Friends - no, they always want to hear!

Co-workers - I don't care, I just talk, they always HAVE to hear :)

My family is a different thing... out of all people on Earth, my father doesn't care. And he's the one to pass on the travel gene to me and my kids!! And some other family members, but I am bad - they still get their ears full at each family gathering :)

Yes, sometimes a question of money is brought up, so depending on the way I'm ask I have 2 types of answers:

1. it's all a matter of priority, and here is how you can save...

2. why does it bother you if I don't ask you for financial help?

I only tell others about my vacations if they ask. And to be honest, I'm not particularly interested in hearing about others' vacations unless I've been there, too, or am planning a trip there.

It's nice to share a little with friends/associates about a trip, but I hate when someone shoves 300 pictures at me and I'm forced to ask "who's this, what's that?".

Let's face it, no one but you is interested in where you've been & what you've done!

This hasn't been a problem but I'm not actually that interested in telling people about my trips except for a real highlight or a funny story or wierd event. Of course, some friends are honestly interested in every detail, mostly those who travel as well. I feel pretty self-conscious, though, every time I hear myself start a sentence with "When we were in .....". It sounds so show-offy to me when I say it but I don't hear it that way when others say it.

JJ5, I am like you in that I never bother to take my camera anymore. I used to take pics on vacation and have tons disorganized in boxes. Then for years I packed the camera but never took any pics. Now I just don't bother at all. If I really need a picture I buy a disposable camera and if I'm traveling with friends or family they always email pics to me anyway.

You know, this may have an aspect that is quite different for the big city dwellers. Maybe/maybe not?

Friends in general: Yes mine are totally NOT in the same socio-economic groups; nor do their lives' experiences with travel tend to parallel mine.

I wonder if that is just as true in a large coastal city with great mobility as it is for/in a small rural or suburban town where 75% of the people have life-long multi-generational ties to that one place.

So jorr, it may not be you or jealousy or any of that.

I never tell people about my travels unless they ask. I am more interested in hearing about other people's travels. I already know about mine. I don't know anything about there's, which makes there's a more interesting conversation to me.

I start my travel stories and then if I see their little eyes glaze over, I politely wind it down. Or if they flip through the photos and say "nice", I quietly take back my album.

I think it is because some of my friends just can't relate to another country. If I show them photos of local places more of them show interest. I guess it is because maybe they would travel there, but not to Europe or Asia.

I am a sucker for other's travel slide shows, videos, etc. I can (and have) watched them late into the night. So if you ever want a good audience for your travel memories, invite me over (and serve some wine!)

I learned my lesson long ago. Someone would ask about my vacation, I would say "Great . . ." and while my mouth was still open to go on, she/he would say, "Let me tell you what you missed while you were gone!" After the second or third experience like this, I just say it was great. If anyone wants to ask details, I'm happy to tell them.

I get to talk about my travel experiences every single day, because I'm in the travel business. And most people's eyes don't glaze over either, because I don't tell them every single thing I did...saw..ate. Just the interesting stuff. But your mother was right: it happens to all of us at some time. Not everyone is interested in the same things, so I wouldn't take it personally. I don't want to look at (or hear about) football games or motorcycle racing or quilting bees. To each his own. And you can always talk about your travels HERE! We love to hear about them.

As much as I LOVE to talk about travel, I sometimes know how your friends feel. Imagine being "treated" to viewing 5 hundred slides of underwater scenes taken by a new diver who wasn't a very good photographer either...along with the f-stop info and the latin names of all the fish!!! I remember drinking a LOT that night. (was years ago...now I'd develop a migraine and leave. And I'm a SCUBA diver and love fish.) Or looking at 200 photos of the "kids" experiences at WDW...I shudder to think about that one.
((S))((*))

I have never been "shunned by friends" but not everyone is intersted in traveling therefore in hearing about your trip.

In my experience ANYone who loves to travel themselves likes to hear about other people's trips.

I've gotten shunned by sheltered friends who just can't understand exploring new places. I can handle that. What really floored me was one of my brothers (not PPC) who travels a lot, who seemed to refuse to acknowledge some of my trips. I literally had JUST gotten back from my last trip and saw him, and he didn't even say "Welcome back" or "How was your trip?" I made reference to being back, and he just looked at me with this blank expression.

So sometimes it's not just for people who travel/don't travel. I think it depends on people and how they feel about themselves and/or the other person?

Whenever someone I know goes on a trip, I get really excited for them. When they come back, especially if it was their first time to the destination or if I hear they've done something really special (like hike part of the Alps), I sit down with them and make them tell me EVERYTHING. I want to relive it through their eyes.

Yes. I wasn't warned, so I was caught quite off guard. I was able to take the trip of a lifetime, and the only emotion I got from some was jealousy that they weren't able to go. They completely missed the fact that I had saved up for years to do this thing!

I use the experience as a reason to become a better listener. My best friend's daughter is living in Paris for the year and I encourage her to tell me all about it! Now, my own daughter is traveling through Africa for 3 months. I want to know every last moment.

Even now, I catch some "flack" from certain friends. If I say I can't do something because I am watching my budget, some of my acquaintances will remind me of my travels. I've really grown weary of defending myself.

Thanks for asking this question and giving us a chance to explain ourselves. Now I can go on traveling and discussing it here without reluctance!

oh, p.s. while I'm venting: Whenever that same brother travels, I go through all of his photos with him and/or his wife and ask about the story behind most of them. So it's not like I'm not interested! Oh, well.

It must be like when I'm traveling with my boss for work and he starts telling me all his hunting and fishing stories. Even though I'm not really listening I soon find myself looking out the window for deer, hawks and bunny rabbits.

When I get back from a trip I will innocently invite all of my friends over for cocktails and a movie. As soon as everyone has arrived I bolt the door shut, pull the shades, and kill the lights. They think I'm just eager to start the movie, but NO! Now I've got a captive audience for my 3 hour digital photo slide show! So far no one has ever asked why there was a podium set up in my living room.

The best part is I make them BYOB.

Melissa,
I have a brother like that too--he's never been to Europe and I've lived there and have been back several times. Sometimes it's hard for me to believe we have the same genes! He's in another city and I rarely even mention our travels anymore.

I only share my photos and adventures with friends who are fellow gypsies at heart. And of course, fellow Fodorites.

DH has been studying in Italy for the past 6 months and comes home in 8 days (I'm counting, doubt if she is) and I have a strong feeling she's going to go through some weirdness with some of her past friends who have never been to Europe.

IMO true friends would be happy for your happiness.

Many excellent reasons here to conjure
up a GTG in your local area, or travel to one of your choice. Let's see, before the end of the year, there's a
Yountville GTG (Nov.25)~shameless plug~
New Jersey, Atlanta and North Carolina
also planning fun. Did I leave anyone out ?
Sorry, I've been TRAVELLING !
:))

R5

PS: Photos and stories welcome at
your GTG.

Well I too know that a lot of people in my life are not interested in my trips. So I don't even comment on them unless they ask and then I say something along the lines of "oh, I had the most wonderul time" and say something like "oh that is great" and then start talking about their jobs, the redecorating of their house, their pets, their scrapebook project etc, LOL.

But I am fortunate that my daughter and stepdaughter want to hear every little detail and will ask lots of questions so that is fun. And they share their trips with me which I so enjoy. And my dear neighbor/friend who has never been out of the country will ofen ask me question and take quite an interest in my answers or stories. When she went to St. Louis last year she brought me back photographs that she had taken especially for me. That was very special as she knew I had never been there. I wish she had the financial ability to travel more, I know she would love to.

I note that the people that are not interested in my trips really don't seem to talk about theirs.

I love hearing about other people travels. Which I why I love Fodor's. It is wonderful to read all the trip reports...except it makes me wish I could travel 365 days a year!

OOps -traveLing, I mean, it's the cold medicine talking...
~sigh~
R5