Hobbert

I used to have friends take care of my cats (now just one) but I found a boarding facility I really like and it's a relief to be able to leave my little weirdo there. The staff are lovely, it's very clean, they have cameras I can watch 24/7, and he enjoys having other cats to play with instead of just being home alone. He's 12 now and I've been using them for about a year and a half so it definitely took awhile to find one I like!

suze

<It's just a feeling that happens pre trip.>

bingo!

I have never once taken a major trip that sometime in preparing to leave I didn't think: "I don't want to go", "this is the dumbest idea ever", etc.

fuzzbucket

My next-to-last dog died while I was enjoying myself in Venice. The housesitter brought him to the Emergency Vet around midnight because he was having seizures. She called and asked if I could come home right away, but the vet advised that it would be merciful to put my dog out of his misery.

I was very sad, but there wasn't anything else to be done about it - and I didn't let it ruin my trip. His ashes would be waiting for me when I got back home.

Something like this might happen to any pet, no matter where you go. If you intend to leave your pet when you travel, you have to accept this.

I love my pets, but I don't treat them like human beings. I'd be much more anxious if I went on vacation and left behind a person I dearly cared for.

Vicky

I sometimes think I enjoy remembering the trip more than the actual trip! I sometimes think planning it is more fun than doing it! Traveling is pretty exhausting and the journey difficult. But I still love to experience new places and delve into familiar ones.

I'm not worried about the cat dying on this trip; just that I want to outlive her so I'm sure she is ok and happy. (I don't have children, so the cat is pretty important to me - and also nicer than alot of people...)

Vicky

PS - people can talk and get help - there are people I care about - but they are not dependent on me.

suze

<traveling is pretty exhausting and the journey difficult>

It depends on the kind of trips you take ;-) I completely agree about European trips being exhausting.

That's why recently I've only been doing beach vacations in Mexico or Hawaii for a couple weeks each year. Those are totally relaxing, not stressful, and I don't even get anxious pre-trip... unlike Europe.

I probably won't even attempt Europe (or South America) until I'm retired and have more time to plan and a less stressful every day life to get away from!

Fodorite018

Vicky--Our DD got a cat last summer, and over the holidays she went to Europe for 2 weeks. He was boarded for half the time and then we cat sat for her the rest of the time. She asked us to text her pictures as she missed him We did and it made her feel better as she was stressed that this was the first time she had left him at all. When he was at the vet, they called and gave me updates so I could relay that to her as well. He was pretty needy for the first day or two that she was home, but they both did fine. Maybe you can get someone to text/email like that as well.