I think I was hooked on travel by the time I exited my mother's womb. I truly cannot remember a time when I didn't enjoy going somewhere, even it was just down the road for a look-see.

Another vote for the Big-Blue-Marble-with-kids regime. Always watched it with my two boys. Or maybe I made them watch it with me, who knows? At any rate, I'm surprised by the number of folks here who got "hooked on travel" as children. For me, it was MUCH later. I was in my early 30s when I was stationed in northern Japan. Tried a little traveling there, independently, but every time I tried to go somewhere I got totally lost, and few spoke English. My attempts at learning Japanese were, at best, dismal--no actually they were total failures. I actually disliked Japan as a result. (But it was not until much later that I realized that it was not Japan's fault, but mine; that the reason it was not "my cup of sake" was because I was not as accepting of it as I should have been. Why does it take a 2X4 up aside the head to make us learn anything?) <BR> <BR>Next, the Air Force sent me to England. That's where, at the ripe age of 35, I discovered the joy of Europe and discovering new things. One thing that helped is that when I got off the plane at RAF Mildenhall and drove outside of the gates of the base everything was so exactly what I had pictured the English countryside as being. The travel brochure pictures weren't fake! And I could speak the language! So getting lost wasn't traumatic, but became a part of the spice of travel. Since that first day in England I live for seeing more of the Big Blue Marble I live on.

Our first trip by plane anywhere was a trip in 1972 to the Holy Land. We never lost our sense of wonder during the trip. What hooked us was our stay in Rome and knowing how much we had not seen when we left. All we wanted was to go back and see more.

Great thread. Shoot to the top. <BR> <BR>Once you are hooked on travel, you are hooked.

i cannot remember when i didn't like to go places. must be my sign-sagitarrius. anyway like lynn we too have a grandchild-so far only one- that we can't wait to take with us to the caribbean and when she-or they-get older to europe. i'm already trying to get her used to listening to me speak simple phrases in french and chinese-and she's just turned 2! my son and daughter-in-law don't mind it a bit-another big bonus. tomorrow we venture to a chinese buffet to try that w/her but also i met one of the young waittresses who said she'll help me w/chinese if i help w/english. can't veat that especially in the small rural town i live in. what a bonus and a new friend too!

My first trip was to Ireland when I was 16. It was fantastic! Then, I went back the next year. But, it would be many years before I got to go back or anywhere far for that matter. Now, over the last 10 years my husband and I have taken many trips including 4 cruises. We also have a 28 ft. motohome we love to travel in. I love "being on the road". I love planning the trips and having the trip to look forward to! I still have lots of places I want to see! <BR>Patti

I suppose that I probably got some part of "the bug" even at a pre-verbal state, but the bug to travel to EUROPE got set - - and re-set - - on a few key trips in my life. <BR> <BR>In 1968 (summer between my sophomore and junior years in high school), I was supposed to go on a six weeks-long study trip to europe, but riots in Chicago and in Paris caused my parents to pull the plug on the idea. Perhaps to make up for it, they took us kids on a "Great American (West) Circle" tour - - complete with the woody station wagon - - through South Dakota, Wyoming, California, Grand Canyon, et cetera - - and the following summer (1969), I actually DID get to go on my Europe trip - - Rome, Pompeii, Greece, Yugoslavia, Venice, Milan, Switzerland (Geneva), Paris and London. <BR> <BR>I loved it immensely. I can't say one single thing that set the hook for me on that trip - - St Peters, learning Italian, the Parthenon, Zagreb, Piazza San Marco, a 15 yr old girl skipping through the fountains below Palais Chaillot with me, hitchhiking on our own from Reading to London and back - - or all of the above. <BR> <BR>But I came home from that trip determined - - that someday, I would have a family of my own - - and for my wife and kids, THEIR "great Circle trip" would be in Europe. <BR> <BR>I had other memorable trips between 1986 and 1997 - - but the next (and perhaps still) most memorable experience came in 1998 - - when our daughter was approaching high school graduation, and we offered all of them a trip - - with any and all friends they could "recruit". <BR> <BR>It turned out to be all cousins (we have 25 nieces and nephews) - - and boy friends - - 11 teenagers in all with me and my wife - - and this has set the bug more than ever, to try every chance I can to see Europe again and again through the eyes of others who are at (or near) the marvel of first-time jaw-dropping wonder. <BR> <BR>Sorry if this sounds sappy, but it's fun to recount. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

What a great thread! And what enjoyable reading! <BR> <BR>I've always wanted to know how others think and live. Can't remember not having that curiosity about the rest of the world. <BR> <BR>We may live on a mere speck in the Universe - but what a speck!

To Rex....you said "has set the bug more than ever, to try every chance I can to see Europe again and again through the eyes of others who are at (or near) the marvel of first-time jaw-dropping wonder." <BR> <BR>Know exactly what you mean. I was lucky enough to be with my brother on HIS first trip to Europe...specifically, England and Wales. (I had been several times already) What a fabulous thing it is to watch someone experience Europe for the first time. Sort of like watching a child on Christmas morning...... <BR> <BR>

When I arrived at the Frankfurt airport after an all night flight on my first trip to Europe. <BR> <BR>Got there at 7:30 AM and immediately had a brat with mustard on a bread roll and an Octoberfest Marzen beer for breakfast. <BR> <BR>It was then that I discovered there was something in life other than Miller Lite and this place may be different from Atlanta, but it definitely had possibilities! <BR> <BR>Tom

I too have always been hooked on travel..so much so I dropped out of college in the 80's to become a travel agent. I was a travel agent before the airlines started taking away our commission etc and practically forced free airline tickets down our throats. I can honestly say I have traveled to my hearts content....and now have young children of my own that hopefully we share my wanderlust. (I now work from home as a corporate travel agent)

A Sunday evening in early February, 1964. On the lone (B&W) TV in our home was the same show we all watched every Sunday evening, Ed Sullivan. Suddenly we saw (and could sort of almost hear) <BR> <BR> T H E B E A T L E S ! ! ! ! <BR> <BR>From that moment, I knew that some day, somehow, no matter what else happened in my life, I had to go to ENGLAND! Deep in my 14-year-old heart, I knew that any country that could produce the BEATLES must be a truly magical place. <BR> <BR>And I was right! It took me another 31 years to get there, but get there I did, in 1995. And the reality was almost as good as the fantasy I had nurtured all those years. <BR> <BR>I've gone back twice since, and like Vanessa, am always planning my next trip . . . even when I know it is a couple of years in the future.

Your posts have jogged memories of my first trip and how it must have hooked me on traveling to Europe. It was the 60s and my father(a German) took us to visit family in Germany. We took the SS Hanseatic across the Atlantic( what an experience!). I was amazed at small things--soft pretzels on a stick pole, rye bread delivered every day,root cellars,the vineyards everywhere,sipping aplesaft on the castle terrace,the sesselbahm,mirabella trees, eating marinated wild mushrooms from the forest and hearing a friend that played the Zither.We went to October fests where we drank beer and sang in tents( yes the kids too). He took us over the beautiful Alps that seemed out of a dream ,we camped in an olive grove with the Gypsies. I was totally impressed with the Cathedral in Milan my first real church. he funniest memories were of the Italian men wolf whistling and pinching my father's buxom redhead girlfriend--- It was all so amazing and foreign!! The kids at home were sick of me bragging about that trip for ages

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Like so many others, I think I was born hooked on travel. My favourite books as a child were those about children living in other countries, and I still remember with what enthusiasm I completed school projects on various other countries. <BR>My parents took me on several trips within Australia, but it wasn't until adulthood that I made my first journey overseas. Now, I can't imagine a life without a next destination to look forward to!!

I remember that when I was a little kid, we took the local bus from one part of the city to another. I always wanted to see what was at the end of the line. I have spent a good part of my life doing just that.

A Classic!!!

I have always had this desire to travel. When I was a kid I'd tell my folks &quot;life is an adventure&quot; and planned to live it that way. I feel like there's this vast world out there filled with wonderous things to see and how can I live on this planet w/o seeing as many of them as I can? I beleive the saying &quot;Life's in the journey not just the destination.&quot; I want to enjoy the journey as much as I can and take our children one day with us and show them the things that many only see on paper.

I was truely born to travel. As a pre teen growing up in Chicago in the 40's, I used to ride my bike all over the city. I often took the South Shore railway to Gary, Indiana, walk around the terminal area, have something to eat then head back to Chicago. I went away to college, I worked in the Field Service departments for Bendix and LTV Aerospace Corporations and traveled the world.
In retirement, my wife and I just returned from 10 days in England, Wales and Scotland. Within the last 2 years we have been to Australia and New Zealand, twice. A year ago we were in the UK again as well as France.
I'm currently planning our next trip to Alaska.
Three weeks ago we were in Chicago for a wedding. We'll be in the Smokeys at summers end for our annual visit.
There's magic in travel and I'm spellbound by it as is my wife.
We live in West Tennessee.
John

When I was a child and realized that at a hotel, you don't have to make up your bed - someone does it for you.