Now I feel that I have to travel more than before September 11 so we decided to start planning our trip to Montana in August 2002. Next weekend we are renting a car and driving from New Jersey to Lake Placid, NY to take a part in Octoberfest and to admire the Adirondack's foliage. I heard it is already beautiful. To conclude, I agree that it is never too early and it is so much fun.

We are working on our itinerary for our first trip to Europe in May 2002. For many years we wanted to visit Greece. Hopefully the weather is not too hot in May. We are both from Alaska

Thank you all for wonderful answers. Are you still planning your trips for next year or did you change your mind after September 11th? We already have our tickets.

Last december, my fiance told me that he was taking me to London for a present, and we tentativly planned for the summer. I began going to the book stores right away and checking out the internet. However, a family member planned her wedding for this past summer, and it was going to be a big event, so our trip to London got postponed to January 2002. I was planning for the west virginia/ohio wedding trip for 3 months ahead of time, and that isn't even international for us. As soon as we got back, I redirected my attention to London, and am loving every spare minute I get to check out the internet, read postings on this forum, or search the book stores. I have just recently began to rent travel videos to London from the library, and can not wait to get going.

I always plan in advance about 1 year ahead of time. I try to figure out which hotels/resorts I would like, airfares, etc. I like to read or investigate on the internet where I am going, especially if it is a different country- there culture. Sometimes there are cheaper prices in advance and you can book and almost guarantee to get the place you want. I have always been this way. I don't think I could plan at the last minute. Luckily everything has worked out so far. I have never been to Alaska, but probably the summer months are busiest, so start checking into it. Have fun!

Mona, prior to Sept. 11, was excitedly planning a trip to Italy with a group from our church. Now, with less wind in our sails we're still hoping to go next summer, but we're all taking a "wait and see" attitude.

Mona

It's never too early to start planning. We always start planning and looking into vacation a year in advance. I LOVE looking up info and requesting brochures in advance. That's the FUN of it!! Besides, it gives you something to look forward too! Don't pay your friends any attention, they are probably jealous anyways!!
Start looking!!!!

Wait and see is fine for the back of your mind. I think planning summer vacation is the perfect recipe to calm what everyone is feeling right now. I would start the reading. I am looking at ranches in Montana, Colorado, Wyoming and BC. Live in NYC and it certainly helped me get back on track. Superficial I know but who cares fear is superficial also.

We reserved our rooms in Glacier National Park for July 2002 this May as soon as they became available. Have fun planning

I booked a suite overlooking the Grand Canyon Rim for April 2002 this past April and only had a choice of two nights of the ten days I was spending in thw area. Now that I'm trying to plan the vacation around this it has made planning a bit more difficult, I'm having to cut down on the time in some other places to make them fit in. So I say don't feel silly about making resevations if its someplace you really want to stay, the worst that can happen is they can tell you they dont take reservations that far in advance.

Going to Mexico next month this was booked twelve months ago. We have already booked for Cuba May 2002 and Kenya September 2002. Visiting friends in Crete is planned for May 2003, cannot book yet as too far ahead for the travel agent. We are already discussing September/November 2003.
Part of the fun for us is the anticipation involved, we read a lot about each country we plan to visit, plan excursions and try to learn a little of the local language.

You guys are just wonderful! I’ve felt pretty silly about the pre-planning I’ve done for my trip to Wales – coming up in September, 2002; but I’ve enjoyed it so much I couldn’t stop.

I’ve found a website that allows me to check the weather in Cardiff (or anywhere else in England) at any given time, found great websites for B&B’s in my price range (haven’t booked yet – thought it was too soon), and found a railway website that sent me a “National Rail Timetable Network Map” for 2000-2001 which has enabled me to plan my itinerary. I’ve e-mailed the tourist information centers in the towns where I plan to visit and requested brochures – I now have a stack about a foot high with all the sights and maps of those towns. I plan to start booking in January, but all this planning has been half the fun. Thanks for letting me know that there are others out there who enjoy the planning like I do!

I think you should start your traveling plans whenever you feel more comfortable. I like to plan everything really in advance. Some people like last minute trips. So, it depends on yr personality.

we are thinking about visiting Alaska next summer too and didn't think about booking our accommodations so soon until I read these posts. We are coming from Europe and my husband's dream is to fish for halibut in Alaska. From what we read Homer is the best place. Is it really? Anyway we are starting our booking arrangements this week. Maybe we will see you there?
Claudia

Claudia, yes, Homer is the place for halibut. We were there for a couple of days this summer during our full month traveling within Alaska, and you wouldn't believe the catches of halibut they were bringing in. The salmon fishing is also incredible along the Kenai River on the same peninsula. We tried to make our reservations in Denali and Kenai Backcountry Lodges last October for this July, but had to take a third choice of dates for the Kenai Lodge -- that's how early they book.

Patrick would you please let me know about Kenai Lodge? Where is located, what are activities? Do you fly there and from where? How big is ist and how expensive? We want to spend a few days on Kenai Peninsula in June and didn't think about making any reservations until now.

Well, I was thinking of going to Vietnam and Cambodia in April or May. I will probably start plannning my trip after Christmas. I don't like to plan to far in advance. My b/f and I went to London and Edinburgh for the Millennium, planning a year in advance. And you know what?? I was our WORST trip to date. We were so hellbent on getting these passes to go to this "block party" on the streets of Edinburgh for New Millennium Eve, that when we finally got them and went to the party-it was a BIG BUST! Sometimes I think it is best just to let things "happen." I never really planned my trip to China and Hong Kong, only booking the trip 4 weeks in advance, and I had a GREAT time. Anyhoo....

I agree with previous posts - planning is half of the fun. When my husband and I went to Alaska in July 1996, we began collecting information in January 1994! For our 2002 summer vacation, we have already made up our mind and will book our airline tickets sometime this week. Partially attributable to our good planning, our trip to Alaska ranks the best vacation we have ever had! Happy planning! Betty

I just finished planning two trips for this summer - rented a house in Nantucket first week of July and a condo in South Carolina the last week in August so I'm all done. The strange thing is I haven't yet planned our March vacation, can't make up my mind about where to go!

I must say I've been procrastinating the travel planning I need to do for next summer. I was doing lots of research before 9/11 and now I feel the wind has been taken out of my sails. I've no problem travelling personally but I am semi-responsible for arranging a vacation for 18 or so members of my family to celebrate my mother's 80th birthday. With all the various different budget restrictions, health considerations, etc., I am dreading it more than excited about the travel planning process, something I usually relish. I wish we could take my mother to Paris, a place she's always dreamed of visiting, but the majority of these travellers haven't been to Europe yet and the idea (and expense) is daunting to them. Looks like it will probably be Mexico. I really should get to work on it!