sallyjane3

I have read some posts about feeling blah about an upcoming trip , or anxious or overwhelmed...and I can understand every one of those feelings.

But I felt a desire to share that I am currently feeling so thoroughly blessed and privileged to be getting ready for my trip to Moscow and St Petersburg. I get a wee teary-eyed every day thinking about the dirt-poor roots I came from and the fact that my current life allows me to travel to places I read about as a small child.( I don't go LUXURY all the way, but i do get to GO.)

OK, if I'm getting too sappy, rein me in. I'm just so excited that we people on this forum have such incredible opportunities for adventures. I sincerely pray that I will always feel this sappy!

JulieVikmanis

Good for you. My philosophy has always been that if you are lucky/blessed enough to be able to do wonderful things like travel, you have a duty to enjoy yourself while you do it. Looks like you are fulfilling yours well. Enjoy. Enjoy. Enjoy.

tower

SallyJane:

I just signed in to look something up and I came across your beautiful sentiments....I felt there should be a response!...yes, I hope you get that "sappy" feeling, as you put it, for your entire traveing life...may there be nothing to ever diminish your excitement for travel and its associated adventures.

Keep on truckin' girl...right on down to St. Petersburg and Moscow.

stu t.

tower

Julie: looks like our responses to SallyJane "crossed in the mail"..I hope more Fodorites respond.
stu

TRSW

Sally,

Very well put!! I feel even more every day I am in another place. A kind of a 'is this happening, am I really here' kind of thing.

Last year I spent 16 nights in Rome and Paris. It probably rained off and on for 9 of them. But I didn't care, I was grateful to JUST BE THERE!!!

Tom

ileen

Sallyjane-you have written your sentiments from your heart and it truly shows how blessed you are to have unique opportunities to travel to far corners of the world and enjoy a few days of excitement.

I totally understand your feelings. When I reach my destination, I am so excited that I can hardly sleep at night. I think I am wasting time! I get up very, very early and go for a stroll/walk to see the area from a whole different perspective. I am always on the go ready to face new challenges and discover unique things all day.

Yes, it is a blessing that we have the means/desire/opportunity to see various corners of the world, eat new foods, make friends and make life-time memories.

Enjoy your trip to Moscow and savor each moment. Bon Voyage!

bettyk

sallyjane, like you I grew up poor and we never went anywhere. In school, I always enjoyed English History and thought it would be so wonderful to visit there one day.

When my husband and I married in 1975, the first thing I told him was I wanted to go to England. Well, it took 2 yrs for us to save enough money to go, but we went on a tour to London, Amsterdam and Paris.

I can't tell you how excited we both were about this trip. And it started a life long love of travel that we still have to this day.

Every time I look at our trip photos, I am in awe of all the wonderful places we have seen in our lifetime. Absolutely amazing!

LoveItaly

Hello sallyjane, your precious post puts a smile on my face and I just wanted to say that I completely understand how you feel. I have never taken a trip for granted and even a few days away from home has always been a joy to me, inspite of how much I love my home.

I send you a hug and so many good wishes. I hope you will give us a trip report after you return home and get settled in. From the time I was a little girl I wanted to go to Russia but it was not to be. So I, and I am sure so many others, will enjoy hearing about your time in Moscow and St. Peterburg. Safe and joyous wishes from me to you.

crckwc1

Sallyjane3 -- You have truly blessed US by sharing your feelings. We should all count our many blessings. Thank you for reminding us.

cafegoddess

sallyjane3,

First I just want to say that you will love Moscow and St Peterburg. My stay in Moscow and St Peterburg was short but I thought it was a beautiful city.

I also grew up poor and sometimes I can't believe I have visited places I dreamed about as a child. I am so glad I married a wonderful man who shares my need/desire to travel.

Have a wonderful time and don't worry about being sappy. You are in good company. Much Aloha

SeaUrchin

I'm with you, sallyjane, I feel so grateful that I am able to travel and I get so thrilled when I reach a destination that I have only dreamed of visiting.

Before I visited Russia I was so excited I could barely contain myself. A lifetime of hearing about their Communism, czars, political upheavals had created such intrigue for me. I read Peter The Great and War and Peace again to get me in the mood in the months before I left.

It is one of the best trips I have ever taken in every aspect and I still get emotional when I think of the Russian people I met there.

Please write a trip report when you return!

caroline_edinburgh

Hi sallyjane3. Lucky you ! That is the right sort of attitutude to ensure you have a wonderful time. I too do hope you'll write a trip report - I've been to Moscow but in the Soviet days and haven't been to St Petersburg at all. When are you off ?

Carrybean

Good for you. I know exactly what you mean. On my first trip to London years ago, the taxi drove past Buckingham Palace & I nearly had to pinch myself that I was really there. Got the same feeling in the Prado in Spain earlier.

Who'da thunk it?

sallyjane3

Your responses made me cry. It's nice to know I'm in a good "club" with people like you.

I leave on Aug 23 and I will definitely give you a trip report when I return.

Right now I'm black and blue from pinching myself to see whether I'm dreaming!

Take care,
sally

bobthenavigator

AMEN!
We are all blessed.

sueciv

I'll "amen" too.

Never lose the humility and that grace. It applies to all of the blessings of life. Yes?

I so often get caught up in bad stuff, have to stop, sit still and count my blessings.

JBHapgood

Since this thread appears on the front page of the forums, I thought I'd offer a different perspective.

I'm taking a "staycation" this year. I did that last year as well. I had a good enough time last year-- I'm blessed and privileged to live in Southern California, a world-class destination-- but there were some problems that made it less than enjoyable. This time I've learned from last year's mistakes, mainly the false economy of a vacation spent "commuting" from home in the nation's most congested traffic. I'm planning this year's adventure just as I would a foreign trip. Last year's adventures just scratched the surface; and it continues to amaze me how much there is around here that I've never visited or even knew about, despite living here my entire life. I'm excited and really looking forward to my local adventure, almost as much as the long-distance trips I've taken in the past.

It's great that you're realizing some of your long-cherished dreams. I'm sure you'll have a great trip. Sometimes it's just not practical to realize dreams. But it's also a blessing to discover that reality can be more exciting and wonderful than you ever imagined, and that treasures are right around the corner if you merely open your eyes to see them.

tod

Thank you for sharing your heartfelt thoughts with so many of us here who feel just the same.
I LOVE to travel and get very excited and overwhelmed by the things others in 1st world countries take for granted - like the freedom to hop on a train. Even travelling on a number 7/20/39 anything! bus in London or Paris is amazing for me!

I have a friend who travelled extensively every couple of months -She told me that at times when she woke up some mornings, could not remember which city or country she was in!! I swore I would never get like that.
I know, some of you think it was the wine! LOL

sallyjane3

I can so easily relate to everything everyone is saying. Just looking at street signs in a different language is so fascinating. I love being reminded how large a planet we live on and how diverse its people are.

And, re: staycations....my adult daughters frequently thank me for teaching them to enjoy the journey and not just look toward the destination. They tell me they are using that lesson on a daily basis with their lives. It IS neat to see our usual surroundings with new eyes.

Have a great staycation! (I have a friend who makes every place uniquely his own: He holds his hands high above his head while he turns in small circles and says, "I bet no one's ever done this before in this place!" Try that when you go somewhere you have been before!)

QueSeraSera

What a beautiful post SallyJane.

I feel exactly the way you do, no matter how near or far the distance I travel, each and every getaway is a dear gift to me.

Thank you for a most endearing post. And guess what? You are only 11 days away from departure!