Detailed Itinerary..A US thing?

Old Jul 25th, 2007, 04:45 AM
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Detailed Itinerary..A US thing?

I've noticed that many of the questions on the boards are around itineraries. The level of detail and ambition in some are truly exhausting to look at.

A couple of questions come to mind. Have any you had your holiday spoiled by an itinerary that tried to pack in too much in the time available? Has anyone felt they saw all the sights but didn't experience the place? Is this way of travelling in Europe a particulary American phenomenon?
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 04:49 AM
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Hi W,

I always make a very detailed itinerary, knowing that I am not going to do the whole thing.

I'm happier having too much planned than wondering about what to do next.

What I don't understand is people who pay large bucks to get to Europe in the expectation that they will "wing it".

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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:00 AM
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Author: ira

"What I don't understand is people who pay large bucks to get to Europe in the expectation that they will "wing it"."

Hi Ira

So do you think this behaviour is a function of cost and distance travelled?
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:04 AM
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It's a personality "thing." Not some sort of a nationality-related "thing." Though I would guess that the greater the distance one must travel and the higher cost to get there would also enter into it.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:08 AM
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<Have any you had your holiday spoiled by an itinerary that tried to pack in too much in the time available?>

So far, so good!

<Has anyone felt they saw all the sights but didn't experience the place?>

Nope! We limit ourselves to a certain number of sights or activities in a given day and then leave time to just wander, as this is my favorite part of any trip.

<Is this way of travelling in Europe a particulary American phenomenon?>

I thought it was a female thing. I am an American female, and I thrive on lists and post-it notes!

I would rather plan out an itinerary than have a trip spoiled because it wasn't thought through. Plus, I have fun doing it, and, while it drives my husband crazy he always appreciates it once we are there!
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:09 AM
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I think it might be an American thing.

I don't know any Europeans travelling in the other direction that plan so much. But maybe there are indeed some and my friends maybe aren't great planners.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:10 AM
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Do you take money out of the bank, go to a large car lot and 'wing' it when you buy a car?
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:18 AM
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It does seem to be an American obsession. I live in London and, when I travel around Europe, I usually change my plans from day to day depending on the weather and all kinds of factors. I do take guide books, maps, a Thomas Cook timetable, phrase books and pocket dictionaries, and I can use the internet to access more information.
How would anyone with a precise itinerary cope if they'd planned to visit Oxford or Gloucester this week? I was in Germany once when the Rhine was flooded so I visited other parts of Germany, read the newspapers every day, and returned to the Rhine after the water had receded.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:24 AM
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On a long distance trip (Vietnam, for example), I make a tentative schedule of the cities I plan to visit, trying to leave a margin if I want to stay an extra day or two somewhere -- but I make no sightseeing, hotel or meal plans other than keeping a guidebook handy. If I can't improvise, I don't feel like I am on vacation.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:24 AM
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Hi Geoff,
>I live in London and, when I travel around Europe, I usually change my plans from day to day...<

Go ahead, rub it in.

You aren't visiting Europe, you are already in Europe.

>How would anyone with a precise itinerary cope if they'd planned to visit Oxford or Gloucester this week?<

The same way you would. That's called "contingency planning".



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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:28 AM
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I'm an American. I go with a general idea of want to do's. Then as Geoff said, I've not set myself up to be disappointed because I'm being inflexible and weather or strikes or whatnot will have their way. Besides, I think remaining flexible has openned doors to really pleasant surprises - serendipity, if you will. These surprises give my vacation ooomph and it is these things that I can chat about or remember most avidly.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:29 AM
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by the way, love the screenname
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:29 AM
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Hi W,

>So do you think this behaviour is a function of cost and distance travelled?<

Nope. I (the planner) and they (the wingers) are traveling about the same distance and will spend about the fraction of our income.

A major difference is that I will have good accomodations at low rates because I planned.

They will stay wherever is available at whatever they have to pay (usually).

In addition, while I am enjoying my dinner, because I made reservations, they will be standing on line waiting for me to leave.

Etc.

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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:38 AM
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I don't know whether the urge arises by nationality, sex or age but I don't really share it. I learned years ago that I am constitutionally unable to absorb more than two or three tourist activities a day. Aside from noting the hours and days places are open, we let our mood dictate the day.

We do reserve hotels and once in a while, restaurants.
 
Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:43 AM
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If you (I'm assuming you're European) plan a trip to the US do just wing it, or do you plan an itinerary?
When we're paying over $1000 for plane tickets, I want to make sure we "get in" everything we want, because we won't be able to return for a while. I'm not neccessarily talking about cramming too much in a short time, because my itinerary includes whole afternoons of wandering around, getting lost, etc. But without an itinerary, we might leave something that is closed on our last day to the last day, only to find out we can't do it at all.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:55 AM
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I have never been convinced that all of the "itinerary posts" seen here necessarily have anything to do with what actually occurs once people get there.

Some people seem to enjoy posting proposed itineraries to get comments. I'm always amused by those who "ask permission" {"Is it OK to do this?")

I agree that traveling with a "well-planned" itinerary could hardly be exclusive to people from one country. I don't even think it is exclusive to people who post here since there are obviously hundreds of people who post here and travel who never share any itinerary at all with the rest of us.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 06:19 AM
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Thanks for the responses so far.
Suzie said

>Besides, I think remaining flexible has openned doors to really pleasant surprises - serendipity, if you will. These surprises give my vacation ooomph and it is these things that I can chat about or remember most avidly<

This has been my experience too. Thanks for the kind remarks about the screen name.

Hi Ira

I'm not suggesting for a second that I don't research the places I'm going to or check websites for good restaurant recs ar good hotel rates. Thats just good sense. What I'm talking about is people who very detailed agendas for each day. Its a bit like tourist bingo! 9.00 AM Buck Palace, 10AM Big Ben, 11AM London Eye ... house!

Like Lawchick and Geoff most of the people I know and most of my friends and family seem to travel with a much looser daily schedule. When I've had relatives over from the States watching them in action has been fascinating, like a military campaign, very intense.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 06:24 AM
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Speaking from the British way of travelling, you will find a lot of them will be happy with a package deal to Majorca where they can kick off their shoes, dump the kids in a creche at the hotel and spend the next two weeks getting hammered ;-) and if theres not a fish n chip shop in the immediate vicinity, washed down with a pint of lager they won't be interested LOL!!!

Of course Im not talking about the esteemed British folk that visit here
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 06:30 AM
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I of course have my lodging set. I don't worry about restaurants, not really a foodie in that sense. When I was in Paris last year I just had a list of places I wanted to see and then each morning my friend and I would check the list, see what area of the city it was in, what else might be there that would interest us, and then took off for the day. We usually had a late luch and then spent the rest of the day wandering around. It worked perfectly for me.

Some of the itineraries I see posted here just wear me out reading them, and often these are the same people that discourage people from taking tours because they are trying to cram too much into one day. I like to have a vacation, not be on a death march.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 06:33 AM
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I'm from the US and while I do have an itinerary we keep it very flexible. Mostly we just choose where we want to base ourselves and for how long and then go from there. We don't "wing it" too much, mostly because we spend so much time and money getting to Europe that we don't want to waste time trying to figure out where to stay once we get there. But no, we do not plan each detail each day on what we are going to do. That takes a lot of the fun out of it, and in the end I just end up stressed because I didn't get to do it all. By leaving the itinerary open it allows for unexpected suprises and some relaxation.

Tracy


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