I am not blaming anyone. WHy are you so sensitive for heaven's sake. DId you not read my post just above yours?

I'm gone. Too European clearly.

The Grand Tour took months, though, and was pretty exclusively rich upper class and nobility. IMO, when one has to travel a long way to get to wherever you're visiting, one wants to see as much as one can in however much time you have. I have seen many posts from Americans on the Europe forum over the years bemoaning and making fun of the exact thing some people are being so touchy about now.

My take on it is that Hets is commenting on the use of the word, "Do" instead of, say "Visit" or perhaps, "Tour through". I don't think she is commenting on packaged group tours.

I will occasionally say I'm "one & done" about a place I've visited once. That means I've not found enough to lure me back for subsequent visits. That could well be because I didn't allow or have sufficient time to explore it thoroughly - or it might simply mean it's not " my thing" based on my single, probably superficial visit.

Splitting hairs perhaps, but I wouldn't say I was going to "Do" or had "Done" a place. That to me would mean I've investigated every aspect of it completely & that would be impossible to do as a visitor or even as a resident.

I lived in Sydney for 40 years and although I've visited a lot of it and know a lot of it very well - there's
a lot more I've not visited & know nothing about. For me to say I've "Done" Sydney would be ludicrous in my understanding of the meaning of "Done".

I think it's ludicrous when I see people saying they've "done" a place to which they paid a fleeting visit - which we all see on TA & Fodors forums very frequently.

I forget the missing nuance without the audio. Back to my book.

I agree. I think it's a very American thing.

For example - we were on a MT and WY trip and hanging out in Jackson Hole. We were on our way to some hot springs but the road was closed due to wildfires. One of my friends was looking at a map and realized how close Idaho was. Plan B for the day was to drive to Idaho. The route from Wilson WY to Victor ID was just 17 miles but three of the four in the car were happy to "do" Idaho. For them, it was "enough" of a visit to a state to be able to check off Idaho on their list of states.

We had a great afternoon. Ate a great lunch, visited interesting shops, bought some potato vodka and two of us bought huckleberry milkshakes at a shop famous for them. If they never get back to anywhere else In the state of Idaho, they were happy that to have "done" Idaho.

I don't think the checklist approach is exclusive to Americans, but I agree with heti that is very common for American tourists.

I was able to get back to the hot springs on a later trip. I tend to "do" hot springs on trips as much as possible. Someone I know plans trips around roller coasters with a group of travel friends and they plan trips to check off new roller coasters on their trips.

Maybe the checklist approach is another version of bucket lists.

Lucie, earlier I was musing on your version of to 'do' but my energy today feels limited and I fell short.
Btw, I recall one of my farmer cousins betraying a bit too much jealousy when once barking at me, "So! Have you done places x, y and z yet?'
Yo cuz, don' do me like that!

I was done. the end

Adding - I know I am tragically unhip - and have been so for a very long time.
Perhaps all/ most of my life.

And then Thomas Cook invented mass tourism marketed to middle and lower class Brits. It was the epitome from the outset of box-ticking culturally coddled travel and the stereotype of the ignorant Brit traveler was widely mocked in literature and popular culture by Victorian elites. Rife with references of them "doing" a country.

I certainly agree with the idea that people want to maximize what they are able see when they travel very long distances to visit a place. The US Forum is also full of examples of people who post unrealistic itineraries and get good advice about scaling back expectations. More often without the snark that is the lifeblood of the European forum.

Yes,

Hi Obx
"I certainly agree with the idea that people want to maximize what they are able see when they travel very long distances to visit a place. The US Forum is also full of examples of people who post unrealistic itineraries and get good advice about scaling back expectations. More often without the snark that is the lifeblood of the European forum."

This is our experience on the Australian Fodors & TA Forums, too. People tell us they're "fast travellers" only have 7-14 days. That may be so, but like the US, Australia doesn't shrink to fit short term jam-packed Itineraries zig zagging across its length & breadth.

It's such a joy when someone engages with us and we can help them trim their destinations & expand their experiences to something that really fits their interests, available time and dreams of what they'd hoped for in a holiday here. Even better, when they do a Trip Report either when they're on the trip or afterwards. That's our payoff

I

Help, Fodorites. I want to do a day trip to the top of Mt. Everest when I am on a tour in Bhutan and check it off my bucket list. I looked on a map and it looks so close. Can you plan this for me? I have a free day with about 6 hours to fill. Oh, will I need to pack any special clothing?

You'll be fine in your usual flip-flops & baseball cap. Whatever you like in between. Hire a helicopter to deposit you on the summit. Or better still - parachute out of a small fixed-wing aircraft.

"Oh, yeah, I've done Everest twice. But last time I forgot my selfie stick!!! Had to send one of those sherpie guys down the mountain to get one for me. And then he had the nerve to ask me for 14 extra pesos, or whatever they call that money in Nepal. Gave him 5 and told him he was lucky he got to do more exercise. I think I'm done with Nepal. One of my bros is going to do some mountain in Pakistan next month....might check that out...heard there's a cool place where we can stay in caves....Bora Tora or something like that...I don't know..could be Afghanistan or Pakistan....hang on a sec (scrolls through reddit looking for "cave resorts Pakistan Afghanistan.." "

😂😂😂😂

KTtravel, after you have knocked the bastard off, be sure to pick up a "Been there, done that" T-shirt from the guy selling them at Gorak Shep. He's got "I knocked the bastard off" shirts too, but they often sell out.

*What I meant is Americans, perhaps because they have so little vacation time, tend to tick off as much as they can in that time - (heti)
*I agree. I think it's a very American thing. - (starrs)

Well I disagree. I am American. And I don't travel like that or know anyone who does. I find the generalization at least inaccurate if not offensive.

I read and answer questions pretty much daily over on Trip Advisor for people with rushed and unrealistic travel plans coming to the Pacific Northwest. And no they are not all "Americans".

If you want to "insult" Americans... I'd go with why does only half the country (approx 50%) even hold a passport for international travel?!?

Okay.

My example was US travel.
In my US example, I know one of the three had a passport at the time. The topic did not come up - because it was a domestic trip. So approx 50% had a passport but not with us. Not needed for domestic travel - nor the US Virgin Islands. I just to go there with a friend who did not have a passport at the time.