What is the most important factor for your successful trip?
 

From a recent survey,most Americans(77%)rated &quot;dirt&quot; is the thing they felt ruined their trip the most(?!).<BR><BR>From threads on this site,it seems many people are most concerned about creature comforts. What's the most important factor in a trip for you- Good shopping? No surprise? Fine lodging and dining? Safety? Diversities of cultures? Costs?<BR><BR>Your opinion?

Having a good understanding of what my destination has to offer.

Attitude

You got it, cd, that makes more difference than anything else I can think of.

Feeling healthy is important, I have a hard time enjoying travel when I'm ill. A cold or tummy flu can can derail a great vacation.

Dirt!? I suppose that would eliminate 3/4 of the world! For me, it's the diversities of culture - if I didn't want to see/learn I'd stay home. Following that it would have to be safety. I sure don't want to get shot in a hot spot!! Then, cost is a definite factor - I don't need high class living, just clean (I've never experienced &quot;dirt&quot; except for one hotel on Lac Lemon, Switzerland). Mexico is one of my favorite destinations (great people, very friendly) but, yes, it is dirty.

I would agree that illness would go high on a list of things that can ruin a trip. <BR><BR>What makes for a good trip? Just the &quot;right amount&quot; of surprise. Anything for which reality exceeds expectations. Great weather.<BR><BR>And the more I travel, with others, the satisfaction of seeing the joy of (re-)discovering Europe through their eyes. Really looking forward to traveling with our girls again this May.<BR>

For me a successful trip involves two things: 1) rigorous planning, with loads of maps, guidebooks, internet sites, recommendations from friends, late nights poring over regional literature, etc. and 2) a willingness to abandon all planning once I actually get there and just do what &quot;seems right&quot; at the moment, taking little side roads at whim, going to some local event I've seen advertised on a poster, stopping for a picnic in a beautiful spot when I'd planned to have lunch in some restaurant I'd read about, just because it's a beautiful day, chatting with someone at an outdoor market and deciding to visit his goat farm....I like to have that in-control background plan in place but not to feel bound at all by it.<BR>I don't get the &quot;dirt&quot; thing. I love dirt. Wonderful things grow in it and end up on my plate.

Rex, I, too, get such pleasure out of watching my adult children experience the joys of travel. Have a wonderful time with your daughters in May! <BR><BR>I look forward to taking my infant granddaughter, just 10 wks., to France when she is old enough (and assuming I stay young enough!)!

Have fun, you are on vaction-no test will be given at the end of your visit!Be ready to go with the flow! Other than specific flight/train reservations,forget the time and be ready to make a left down an interesting street!

Good question ! When I first get home from a trip everyone asks &quot; how was your trip/&quot;. My instant reply is &quot; ask me again after I get my slides back&quot;. That may seem strange, but I have to relive the experiences via the images before I can truly appreciate what we saw. And, then I get to relive it again and again. The success of any trip for me is measured by my own emotions as I relive the trip. So far we are batting 1000.

Staying healthy. Tuning up the body parts before I leave for the trip.

Along with the &quot;dirt&quot; idea I guess a clean room is the most important. It's nice to have a good clean bed to come back to when you're tired after exploring all day.

The most important factor to me for a successful trip is if everyone in our party is in a good mood every day. If someone's grouchy that can ruin it for all and no one's going to enjoy the vacation. The hotel you book can also either make or break your trip as well. I think a good hotel is not necessarily expensive as sometimes the charming ones are the small ones. But a clean room and a clean bathroom are the main things there for an enjoyable stay.