Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

Be proud of what you've accomplished on your travels...

Be proud of what you've accomplished on your travels...

Old Jun 19th, 2002, 11:01 AM
  #1  
Paula
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Be proud of what you've accomplished on your travels...

I tried to post this earlier, so I apologize if it turns up twice...

A friend and I are just back from a whirlwind, 5-day stay in London. We had no idea we were going till the day before when she found a killer fare in conjunction with AAA or some organization she belongs to. Anyway, we had a great trip, no time to worry, no time to plan an itinerary. We just hit the ground running, did what we wanted to together and neither got bent out of shape if the other decided to head out alone. Both of us have been to London several times so basically knew the lay of the land.

At the departing airport we met a couple of older women, late 60’s, early 70’s and they were on the very same itinerary as we were. We ran into them at every airport and even sat 2 seats behind them on the return flight. When we landed at our connection before the last flight home there was a couple hours layover. I sat and talked with them for a while over coffee and asked about their impressions of London. Well, they LOVED it! First trip for both. She explained that they’d stayed in a Comfort Inn, had eaten breakfast each morning at McDonalds, shopped Harrods, Marks and Spencer, etc., usually lunched at Burger King, then in the evenings they tried KFC one night, Pizza Hut another, then they went all out for their final “real English” meal at Garfunkles!

Did you go to any of the sights? No, too tired after shopping. Did you walk through Trafalgar Square or Leicester Square, or the British Museum? No, it didn’t seem important. But they got a great deal on chocolates and some bath towels!

I was amazed; did you ever eat in a pub or stop in for a drink? Oh, heavens no, they didn’t drink and didn’t like to be around people that did, and they didn’t know that pubs served food.

My point? None really, just be thankful that as much carping as we do on this site, we’re all generally to be recognized as intrepid souls for what we do manage to get done on our travels. At least these two liked London. It would have been infuriating if she’d said no, we hated the place!
 
Old Jun 19th, 2002, 11:03 AM
  #2  
DoDah Dave
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Yeah, I've gotta an old aunt with too much money. She spends a fortune going to London, Paris, Rome and then barely leaves her room. Different strokes, I reckon, but I agree it seems a waste.
 
Old Jun 19th, 2002, 11:22 AM
  #3  
different
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I actually wondered how much, in general, people do on their trips. My boy friend and I saw 2 to 3 sites per day on our 10 day vacation to Paris, and we were zonked (exhausted) by the end of it. I've read travel books with itineraries (Rick Steves, for one) that I personally am not sure I could keep up with. I'm sure there must be people out there who do just "hang out" or see one thing, or just shop. For me, I felt like I had to see as much as possible, ha.
 
Old Jun 19th, 2002, 01:38 PM
  #4  
cindy
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I also feel I need to see as much as possible. I think I wore the rest of my family out last week in Italy. First day (after traveling all night) at St. Peter's in Rome, followed by brief rest and then night tour of rome. Next day, Orvieto and drive to our villa. Then a day each in Siena (did Monteriggioni this day too), Lucca, Cinque Terre, 2 days in Florence, a morning in Pisa and then I took pity on them and we relaxed for the afternoon by the pool, next 2 days whirlwind tour of Rome, and then home! We were on the go from about 9 a.m. till 10 at night, but it was worth it. Everyone said they had a good time anyway--
 
Old Jun 19th, 2002, 01:47 PM
  #5  
Let's not be critical
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
If the two ladies enjoyed what they did in London, then who is anyone to say that they didn't have the trip they wanted. Shopping is not a reason I would travel anywhere (not even at home), but to some it is the be-all of a trip.
 
Old Jun 19th, 2002, 02:01 PM
  #6  
Sherri Kardell
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Hi Paula;
I am a total freak about seeing everything I can.I can not stand it when I talk to someone and they say "I did'nt like Paris" or Rome or where ever; and I say well what did you see where did you go.I find out they stayed within a 6 block radius of their hotel;
because they were afraid of getting lost.I think that's half the fun; the first thing I do when I go to a new city is say lets go get lost;
maybe that's just me I find the best things when I get lost.I went to the south of France last summer with a friend ; and she drove me nuts all she wanted to do was lay out by the pool.I live in southern Ca. if I wanted to do that I could just stay home.Never again.
Happy trails everyone...Sherri
 
Old Jun 19th, 2002, 02:02 PM
  #7  
Now Now
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Judge not lest your own trip be judged. These innocent women talked to you in good faith about their trip and you take the time and effort to post a negative post about them here? Some people like to shop and some don't...what is it to you? At their age I give them credit for going at all, I know alot of women who would never travel alone.
 
Old Jun 19th, 2002, 02:19 PM
  #8  
Joy
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Or some people of every age that take tours, which I think are worse. I would rather join your women buying tea towels, at least I could decide for myself.
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 07:35 AM
  #9  
Windel
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I just read the original post, thought it was interesting that anyone could “see” London and not take in at least Trafalgar Square and a pub or two. Then I kept reading and come across the almost angry, sanctimonious replies of some of the responses which basically boiled down to a “mind your own business” attack on the original poster. (Let’s not be critical ([email protected])and Now Now ([email protected])

Do you people treat your friends like that? If someone around you expresses an opinion do you immediately go on the defensive or take an opposing view just to be contrary? If so it probably explains why you have time to reply with your condescending posts. I think if someone wrote a post saying something completely bland, such as “I like ice cream in France,” or “I like puppies,” you’d come back with some scathing, pissy, cry-baby response and perhaps through in a few accusations concerning the posters character too boot.

Crimany, people, lighten up. You’re just too depressing!
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 09:07 AM
  #10  
Karloff
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Yeah! I couln't agree more...I've just about givin up on this site for the very reasons you've expressed.
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 09:44 AM
  #11  
Fiona
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Nope, I agree with now now and the others, these poor women opened up to a fellow traveler and shared their trip with her. Then she judges them, creates a condescending post here about them no less and wants us to berate them too.

If Paula were telling me in person, I would have said, "well, it is their trip and that is what they wanted to do, I admire them for going at all."
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 09:45 AM
  #12  
Holly
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Welcome to fodors.
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 10:14 AM
  #13  
kay
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Would that I have the gumption and the interest to want to get on a plane and head somewhere I'd never been, when I am 60 or 70+. I am 56 now and think I am very fortunate indeed to have the resources and time and health to travel. Whatever turns my crank when I get there is my business. Enjoy the moment where ever you go.
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 10:18 AM
  #14  
njgirl
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I have friends whose parents,in their 70's, go to Europe and all over the USA all the time!
she loves to go antiquing and he loves the theatre so they always try to go to London and Paris each year.
I have other friends, who act like going to Europe is the same as going to Mars.
It isn't the age, it is the mindset.
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 11:58 AM
  #15  
Lee
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I don't see why you would want to put a damper on those women at all. You have to remember everyone travels differently, at least they had each other and agreed on what to do. More power to them, they were doing what they wanted.
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 12:00 PM
  #16  
SAS
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I would rather buy tea towels with them than travel with a person like Paula, too judgmental.
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 12:02 PM
  #17  
Capo
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Not really my style of traveling but to each their own.

The only person whose travel style I care about is the person I'm traveling with, as I find it's nice to have roughly the same kind of philosophy when it comes to what you want to see and do.
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 12:52 PM
  #18  
Turtle
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
So, who made age the issue? I just thought that the original poster was giving us some background, didn’t sound at all pejorative to me. And I seriously doubt that anyone was berated. I see Paula’s point precisely: sometimes we don’t feel that we’ve done all we could’ve done seeing the sights and then we run into folks like these lovely ladies. Yes, I suppose ignorance is bliss. As far as the age thing, I have a friend who is 76 who will be visiting Istanbul for the first time next month. He’s staying for two weeks and he’s going alone!
Anyway, I agree with Windel, someone could post a recipe for pie here and a certain faction of you would tear him or her to bits. I’ve seen replies to posts where apparently since nothing else could be found to bitch about, some of you attack the spelling! Pitiful grinches.
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 01:35 PM
  #19  
xxxx
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
See Turtle you resorted to name calling yourself. Ha, none of us is perfect.
 
Old Jun 25th, 2002, 01:46 PM
  #20  
Schoolmarm
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Windel, I completely agree with you. This board is a service run by Fodors/Bertelsmann for people to exchange ideas and experiences about their travels, but, like so much on the 'net, it increasingly serves as an outlet for a depressing amount of anger, insecurity, prejudice and mean-little-kid insolence. There is very little in the way of manners and civility on the web, because the teacher is out of the room.

The bad news is that it's bad and getting worse. The level of flaming is much higher on Fodors than it used to be. The use of anonymity is vital to this approach; nobody wants to get caught standing at the wall with the spray paint can in his hand. And those like me that think it's a shame also have to go anonymously or else risk hateful spam or worse.

The good news is that people with legitimate travel-oriented topics, or those who want to have serious discussions, can still get good responses, even if it means digging through the manure to find them. The flamers and the flame-seekers never change each others' opinions, they just pleasure themselves momemtarily and consume a tiny bit of bandwidth, just like I'm doing here. Crying babies, even those that wear ball caps or makeup, cry because they need attention and don't have the skills to get it in some other way, most especially in dealing in face-to-face with other people.

Fortunately the internet is an optional and cheap activity, so if one is bothered by the crying one can just do something else. It's not like it's a film where your money is going to waste because you can't hear the words.

Presently the smirking and crying ones find themselves flaming only each other, and the rest of us ignore them, just like the rest of the world. Maybe the Fodors website will be wrecked by then, as most message boards on the web are, and Bertelsmann will need to find some other means of helping travelers. That will be sad, but not unexpected.
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -