I guess I'm just puzzled by people who don't travel because they don't WANT to do so. I have a friend who's very wealthy, but who spends his life walking his dog, going to the gym, puttering around his garage, car or motorhome. (He bought the motorhome only so that he could bring his dog with him to visit his daughter.) He's not materialistic at all, so it's not that he spends his money on stuff...

My themesong is that old 50's (I think) song, "Far-away places with strange-sounding name, so far away over the sea. Those far-away places...are calling, calling me...I'm going to China or maybe Siam, but I'm longing see for myself those far-away places I've been reading about in a book that I took from the shelf..."

I've wanted to travel for as long as I can remember..but I guess it's like a biker guy I knew once said, "If God made us all alike, where would we park all the Harley's?"

Just because alot of Americans don't travel around the world doesn't mean they don't travel. You could spend a lifetime trying to see everything you want in America (and Canada too) and still not see all of it. I don't think alot of people see the benefit in spending two days traveling places when they could spend hours instead especially considering how limited most Americans vacation time is.

A long time ago I stopped expecting others to share my joys, values and opinions (witness the 2000 and 2004 presidental elections). For me, this thread could easily be titled "Non-Poetry Lovers" or "Non-Opera Lovers". Along with travel, poetry and opera have brought so much beauty, happiness and understanding into my life that I cannot imagine living in a world without them. Alas, although both my daughters grew up in a house filled with poetry books and opera CDs, neither of them developed the pleasure that I experience. Does this make me sad or think any less of them. No, they both have a deep love of music and other beautiful parts of life.

After some of the initial responses, I was very sorry for posting this. But some of the posts have gotten me thinking and to be, yes, a bit more open-minded about the non-travelers I know and love--Tracey14's and NeilOz's especially. I loved your point, Neil, about your not hiking the Golden Triangle being sneered at by some adventurers.

I once had my students write essays on whether they are romantics or realists. One boy wrote that he would prefer a vacation in Cancun over one at a raw-foods retreat in the Costa Rican rainforest (a trip about which I had recently told his class) and that, deep down, he thought people who do things like that are only doing it to feel superior to others! I thought that was a very interesting viewpoint.

Well, as I said in this thread already, "pity" and "contempt" were overly strong words used in an ironic manner. I will be MUCH more careful about choosing my words and attempting humor in the future, and I hope that I can continue to reap the benefits of this wonderful forum without anyone thinking less of me._

Sorry, P_Texas, I had my tongue in my cheek. New Zealand is a great place to visit, it really is - but to an Australian it doesn't seem to quite count as foreign travel, more like a visit to an estranged state of Australia occupied by cousins with funny vowels. But we're fond of them, we really are.

Would you believe I just checked my email and found the following story. American readers need to know that international rugby games are referred to as test matches. OK, I know it should have been posted to that old jokes thread, but...

Wiremu, a New Zealander, was in Australia to watch the upcoming Rugby
World Cup and was not feeling well, so he decided to see a doctor.

"Hey doc, I dun't feel so good, ey" said Wiremu.

The doctor gave him a thorough examination and informed Wiremu that he
had longstanding advanced prostate problems and that the only cure
was testicular removal.

"No way doc" replied Wiremu "I'm gitting a sicond opinion ey!"

The second Aussie doctor gave Wiremu the same diagnosis and also advised
him that testicular removal was the only cure.

Not surprisingly, Wiremu refused the treatment.

Wiremu was devastated, but with the Rugby World Cup just around the corner he found an expat Kiwi doctor and decided to get one last opinion from someone he could trust.

The Kiwi doctor examined him and said "Wiremu, cuzzy bro, you huv
prostate suckness ey."

"What's the cure thin doc ?" asked Wiremu, hoping for a different answer.

"Wull, Wiremu", said the Kiwi doctor "Wi're gonna huv to cut off your
balls."

"Phew, thunk god for thut!" said Wiremu, "those Aussie bastards wanted
to take my test tickets off me!"

I'm not sure why so many people think that cruise ship passengers aren't "travelers" and that they somehow don't experience anything when they do travel.

Perhaps they don't experience things in the same way that many others do but to generalize that they somehow haven't moved about and enjoyed/learned/been encouraged to go farther the next time, etc., seems rather shortsighted...or perhaps it is coming from people who have never done it themselves.

This reminds me of the poster here who berated me for staying on the Via Veneto because "it isn't the 'real' Rome."

A good friend told me once she could not understand people spending money on travel as at the end "there was nothing to show". I am dumbfounded about that one...and yes, she is th eone with the big house/luxury car/unhappy marriage/problem kids.

in the big picture...travel to europe is not leaving your comfort zone.

over the last few decades, foreign travel from the UK has increased greatly and flights and holiday packages are getting cheaper all the time.

is this a good thing? most british holiday resorts are now slums as few families choose UK destinations anymore. vast swathes of spain, portugal, greece and other countries have been transformed into tourist ghettos that cater to british tastes.

rhodes, prague and many other places are overrun by a drink culture that is far different from the local culture.

a quick internet search will show you just how much pollution results from a journey in a modern day jet...not to mention the use of energy. this board is full of people who pat themselves on the back for not owning an SUV but then will jump in a plane for four leisure days in paris.

of course there are benefits to travel and i do travel a lot. however, i would never put myself above others who choose not to travel. in reality, the benefits to the world of my travel are very little and i certainly wouldn't congratulate myself for contributing to world peace.

i believe the negatives of my travel to the world outweigh the positives. it's just a selfish personal indulgence no nobler than owning an SUV, large house, etc.

Perfect example of "I am wonderfully open-minded...until you disagree with what I say." Wow.

Fidel-You're a big fan of dropping provocative statements with no explanation. Perhaps you'd like to read through the thread carefully and see in me someone who has admitted to hasty judgement and generalizations. I have had no problem admitting I need to think more carefully next time. I have a funny feeling, Fidel, that, instead of giving me credit for that, you'll see it as a sign of weakness. Or choose to pretend it didn't happen at all...

My great-grandfather was born in West Texas on a ranch. He died in 1998 at the age of 97 and only went where he could go on a horse. He was the happiest person I have ever known.

My great-grandmother was born on a ranch a few miles away. By the time she was 50 she had been to Russia, China, India and Australia. All during a time when travel was not so easy. She also died in 1998 at the age of 98. She was also the happiest person I have ever known.

I always thought they were so completely incompatible until I realized the epitome of happiness is when you get to do whatever the hell you want and everybody is ok with that.

I consider travel one of my hobbies and do not think it has improved the world or me.

I have friends who don't travel. One is highly intelligent and cultured but is terrified of flying -- she also gets seasick.

Another couple does have fairly circumscribed interests -- they're my fishing friends -- but they have an exceptional knowledge of their local area and particularly the salt pond that forms the center of their neighborhood. They have listened to our travel tales and asked to come along on a trip. We took them to Mexico and they loved it. I think they may have a new hobby.

I feel sorry for all those non-travel people since they are missing so many wonderful things to see and do.

Very well put, offwego. :)

It is oftentimes unfortunate that you can pass your fears on to your children. My sister still resides in the same small town in which we were raised. Never been on a plane & it is a chore to get her to go to the beach once a year (from Ohio). She has passed the same travel fears (& in this case it IS a fear of flying & the fear of the unknown) to her children. While we were still the cool Auntie & Uncle we did what we could to encourage the little ones (including my nephews' only flight to date). However, now we have kids of our own, so that does not occur as often. I do feel sorry for them & hope they at least have the chance to do some traveling later. But what does one do in this type of case ?

Welcome to my world...I'd spend all my discretionary income (well, a lot of it) on travel, my husband would not.

He'd rather contribute to his ever expanding wine cellar, I don't get the appeal, meanwhile, it's like pulling teeth to get him to agree to a trip, which he thoroughly enjoys once he's there, but can't help feel that the money is somehow wasted if you only have memories to show for it. I of course think it's worth every penny.

I think the answer is as simple as different strokes for different folks.

Guy18, Did you read Walter Williams editorial column yesterday? He's an econ prof at George Mason and writes a syndicated column. Yesterday's was on education.

Anyway, back to the subject. I know someone who is married to a guy who likes to smoke pot. No way is he going to go near a drug-sniffing dog. So they travel by car for their vacations. He's not even interested in visiting Amsterdam. I don't ask too much because I really don't want to know.

How about posing the opposite question! Why do we like to travel so much?

The trite and shallow answer is that we travel to see new places and different things, but why do we find new places and different things so stimulating?

Some travelers trivialize the issue by reducing it to one or two items. They like French food or Belgian beer, for example. But surely if they scoured their own city, they would find a few great restaurants or places to buy imported beer. Travel is not about "things." Even I have figured that much out.

When others attempt to explain their love of travel it often seems so superficial -- not their love of travel, but their ability to articulate why travel is so rewarding.

I readily concede that I have never been able to find the exact words, or even thoughts, to express this fundamental drive and desire that I have to visit other places.

Travel, especially foreign travel, makes me feel more "multi-dimensional," but I have never been able to put my finger on the reason why. Maybe I'm deluding myself. I know many intelligent thoughtful people that are not particularly fond of travel.

What if each of us had to choose between being well-traveled and well-read? Which is better? Which would lead to a more satisfying life? Would we pity, or have contempt for, those that chose differently?

I think I love to travel because I relish the experience much more than I could ever care about a material object. People always ask us how we do it & I believe it is just a matter of priorities. We don't live in a Mc Mansion w/a leased SUV & BMW. To each their own as to what is important, I'd much rather spend my $$ traveling, than on a car loan or mortgage payment. To each their own is accurate..

OP you had a BIG problem admitting your snobbery, clinging to it deep into the conversation and apologizing for posting only after many many people ripped you apart. And excuse me, it was your post that was provocative. I was just agreeing with the people who wrote so beautifully about differing interests.

I still don't get how what you said was ironic. Also, you assume I ran way but no, the mods deleted my post lol.

Why do I love to travel? Because I love to not be able to count on points of reference. And why is that? Because I am curious to see how I react when stripped of them. And why is that? Because I am curious as to who I am. And why do I want to know? Because I think I am worth getting to know. And why is that? Because I like the idea of me.

Travel fills a need that I have, and without going too deeply into my psyche, that need is to function no matter what. I love a good challenge. . . I really enjoy not knowing what is going on around me and trying to figure it out. I love sitting in a room full of people speaking a language I have no idea of and listening to them laugh and express themselves. Sometimes I laugh with them because happiness is not just what is being said, but how it is delivered, and I get that even if I don't understand it.

Now, whether the person I am getting to know is really me, that remains to be seen (because we all change and being is circumstancial to begin with), but so far I am pretty happy with my endeavours.

Claire

Yes Fidel the mods did delete your post (and mine as well). You never did respond to my question. You can dislike what Guy18 said all you want, but what does being a teacher have to do with it?

That's a very good question, smueller. There are things I like to see or enjoy when I travel (like real ale or art museums or good walks), but the pleasures of travel for me are more basic. When I meet other people on my travels, they don't care what I do for a living or how much money I make or how large my house is or any of a myriad of competitive activities that seem to define modern life (though maybe my perceptions are skewed by university life). When I travel I'm not subsumed by a professional identity that is very difficult to escape from (I am a college teacher in a small town; I run into students and colleagues everywhere!). I hope that this does not sound totally narcissistic, but I think one of the primary reasons why I enjoy traveling is that I feel like in going to new and different places I am somehow re-introduced to myself. When I travel I don't have to be in relation to other people; I feel like I can just be.

Fidel--big, dramatic words are often used when more restrained ones could be employed for any number of reasons. One reason might even be lighthearted self-mockery. Yes, I was being ironic when I said pity and contempt. Would I really have contempt for those whom I love? And yes, it took me a while to realize that I was being taken way too literally. That's when I explained myself better. And honestly, I only felt that a couple of post-ers had intended to "rip me apart." Any that did were far more intolerant than my original post, or at least my post as I had intended it. To whatever extent I still may wonder about those who can afford to travel, have no fear or phobias or medical conditions that would prevent it, children or pets who need to be tended to, or a lifetime of travel behind them, and still have no desire to experience another culture, well, I admit to that (as have several people on this thread). I hope that is my very worst fault.

I think the "problem" with this thread is it is extremely difficult to convey tone over the internet. If we heard Guy speaking the original paragraph likely we all would have picked up the irony and humor he was attempting to convey.

Along those lines "ripping him apart" was not how I wrote my or read any of the other replies.

Oh, Nina, the answer to disagreements with your husband is very simple: bring bottles of local wine back from vacations!

I had a woman who asked me last night if Japan was IN China .... *gulp*

To my non-travellers' friends and family defense: they are uncomfortable (read: terrified) with the thoughts of being on "vacation" on a land where they dont speak the language, know their way around, etc...

Japan was in China in the 30s and 40s. And in Korea, and in Indochina, and in Malaya, and in Burma, and...

Suze, I know you weren't ripping me apart. It only sounded that way at first. Thanks for coming to my defense, by the way. Tone IS hard to convey over the internet.

And don't people innocently judge each others' tastes all the time? Whether it be about McDonalds food or rap music or Danielle Steele novels? And is there really any harm in that? I can't help coming back to my classroom where so many of my experiences take place...My students and I are always poking gentle fun of each others' disparate preferences. No one is ever offended by it, and no one has any real "contempt" for the other. Pity? Maybe a little bit:)

If anyone thinks I've seemed intolerant, you should go over to the "Too many Americans" thread and see how various groups are being depicted! (Not least of all the visitors to my own fair town.) I know enough not to jump into that fray...

<And don't people innocently judge each others' tastes all the time?>

Speaking for myself, I try very hard not to. Yes, I do think there is harm in it. I am a big believer in people minding their own business.

Guy, When you post your whimsical thoughts on an open internet forum, you should expect that people will voice their opinions in return. This is not your classroom, you are not the teacher.

this thread reminds me of an article I read about the opening of Venezia, a large resort hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

At the opening people were interviewed for their reactions. A not unique response was, "Now that I've seen this I don't have to bother seeing the one over in Italy"

Before anyone blasts me, I'm just reporting this sentiment, not judging it. I personally like the version in Italy because there are more people who speak italian there than in Las Vegas

Years ago some north americans did not travel because they perceived their lack of foreign language skills might leave them vulnerable abroad. That would hardly be a reason today with the penetration of english throught much of the known world.

While I was fortunate to learn spanish as a child, pick up french on graduate student age bicycle trips across France and combine the 2 in middle age to gain some skill in italian ( I'm looking for italian conversation ops in Victoria BC if anyone's interested), I've had some of my most enjoyable travel experiences in Japan where I don't speak much more than "Konnichi-wa"

As Mucky says, "each to their own I guess..."

AndrewDavid

Gosh, suze, then we do disagree. People can blast me for my "whimsical" thoughts all they want. It was naive of me to think that they would be uniformly taken in the spirit in which they were intended.

Can't imagine what the classroom comment would mean.

I'll take the good, learn from the bad and move on.

Well I mentioned it because I thought you were comparing this discussion to the ones you and your students have together, poking gentle fun of each other and such. Just consider this... that -lol.

Oh, I see. It was the "you're not the teacher" part that threw me off. Seemed a bit snide, but I could be wrong. Yes, I had hoped that a forum on which I have participated for a few weeks now could be as open and nurturing as my classroom. Like I said, very naive of me.

You're calling Suze "snide" - after your opening remarks?

Too funny (or something).

One would think that a teacher of English would be able to accurately monitor her written "tone" to convey intended humor/irony/whatever. Face it, OP was pwned, no, PWNED. I didn't get the Instructions to Nuture, thought it was a travel chat.

This thread, the Mother of all those board-clogging threads that give rules on the one and only correct way to live your life, must die.

A person I know states confidently that I travel because I am not settled and always looking for happiness somewhere else. She is perfectly happy to fix up her home and stay in it most of the time, leaving it only to visit her sister in the next city.

It is all a difference of opinion.

Much rather be PWNED, as you say, than PWN others. Have a feeling you go through life gloating over those you perceive yourself to have PWNED. Sad for you, really.

Okay, someone needs to tell me what PWN or PWNED means, because I just can't figure it out. Help, please.