheck feature and I am sure most of us do not have time to continually run to the dictionary.

Personally I would rather read a pleasant, funny and interesting post that has some errors then some &quot;perfect&quot; post from someone who is soooo in love with themselves, if you know what I mean.

TRSW

Loveitaly,

I do know what you mean. So when I return from Italy trip in October prepare yourself, bekaz myne kood bee a little hard on the eyz. LOL

Tom

LoveItaly

Butt Tom, wee will enjoie it sew mush. Take good care Tom!!!

jazzd

I just finished posting my trip report of sorts to Paris - just returned on May 13. I thought about all those really interesting trip reports and thought I could not / did not have time to do a proper one but I wanted to help with tid bits for others who have helped me. Then I read this thread about people not writing back to talk about their trip. So I am glad I did whether it was disorganised or what not.

Many things that I read that I thought I'd never remember (I did copy and printed a lot on a word document so there were a lot of mish mash tips that I took to re-read.

One thing I must say, I was really confused about the ATM until some kind posters set me straight. ATM's are everywhere so it is very easy (too easy) to take money out - so don't bother ordering Euros - get it right outside as you come out of the CDG customs area before you leave the airport lounge - Oh, sorry, this is about the trip to Paris.

Don't bother catching the long boring train ride. I KNOW a cab ride would be better and less stressful - trying to figure out how to get a ticket for the train. We thought we could do it and ended up with us in a huff and getting annoyed with each other. WE took the unscenic route by train and transferred by Metro.

We have a question to the Paris buffs, those little bistro tables... are they for 2 people ? You can't really eat a meal without balancing some stuff somewhere. It seems only built for wine and coffee. I see some people using one table per person. My husband was quite dissappointed to see that they were so crammed in the cafes. He saw movies where it was very nice and airy and people watching was not done with some strangers right up your elbows.

We took a trip to Deauville to see a new friend. It was a really lovely seaside resort two hours by train - I think North of Paris in the Normandy region. There was a REALLY fantastic (food wise )restaurant called the Flambe. Lots of little cobble streets and shops but architecture was a bit different than in Paris.

You know, on our return back to the states (we're from San Diego) we could not help but feel really good that people here tend to smile (some) and say how are you to perfect strangers on the street if they catch your eye. Whether they mean it or not, it is just nice.

The French are a bit stuffy and some are quite rude - which I find hilarous.
This frumpy woman was trying to give me the &quot;hoity toity&quot; attitude at Galleries Lafayette dept. store when I had an arm full of clothes but I refused to give her any delight in it. I have the cash and you forget you are just the sales girl was my return attitude. I wasn't about to have any French sales clerk put me in my Memphisto sneakers. The Best walking shoes - they look like Mary Janes so they look a bit cuter than sneakers for those who care what to wear in fashionable Paris.

I had a ball in Paris and can't wait to get back to finsh the rest of it.

Marilyn

Whoa, MzPossum, as much as I love it when people agree with me, that's not actually what I said at all. Just to keep the record straight:

I don't usually post trip reports because often my activities would not be of interest to others, not because of lack of response or criticism.

I do post reports when I think I've got information worth sharing, and it doesn't really bother me if I don't get a huge response. Sometimes I will get a direct email months later from someone who has pulled up my post in a search.