Vacation versus Travel
Sep 4th, 2019 | 04:48 AM
#41
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,991
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Sep 4th, 2019 | 07:04 AM
#43
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 84,782
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Sep 4th, 2019 | 07:43 AM
#44
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,054
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Tourist v traveler is pretentious in the extreme, with an abundance of looking down one’s nose.
I don’t feel that about vacation v travel at all. Anytime we’re away, either word is accurate, but I would not tell somebody we’re “travelling”, I would say either we’re away or on vacation.
The distinction between them is strictly in my own mind. If I’m on vacation, I’m on a beach or at a cottage, if I’m on a driving trip, or in another city, if I’m exploring in any way be it museums or towns, I think of that as travelling.
It’s shorthand, in that if I say I feel like a vacation, DH knows I’m talking about parking myself in front of water somewhere and not moving for a week, if I say let’s go on a trip, that involves travel, usually somewhere new.
I don’t feel that about vacation v travel at all. Anytime we’re away, either word is accurate, but I would not tell somebody we’re “travelling”, I would say either we’re away or on vacation.
The distinction between them is strictly in my own mind. If I’m on vacation, I’m on a beach or at a cottage, if I’m on a driving trip, or in another city, if I’m exploring in any way be it museums or towns, I think of that as travelling.
It’s shorthand, in that if I say I feel like a vacation, DH knows I’m talking about parking myself in front of water somewhere and not moving for a week, if I say let’s go on a trip, that involves travel, usually somewhere new.
Sep 4th, 2019 | 07:57 AM
#45
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 84,782
Likes: 46
I don't think the labeling matters, but trying to label others' travel is pretentious.
Thinking about people I know or have known through the years -
Some only travel to visit family. That's the only motivation for traveling and they only stay in family members' home. We've had threads by people who go to visit family members but want to stay in a hotel nearby.
Some only return to the same place, year after year. A cottage at the beach or the shore, or the same motel at Panama City Beach during the same two weeks every summer. Some people think that's "boring" or limiting.
Some people call a travel agent and book a cruise or a tour, pack their bags and they are off. There have been anti-cruise, anti-tour threads on here through the years.
Some people plan long trips through Europe (or elsewhere) with detailed daily plans. For some, the pace would be a turn-off. For some, the daily plans would be a turn-off.
Some people fly over to Paris for a long weekend. There have been threads about how ridiculous "only" a long weekend in Paris and London would be. It wouldn't work for them.
There have been threads about returning to the same place year after year or going to new places every year. Some people do one or the other. Some people do a mix of both.
I don't think labels as to which are travel and which are vacation matter at all. One person's definition may be very different from their very best friend.
I would go stir crazy if my only travel/vacation would be to visit family members. Which is it - vacation or travel? Does it matter?
Thinking about people I know or have known through the years -
Some only travel to visit family. That's the only motivation for traveling and they only stay in family members' home. We've had threads by people who go to visit family members but want to stay in a hotel nearby.
Some only return to the same place, year after year. A cottage at the beach or the shore, or the same motel at Panama City Beach during the same two weeks every summer. Some people think that's "boring" or limiting.
Some people call a travel agent and book a cruise or a tour, pack their bags and they are off. There have been anti-cruise, anti-tour threads on here through the years.
Some people plan long trips through Europe (or elsewhere) with detailed daily plans. For some, the pace would be a turn-off. For some, the daily plans would be a turn-off.
Some people fly over to Paris for a long weekend. There have been threads about how ridiculous "only" a long weekend in Paris and London would be. It wouldn't work for them.
There have been threads about returning to the same place year after year or going to new places every year. Some people do one or the other. Some people do a mix of both.
I don't think labels as to which are travel and which are vacation matter at all. One person's definition may be very different from their very best friend.
I would go stir crazy if my only travel/vacation would be to visit family members. Which is it - vacation or travel? Does it matter?
Sep 4th, 2019 | 08:05 AM
#46
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 35,485
Likes: 3
I love my father and my family. In fact, I will be visiting them again over Columbus Day weekend and will be staying at my brother's house. I would never say I am going on vacation. To me, visiting family and going vacation or even a trip are two different things.
Sep 4th, 2019 | 08:49 AM
#51
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 11,017
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Sep 4th, 2019 | 09:01 AM
#53
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,858
Likes: 0
I make plans for flights and hotels and if there's anything that needs to be pre-booked (theatre or something else we specifically want to see) I do that too but we're definitely not over-scheduled. My idea of a good day is one where we have no plan in mind.
The first time we went to the UK when we were 24, we stayed a week in London in the kind of hotel where the toilet was down the hall. Then we rented a mini and zigzagged our way through England and Scotland with no plan and no reservations. We'd buy a local newspaper and if something interesting was happening in a nearby town, that would be our next stop. Sometimes we lucked into nice places to stay (a B&B in Dumfries, an inn in the English lake country) and sometimes we'd check into someplace only to check right back out again!
It was fun then but I wouldn't want to travel like that now.
The first time we went to the UK when we were 24, we stayed a week in London in the kind of hotel where the toilet was down the hall. Then we rented a mini and zigzagged our way through England and Scotland with no plan and no reservations. We'd buy a local newspaper and if something interesting was happening in a nearby town, that would be our next stop. Sometimes we lucked into nice places to stay (a B&B in Dumfries, an inn in the English lake country) and sometimes we'd check into someplace only to check right back out again!
It was fun then but I wouldn't want to travel like that now.
Sep 4th, 2019 | 10:00 AM
#58
***RETIRED*** Do Not Contact
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,057
Likes: 20
We've had a dog for 18 months and he is the ONLY thing I am happy to come home to (the GF travels with me)!
I guess I hate the idea of "allotted" time 
Ha ha ha.
A nice 5-minute catch-up before booking the next flight out!
Ha ha ha.
A nice 5-minute catch-up before booking the next flight out!
Sep 4th, 2019 | 10:12 AM
#60
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 84,782
Likes: 46
The 16 day Italy trip was too long for me. It was originally planned to be 21 days. I learned on that trip, I'm an 11 day trip person. That's my sweet spot. I do miss my dogs (now dog) and want to get home. After retirement, she's going with me, so that "problem" won't be a problem.
I like coming home. I like feeling planted.
I like coming home. I like feeling planted.
