I think that is more about her just liking to complain - not any lack of money . . . . .

That's the thing about traveling - you will learn almost as much about yourself as you will about your surroundings during the course of your trip.

Sounds like you've found the truth - your truth.

And it doesn't look like traveling is your thing.

People who live in a fantasy world expecting everything to be some kind of marketing dream experience should not travel. Most of us who travel regularly don't operate at some childish level where all ridiculous fantasies should be fulfilled or everything is a disappointment. If you have to "try too hard to have a good time" while travelling - don't do it.

I think you set yourself up for failure by having ANY expectations at all when you travel. You need to go with an open mind, which is clearly not this person's forte. Europe is not a Disneyland for American tourists.

Surprising that ramalama chooses not to partipate further on this thread. Kind of rude to complain in such an over-the-top manner & run.

It's interesting the OP hasn't come back to post again on this thread. It's so ridiculous, I'm surprised we've all taken the time to respond to it. Using Fodor's Travel Talk is exactly how I've avoided the problems Ramalama complains about.
:)>-

"Got the impression she was struggling with limited funds from phrases: "...pay too much for what you got..." and "...take twice or three times the money...")"

Just because people complain about the price of things, does not mean they have limited funds. My inlaws are loaded, but when they fly, they park in the parking lot of a nearby hotel and ride the hotel shuttle to the airport, thus saving the cost of airport parking. Some people just hate to part with a buck.

I don't know if it was "rude" of her to complain as she did but certainly she was a constant whiner.
It's great when whiners go over the top to the ridiculous. It provides the fodder that keeps Fodor's entertaining. So, here's to the real nuts! Thank you ramalama!

My sister is similar in feeling to ramalama re travel. All travel.

And she is an idealistic person, kind, and sweet as pie to everyone. And she is one of those truly good people in acts and in kindness/lauguage to people in practice, as well.

But she isn't a lot of fun, and she hates all the accompanied aspects of moving and change and lots of what travel encompasses.

So to each his own, and maybe more than most things that we do by rote, travel IS what you make of it.

I think the "conspiracy theory" is another interesting aspect of this post... propaganda, smoke and mirrors, the media, etc.

I guess it's the travel industry that has the smoke and mirrors, and the rest of us are too proud to admit we got duped?

I recall maybe 10-15 years ago, Las Vegas was making a big push to bill itself as a "family friendly" destination. I knew people who fell for that advertising and took their families and came back and said "Don't take your families." That was an occasion where the travel industry may have been trying to dupe the traveling public, but it didn't last for long. I think that if the Louvre or the Tower of London was nothing but a big tourist trap, we'd all know that by now.

<i>I think that if the Louvre or the Tower of London was nothing but a big tourist trap, we'd all know that by now.</i>

This cracked me up!

I think ALL of Europe is one big tourist trap. I don't know HOW I have been hoodwinked into going there 5 times and into planning a 6th trip for next year.

Me, too, Suze....I've got to visit all the countries so I can post the definitive thread on the WORST tourist trap...it may take me a lifetime of traveling to Europe to figure it out.

Anyone who wants to take the time and would like to be thoroughly amused could click on ramalama's name and read some of the many posts spent planning this trip. Here is one of my favorites. Combined with another one, we see they had 2 hours in Paris. So they took a VERY EXPENSIVE overnight train from Madrid to Paris, changed stations after 2 hours and then took a train to Nimes and then changed to Arles. Who in their right mind would spend all that money to get from Madrid to Arles by train via Paris? Now she has the nerve to comment about how expensive things are? No wonder this woman is miserable!

Author: ramalama
Date: 09/02/2007, 09:20 pm

This is a reply to my own query...for anyone who may be in the same situation. I wound up booking the Trenhotel from Madrid to Paris, then will take the TGV and a local train, Paris to Nimes, and Nimes to Arles. The same amount of time-alot more money, but this a vacation and why not? And alot more comfort--the Grand Class or whatever it is called-shower, toilet, sleepers (2) and Dinner and Breakfast. Should be quiet nice. Happy trails.

A very immature niece wrote a disconsolate postcard from Paris:

&quot;Everything here is just so old. Borrring!&quot;

Can't recall wiping poop off my shoe on any trip. I also don't go where the crowds are. Your experience sounds like what people experience when they are first getting use to traveling.

Chin up a few more times you will see what the rest of us see. Or if not than maybe traveling is not for you. Its not for everyone you know. I know quite a few people that would prefer to buy new furniture instead of a trip abroad. Everyone is different.

like at home (in the usa)

we never fight crowds,

never scoop poop off our shoes,

never pay too much at a county fair or other touristy area,

never look at boring or dirty areas of our own towns,

never zip through places on our way to somewhere else either!!

You must have gone during the &quot;on&quot; season. Rent a car and drive through Europe on the shoulder season and you'll likely appreciate why people love to travel. I always go off or shoulder season thereby cutting costs everywhere and people. I LOVE to travel more than anything in the world. I'll never stop!

lenlu: They ARE traveling in shoulder season. They are still on the trip.