Yes, I also think about travel all the time. We have just come back last month and have next April and July booked already and planning next October!

I also have co-workers who are interested only in whether I have a tan or not. If I don't, their comments are almost accusatory: "You don't have much of a tan!" Like that's the reason I travel. To get a tan. Sure.

I think about travelling a lot. I spent two weeks in Spain (mostly Andalucia) at the end of September, stayed home a week, then went to Aruba for a week. In spite of the negative comments posted on this board recently, I'm planning a trip to Paris for February 2004. I'm in a position where I know that my retirement years will be secure, so I travel as much as possible... while I can.

travginny
we did the same sort of thing a couple of years ago- spent two weeks in Cyprus,home for 9 days and off to Rhodes for a week!

We enjoy travel, and spend a good deal of time on it, but there's so much more than travel that life offers.

Rufus
of course theres more to life than travel. I have only got into travel in a big way in the last few years. I think it might be an age thing. I reached the grand old age of 40 before I got the real travel bug- perhaps its something about the feeling that time is going by so quickly and there is so much still to see?

Yes--I think about traveling all the time! When I'm on one trip, I'm already starting to plan the next. My husband and I are in our early 30's, with no kids, so we figure we might as well travel while we can really enjoy it. We always plan to take a "relaxing" vacation somewhere, but we end up going to yet another place where we spend lots of time walking and seeing the sights--it's the best!:) (not that there's anything wrong with relaxing--we're trying to get to Hawaii one of these days!)

I, too, am amazed by some of the comments that come our way b/c of our trips. The most common for us is "Well, it must be nice...you don't have kids..." I get so sick of hearing this, but it sure doesn't stop me! It's also hard to understand the "friends" who will tell you all about their trips (I ask them), but they don't dare ask about mine. I suppose some people are only interested in themselves. Once I've figured out who those are, then I know which ones to talk travel with and which ones to talk about the weather with--ha!

Travel is fantastic! Thank goodness for Fodors--I can always read the message boards when I'm waiting for my next trip.

There now appears to be a common thread which is helping me to understand why people react the way they do re my holidays-
Lee4 - I have no children as well. I think there is a jealousy but it isn't justified surely. Surely they wouold pick having their children above the holidays I have?

My husband and I just bought our first house (we're in our mid/late 20's); so needless to say we do not have the funds to go travel.

So, to answer your question - yes, travelling is all I think about. But for now, all I can really do is dream;

I know that every penny spent on travelling is truly worth it; but my philosophy is; why would I spend over and above my means just to suffer later on in life? Any sort of debt is not good.

When I am financially secure in a few years time, then I will travel my heart out. Fow now, wonderful summer road trips and local adventures are great with me!

fiona--perhaps it is an age thing for you. I enjoy travel (as folks can probably tell from the amount of time I spend here), but I enjoy my home, family, and friends as well and it's not all I think of--or even close to it. I guess I've never been one to obsess over any particular area of my life. And I'm well over 40. Then again, I've been traveling all my life, so the concept of travel is not something that came as an epiphany to me later on.

Rufus
I enjoy my home and family as well. I don't "obsess" over holidays- I just enjoy planning and going on them!

Hi,
The answer is yes and you are certainly not alone.
In my particular case, my parents never ever took us on a family holiday, oh sorry I lied we went once and came home the next day because they hated it !
This I very much resent.
We didn't need to go to Australia or France or Spain or anywhere abroad , we didn't even have to go outside Wales, we just needed quality time together in new surroundings exploring different things. Really learning about each other too.
My parents were never wealthy and their lives were really seperate in many ways.
So I guess its fair to say that they knew the cost of everything and the value of nothing when it came to family.

We have made it our lifes objective to introduce our children to travel, holidays and seeing different cultures and different people.
Learning from each other and knowing each other.
I hope this will make them better people.
Our proudest day will be when the children decide to travel alone, we will be scared for their security as any parent would but it will tell us that they have open minds and can take responsibility and experiences and learn from them.
So for this reason I never stop thinking & planning for holidays.
How to get the very best from the limited time we have both on holiday and in this world.
My... this is a philosophical day..

Muck

If I Had My Life To Live Over

I'd dare to make more mistakes next time.I'd relax, I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I would take fewer things seriously. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I'd have fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I'm one of those people who live sensibly and sanely hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had it to do over again, I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else. Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. I've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat and a parachute. If I had to do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.

If i had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies.

Nadine Stair
85 year old

Mary1, this is a great question. Perhaps St. Augustine put it best:

"The world is a book and those who do not travel, read only a page."

I did not travel outside the U.S. until I was 52 years of age. For the last fifteen years I have been making up for it.

Travel improves your mind as you go through life. There is so much to learn. The first time you walk through the garden at Giverney, or gaze over Normandy Beach, or cross the Ponte Vecchio, or walk through Joyce's Dublin...you will know you are doing some thing inspriing and invaluable.

We travel on a budget, use frequent flyer miles, etc. but we travel.

A vacation has three parts for me:

-Planning it
-Doing it
-Writing about it (and, like St. Cirq, someday going to organize our photos.)

"Save" for you old age by amassing memories and insights and awe. They are better than money in the bank.

24-7
I am hopelessly addicted to travel.

Yes, I think of it every single day.
I can drop dead tomorrow not having to visit any part of the world and my husband can buy a bimbo out of my insurance policy!
Let's keep traveling while still able to afford and still walk on those steps and cobbled stones and besides there are ways to pay those debts!

In my old age, I will (financially) have to live a very simple life, but that is OK, because I will have my photo albums from my trips to Europe and will be able to recall all the wonderful memories from my travels. Everyone has their priorities and travel is mine!

No. Sometimes I think about food.

I would say the breakdown is roughly 60% travel, 40% food.

:-)

My family was not wealthy and I did not leave the US on a vacation until I was 27 years old. In the next 10 years I went to Europe 5 times. Then the reality of small children set in, so the trips were nearby and inexpensive. But now that they're old enough to travel well, I'm obsessed. I've got the school calendar memorized through the end of 2005. It is killing me that next summer we have three major family events (2 50th anniv. and one college graduation to travel to [and pay for parties for], so no summer vacation in the summer of '04.

My employer should really disconnect my internet access because of my vacation planning addiction.

amen to everyone! and flyboy, I am proud to share part of a name with you! ;-)

ya'll are making me think of putting the flying lessons on hold for a few weeks and go somewhere. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.