karens, you should go! The worst thing that happens is that you don't really hit it off with anyone else in the group. But there will probably be enough people you like to have pleasant company for meals etc. And the best thing is that you may make some new "friends for life." That has happened to me more than once, and what a blessing!

Good topic.

When I graduated from High School in Massachusetts, I was offered a tryout for the University of Hawaii football team. I didn't sieze the opportunity and have always wondered...

Yes, karens, go!

I am Australian and had planned on visiting my father's grave in the War Cemetery at El Alamein in Egypt - I got as far as Canada on Sept 11 2001 and cancelled the remainder of the trip - something that I very much regret. The thought of being so far from home and the threat of terroism in Egypt was of course a very strong reason at the time - but I probably should have gone just to satisfy myself.

bennnie -- your post really touched me!

When I was a senior in high school, my father's sister who lived in Argentina invited me to come visit her and my other aunt in Venezuela. Both were married to men who worked for the oil companies and it would have been a fabulous trip, only costing the main flight to/from Venezuela.

Stupid teenager that I was, I chose to spend the summer with a girlfriend in Europe. I have gone back to Europe many times, but both uncles retired shortly after that summer and I've never gotten to South America.

Luckily, I learned from the experience and have made travel a priority in our family. We took the kids everywhere as a familly and if could never travel again, I'd have no regrets- although I still have a list of places I'm working on!

What a bittersweet, heart-tugging thread. Thx, Cassandra.

First -- go karens, go! I was in a similar group but we never dreamed of such a cool adventure. You really should do it!

And MzPossum, that is waaay cool! Please do a trip report when you return from the AF Base!

My only regret... My mom, dad, sis and i were the original Griswolds, station wagon and all. Talk about mishaps, we were WILD! But my mom insisted we explore the west and not just chill on a beach (that my dad preferred) and we were fortunate that for three summers, we took six-week long cross country trips...and then my dad died very young...

So when dh and i started on our 8 road trips out west with our kids, i always intended to take my mom sometime. We often talked about it but then she suddenly became ill in '99 and it never happened...

I learned long ago that you can always catch up on money but time waits for no man. Thats why i'm certain (and thrilled) that we'll always have tons more memories than money!

I don't have a regretted trip not taken, but this thread makes me feel like crying - how moving some of these stories are!

My husband and I struggle to put away a few $$$ to travel, and we have many friends that have SO much more money than us and never go anywhere........ to each his own I guess.

Cassandra: Add me to the list of people being very moved by this thread.

For some reason, ever since I was a young teenager, I have always felt that any opportunity to travel anywhere must be taken exactly for the reasons a lot of you are sharing. I somehow knew if I didn't go I would regret it when I got older.

Like BuffaloGirl says, it's about priorities and I always had a fear of being old and infirm and not having been to all the places I'd dreamed of.

Hope this makes sense. This IS an emotional thread.

I have a happy story to add to this thread. I had the opportunity to go to Hawaii on a all girls trip with co-workers. My inlaws baby sat my 18 month old daughter while I was at work. I decided to go because my husband does not like to travel, and I thought it might be my only chance! The husband did not care if I went but when I told my inlaws their only response was "I can not believe you would leave your baby alone for that long!" (10 day trip) Instead of not going I put my daughter in a local daycare facility and went anyway. The inlaws were pissed to say the least, but I will never regret going on that trip. I tell my daughter about it (she is now 6)and she loves the stories, and the picture of her in the cutest Hawiian dress I bought for her while I was at the North Shore. When she gets old enough to really hike and enjoy Hawaii we will go there, with or without the husband.

A few years ago we had a wonderful trip planned to Greece, Egypt, Israel and Istanbul. Then trouble in the middle East made us afraid so we cancelled and went to French Polynisia instead. Had a great time there, but so sorry I still have not seen Greece, Egypt, Israel and Istanbul!

Cassandra, this is a wonderful if sometimes heartbreaking thread. Nice thought, great question. (I hereby apologize for teasing you elsewhere.)

My college roommate's mother told us once that HER mother insisted that they tour Europe in the 30s because she (the roommate's grandmother) was sure there would be a war and that there would be devastation. They took the tour and among the best parts was a visit to Dresden.

Dear ellen griswold--Well said!!! How wonderful to have such an adventerous mother--and what wonderful memories you have!

Hi, Poppa96. Not sure if you saw my answer to your question in a separate post, so I'll post here, too. My husband was at Hahn AFB--now a private airport. It's in the Mosel Valley not far from Zell.

Happy story #2: When my mother was 80 and my aunt 84, I took both of them to England for 10 days. Neither had ever traveled outside the US to speak of.

It was often incredibly trying and exhausting for me, but we also had the most wonderful time. They are both gone now, and I have memories from that trip that I will cherish forever.

Not exactly a trip and not my choice to refuse, but I definitely regret the missed opportunity! When I was 12 my father had the opportunity to take a job with Borden in South Africa. My life's dream has always been to take a photographic safari to Africa and I have yet to get there. As more and more animals become extinct, endangered, cooped up in small parks and there is less and less stability in Africa, I am not sure I will ever get there.

My replacement dream is the Galapagos Islands which is our plan for after Antarctica (my husband's dream)! But, who knows? I may get to do them all. Travel has a high priority in our lives.

When I was in college, a friend and I were invited to a large Arab wedding in Dubai, all expenses paid. It's not one my big regrets, but in retrospect, I think we should have gone. Unfortunately, I suspect that Arab and American students no longer mix as easily on universities as they did when I was in college.
What I do regret more seriously is not studying abroad when I was in college. I was pretty heavy into the sorority social scene. I should have taken that year in Paris. Anyone with college age kids, encourage them to study abroad! They'll never regret it!

I am lucky enough to say that I have no regrets (yet) for trips not taken. Perhaps this is due to two influencial facts. One, my dad died at 47. When someone close to you dies at such an early age, you realize that there may not be a next year or even a tomorrow. The second fact that influences my travel decisions is that my mother at 72 years old has never tasted lobster. That really seems strange to type this in a travel forum, but let me explain. While mom could have had lobster many times, she chose not to because "it was too expensive". She is now on a fixed income and would never consider ordering such (and she'd be affronted if we got it for her). She would love lobster but will never give herself the experience (right for her, but not for me). The point being that while some experiences may stretch the budget, there may never be a better opportunity than at that point in your life.

Seeing the Egyptian tombs, sailing by the icebergs of Antarctica, canoeing the waters of the Amazon...no, definitely no regrets.

HI BTike Like your advise about sending college kids abroad. During her Junior summer, my daughter went with her Archaeology class to England. She loved it so much, she never came back to Pennsylvania. Got her degree in London and married an Englishman. Lucky me--I get a chance to visit her every year. Never would have gone on my own--now have so much fun visiting her.

I never turn down an opportunity to travel (and it's a big part of my job). My husband even plugs his ears sometimes when I say "I've been thinking"!!! He knows it will mean we are going somewhere.

My one regret is from way back in 1985 when my (now ex)husband was sent to Korea by the US Airforce. Our original plan was for me to join him and live there for the year he was stationed there. I found out I was pregnant right before he left and when he got there he refused to let me come. He thought it was a horrible country and hated it. He was afraid for me to come there since I was expecting. I should have insisted, I would have loved it I'm sure! Obviously he & I are different since we aren't married any longer!