Just a feeling...
 

I have tickets for travel to France for 15 days beginning on August 5. It is about 2 1/2 weeks before trip date and for some unknown reason can't get as excited as I usually do when travelling. It is really odd. I know you would all probably be horrified that. I don't even have hotel reservations:(
I've been known to travel without hotel reservations before, like the last time we went to Germany and Prague. We didn't have an issue and everyting worked out perfectly. I am not a religious fanatic but I wonder if what I am feeling is my 6th sense telling me this isn't the right time to go? Have you ever experience such a thing?
Help or advice will be welcome. I am not asking for convincing either way, I just want to know if this has happen to you.

Yes, it has happened to me often. I get so overwrought with the trip planing and all the things that have to be done before I leave that sometimes I just don't want to bother even going at all.

One trip I really decided I didn't want to go and I went anyway since everything was paid for and I had a so so time. Other trips I just go because it is planned and I have wonderful times.

I think it is what we make of it. Go and relax and have fun.

It's never happened to me! Send me the tickets and I'll let you know afterwards if you had a good trip:)

The one time I had feelings like you seem to have sglw the trip was rather a disaster. I spent the entire time wishing I was home. So yes one time I did experience what it seems you are feeling.

Advice, I have little. Are you not feeling well? Are you not happy about going to France? Is there something going on in your life that causes you to feel you want to stay home? Are you taking a trip with other people that have caused you to wonder if their thoughts about the trip is not your thoughts?
Or is it just s bad 6th sense without knowing why?

I can't really offer any help or advice but I will say inspite of the miserable trip there were good moments so I am not sorry I took the trip. I just wish it had been more "pleasant" so to speak.

Sort of ...

Reading your post I caught on the word "I" but then it becomes "we".

Are you travelling alone this time whereas perhaps before you weren't?

If yes, then you'll be travelling in a different way and your apprehension is understandable.

If not, then I guess you've just run out of steam. And maybe as you haven't booked any hotels you should just book somewhere in your city of arrival and stay there. Relieve yourself of the pressure that comes with having to make the best use of the time, cost of tickets, etc.

Don't rush around; explore where you are very slowly. In other words, just veg out.

Very often, the last-minute tasks of the preparations (including transferring work over to someone in my office, etc) feels like 'work' rather than fun, so the anticipation gets a little lost. But once I get to the airport, it all comes back!

The only time I ever cancelled an overseas trip was when I realized I absolutely did NOT want to go and was actually dreading it, not just 'not as excited'. When I sat down in a quiet place and really thought 'what is the worst thing if we don't go?', I felt a huge pressure leave me instantly. We lost some money (before the 'cancel for any reason' trip insurance) but never regretted the decision.

That one instance was the only time - otherwise, it's just planning stress.

I have tickets to Italy in September (high season these days) and no hotels yet. I think it's the high exchange rate and the hotel uncertainty that's making you feel that way.

Yes, but I have the habit of doing lots of research and planning before the trip and then when it gets close I feel kind of tired and begin to feel apprehensive -- kind of like the day before the wedding feeling -- do I really want to do this?

A couple of posters made good suggestions: find a quiet time and try to identify the cause of your lack of excitement.

Every single time! About one week out I suddenly start thinking "I shouldn't go, I shouldn't spend the money, I don't feel like making packing decisions, What if there are plane problems?" On and on and on. Keeps me awake a bit.

Then someone will say "Boy, are you lucky" or I'll open a new guidebook and I'll be fine. The day of the trip I am as excited as a kid on Christmas--every time! In fact, for me, the vacation begins once I get to the airport (used to be after I dumped my luggage and picked up my boarding pass, but now I get the boarding pass online the night before and travel carry-on only).

You'll have a great trip and, deep down, you really do know it!!

I always feel like "Now I don't want to go!" before a big international trip. Taking care of bills, rearranging schedules, putting mail on hold, packing, etc, etc, makes me so tired, I don't even want to bother with the trip! Once I'm over there, I have a great time, and want to stay even longer.

If you are a world traveler, the more trips you take, the more routine it becomes. This is good & bad! I've been overseas (for at least 2 weeks at a time) about 15 times now. The last trip, although to a new place, failed to excite me like I've been excited in the past. Every trip is different, and you will make memories wherever you go.

You are lucky to be going to France, so go & enjoy. Last minute planning might be in your favor (last minute discounts, etc). Once you're over there, you'll have to kick in to travel mode, and you'll be fine.

I absolutely suffer from this syndrome! It goes away when I get to the departure gate at the airport. Only then do I feel as though I can relax and "get this party started".

I never knew people shared this 'malady' - I am so happy to have read all these posts.
I definitely chalk it up to the stress of making all the arrangements, to the stress of knowing when I come home I have to pay the bills for all the charges incurred on the trip, etc.
I also feel the burden of being the one in my family to arrange everything - and there is so much money involved and the kids have such high expectations and what happens if it is awful? Think of all the money wasted, when what we really needed was a new bathroom!

But, I believe sometimes one is in the mood for an active vacation (seeing many sights every day, figuring out the transporation system, arming yourself with some key words if you don't speak the language, etc..) those make up "working active holidays."

And sometimes what you need is to relax someplace and not have to think about getting from sight to sight, or how to avoid the crowds, or where's the next budget place to eat. When what you really need is to get away,and not to "work" for your vacation - then that is the time to double-think where you are going and to see if some other kind of holiday would suit you right now.

I have also wondered when I feel apprehensive about travel if I was getting a premonition of things to come, a warning that I should heed. When actually - this feeling is all from the stress of travel(the planning, the money, the having to decide among so many choices of what to do, where to stay, etc...), and I agree with the other Fodorites that yours is too.

Let someone else help with the planning. Have someone else make some decisions, and so take some of the blame if things go wrong. Or, throw caution to the wind and say to yourself, that life is meant to be lived...that travel makes the brain tick like nothing else..that France is beautiful and you are lucky to be able to go....

Plan only to enjoy being in France. You'll do great.

That happens when I bring the in laws along
:)


Book a 5 star countryside chateaux for a couple of your days, you will perk up in a hurry.

Sixth sense is always important. I'd say follow your instincts and stay at home. The best holidays I ever had were the ones where I had the courage to duck out of arrangements. Told the whole world I'd be in Mexico for a week, then stayed at home. Wonderful. Meant I could catch on good films, eat pizza and just be me.

I've had it before... sometimes to the point where I feel panicky, but I've always gone on the trip and they've always turned out fine (knock on wood). :-)

Thanks a million for your responses. It really makes me feel better to know I am not the only one that has experienced this kind of feelings.
I will be turning the big "40" the day before we leave, maybe that is also contributing to my oddness. I should be jumping up and down since not everyone gets to go to France to celebrate their 40th birthday and a couple of days later their 11 year anniversary.
I am grateful for the oportunities I have and also extremely glad to be part of this wonderful forum.

Of course you're feeling uneasy! Landmark birthdays make most people feel reflective, uneasy and a little more mortal.

You know, a friend of mine once treated herself and a friend to a spontaneous trip to Paris on their 40th birthdays. She said that the trip made her more excited about the future because it showed her that she was still up for a bit of adventure.

Unless your 6th sense is screaming at you not to get on the plane, go on the trip. Facing the fear will make you feel stronger.

Good luck and have a great trip!

I wouldn't have replied so flippantly if I'd known there was a significant birthday involved. Those 'big' birthdays can be extremely daunting and I would understand completely that you are feeling a bit distracted. If it helps, I've had a few of those birthdays now and once the actual day arrives it doesn't seem so bad.

Hope you enjoy your trip and do celebrate the birthday.

Happy birthday,and congrats on the anniversary, Cathie :)

Happened to me too, at some point I felt "burned out". But I was so glad I went on that trip!!

Sglw-I will be celebrating my 40th in Paris this year too! Congrats!
BTW, I've been "easing the transition" by telling everyone I'm "almost 40" since I turned 39! :-)

I'm so glad it's not only me. I always feel like that and I always have a great time. I wish you would at least have a reservation for your first few days though.

You sound a bit tired out and maybe not loving the idea of "40."

Sometimes I get too overwhelmed with everyday life to think about planning travel.

Maybe give yourself permission to not be a tourist. Easy for me to say, but hard to do. But when I'm successful, I often find myself having a really wonderful time in spite of myself. You can skip all the museums and churches and just focus on cafes, wine, food, scenery and people watching. That is travel too, you know.

France is a wonderful country to begin your new decade.

I'm 48 and I promise I have loved my 40's. You are still quite young!!

Enjoy, relax if you want, be spontaneous!

Make one reservation to get yourself started.

Don't cancel...

gruezi

I'm well past 40 and love every single birthday - much better than never seeing another one.

I am in my getting-to-be-late 30s, and if I spend my 40th birthday--or the day after--in France I will be one happy woman.

Where are you going? Have you booked a car? I can help you get excited about this, believe me. :D

Bon voyage!

<<I get so overwrought with the trip planing and all the things that have to be done before I leave that sometimes I just don't want to bother even going at all.

This totally describes me. It really happened to me before our trip to Europe a few weeks ago and I was looking forward to this trip for the 2 years it took to plan. Then, a few days before, I thought, all this isn't worth it. In reality - it was TOTALLY worth it.

My sixth sense stinks (thank goodness!!!!) b/c I worry about a ton of things, none of which ever happened.

This trip I worried about:

my son's health (he had a freak health thing hit him before we left)

will thunderstorms mess up our flight; will our luggage make our connection

why was the Air Canada flight dropping small drops of water on us?! That's NOT normal!

I neglected to buy overseas medical insurance and while we were away I read that most US health insurance providers do not cover you overseas. What if we break something or get in a car accident?

What if it rains every single day we are in the mountains? (that came too close to actually happening).

What if, after our 8 hr. flight, 4.5 hour layover and additional 1 hr. flight my younger son decides he never wants to travel far again?

I guess I'll stop before any of you start to think I'm a total basket case. NOTHING bad happened and we had an amazing trip.

I, too, am so thankful others feel similar.

How long have you been traveling?

I noticed a shift in my travel buzz about a year ago - I've been traveling regularly since 2000. It's not that I don't get excited about going - but I find now I'm more relaxed about the small details. Hotels I still prearrange - I'm waiting/looking forward to that next shift.

I noticed even a week before I went to Italy in June for 2 weeks I was very nonchalant about it all - and it wasn't like I was busy at work. Even my things-to-do cheat sheet has become a very loose outline for my trip. I'd like to think I've become a seasoned world traveler in some minute way but then I think about a couple I know who have been low budget traveling for the past 6 months - they just made it to Buenos Aries, starting in Mexico.

As for wondering about the 6th sense stuff - I wouldn't give it too much attention - what we focus on we empower. I don't even worry about my apartment now - which is a major shift for me.

Yes this happens to me all the time. I used to have a horrific fear of flying, but then I got into a car wreck and now I hate driving.

For me it's the stress, and the what ifs. What if I lose my passport, what if the ATM eats my card, what if my credit cards don't work, what if my purse gets stolen, what if I get run over by a bus, etc etc.

And then I'm always amazed at how smoothly things go and how I worried for nothing.

I am getting better though with each trip I worry less!

I think if you start doing a little planning, it will snowball into excitement. Maybe you'll find some great last minute rates on some fabulous places.

<<...the what ifs. What if I lose my passport, what if the ATM eats my card, what if my credit cards don't work, what if my purse gets stolen, what if I get run over by a bus, etc etc.>>

Most of the above don't bother me,I consider most of them things that I have some control over. I have a couple of photocopies of my passport and would get to an embassy or consulate for a replacement, two ATM cards and use the cards when the banks are open so can report it immediately if one should be eaten (which has never happened in any country I've visited), I don't carry much in my purse, enough money for the day, never my passport or credit cards, etc. so it wouldn't be a big deal. I leave anything I don't need at home (driver's license unless I plan to drive).

But I'd hate to get hit by a bus; however, that's something that could happen at home too so I don't worry about it.

It's the vague feeling that I'll regret going, spending the money, the trip won't meet my expectations, that I should have gone somewhere else, etc. that bothers me. But I go anyway and try to be flexible and open-minded and don't recall regretting any trip.

sglw,

You'll be off soon, I hope all goes well for you and that you'll have a wonderful time.

I live to travel, start packing weeks before but yes right before hand i start to think: why am I going? I think it is natural especially if it is a new place. But only once did I absolutely not feel excited about going and ended up canceling (and it cost me quite a bit too) - a Thanksgiving 2006 tript to Innsbruck. The flight was a bargain at under $500 and I had reservations at nice hotels for reasonable rates but I thought: it is goign to be dark and cold and probably rainy - I cancelled and 2 weeks later went to Santa Fe instead but I had the $200 change fee plus the difference in airfare to Albuquerque plus one hotel charged me a $25 cancellation fee. Now I wish I'd gone but think I'd rather be there in Spring anyway.

Hi, just an update.
We decided to cancel our trip, we were supposed to leave next Tuesday and now we are not :(
I may be a bit depressed next week but I think deep inside (and I mean really deep) it was the right thing to do.
I am grateful for all your comments which in one way or another gave me the food for thought I was hoping.

<<I think deep inside (and I mean really deep) it was the right thing to do.>>

I agree, you have to listen to your instincts.

HI sglw, I hope you are ok and that the birthday wasn't too daunting and that you celebrated in style!

Happy birthday!!