Why do you travel?

[imoldernu]

Simple question with no words of wisdom or judgement.

In the early business years, 1950's - 1970's, it was part of job as DM... about 35,000+ miles per year.
After retirement, in the 1990's, down to 15,000/yr looking for a home, and enjoying different cities, campgrounds and beaches.

Been to 43 states, Japan, Canada and Mexico, marginally speak French, German, and Esperanto. but never had the urge to go more foreign countries... and now, travel to anywhere has no interest or fascination. Enjoy (vicariously) travel by books, TV, and the adventures of friends who share pictures and events.

But, now... being home at Woodhaven, Lake Griffin Harbor and here in Central Illinois, is my ideal for a happy retirement life

And so I wonder... what makes a person leave the comfort of their home and friends, to travel thousands of miles, often to an alien culture, or at the very least, to be with people who will never be seen again. No just to foreign lands, but even in the US... to go to cities or recreation areas that are basically clones of those that are nearby their own home.

A second question for the itinerant travelers. How long do you expect to be doing this? Some of our friends who are in their 90's think nothing of taking a trip to Branson or Vegas, or even Australia and Antarctica.

An amazing world.

 

[Ronstar]

Most of my travel is between Illinois home and Arizona condo - about 100 round trips in the last 12 years. Mostly to get away from the Illinois weather. I do enjoy travel to other places. DW wants to visit every state within the next 10 years. We should have 5 states visited by the end of the year. We also want to visit a few foreign lands. We travel because we like to explore new places and new things. I expect to do this as along as we enjoy it - see no problem doing it until we're around 80 if possible. We've got 20 years to take it all in.

 

[travelover]

Primarily to avoid bill collectors and open warrants.

 

[Goonie]

I started traveling on my own shortly after high school. Mostly traveled alone, coast to coast. West coast to visit friends and explore new places, east coast to go camping in the Appalachians, visit friends, explore different places, or to enjoy NYC and find little hole-in-the-wall diners & restaurants. In addition to 39 states, I've also been to Haiti, Canada, and England, but much prefer the good ol' USA!!!

My folks always loved to travel, and the always took 2 multi-week trips each year. One trip south to explore new places, sight see, and then go visit my sister in New Orleans. Then a second trip in the Fall to explore and sight see, and stop for a couple days to visit my brother in Massachusetts. They always needed up up in Maine at a tiny motel on the ocean for a week or so, just before heading back home to start planning their next adventure.

After my Dad passed away, I started taking my Mom on trips, since she still loved to travel. We would hit places that she wanted to visit, and pick places that I wanted to visit, and that has worked out very well for us both. Her and I still travel quite a bit, though we've cut back a little because she says she's been everywhere that she wanted to go to, and has seen everything that she's wanted to see, including the Grand Canyon.

Although I've traveled all over creation, I still enjoy exploring the world closer to home as well. So we do a lot more trips within a few hundred miles of home, and fewer long distance trips. Less driving time, more chillin' time!

My Dad traveled up until about a year before he passed. My Mom is still traveling at 87. And I plan to keep traveling as long as I'm able to also, because some day I'll be dead, and I'll be stuck in one place for a loooooong time!

 

[Meadbh]

At last count I had visited 27 countries. My first trip abroad was at age 17, with parents. At age 28 I emigrated, partly for opportunity and partly for adventure. I have lived in 3 countries. I have travelled extensively in Canada and have visited approximately half of US states.

During my working career, most of my travel was due to work and family obligations (a big driver for migrants). These days I travel mostly for pleasure and I mix road trips with flights. I still like to see new places and experience new cultures, but I do not have a bucket list. There are many countries that I have no particular desire to visit, and there are places that I would like to return to. I am less tolerant of travel exhaustion than I used to be, and on my last major trip I broke the journey, which made it so much more pleasant. It's wonderful to have the time and money to do that. I am single and have travelled solo quite a bit. Recently I have taken several trips with friends. It is nice to have company, but it does mean compromise. There is nothing I enjoy more than a day spent exploring the cultural and historical offerings of an interesting city, people watching and enjoying street culture. I'm looking at you, Budapest!

Over time I expect to become more selective about travel. When it stops being enjoyable, I will give it up. But not yet!

 

[Nemo2]

"Hey, I wonder what's over there......"

(Did have a minor epiphany about 27 years ago.......arrived in Dakar, Senegal, rented a car and headed in the direction of the border with Mali........en route it occurred to me that, if we'd've landed there I'd likely be booting it towards Dakar!)

Number of countries visited..in the mid 60s.

 

[RonBoyd]

... and on my last major trip I broke the journey, which made it so much more pleasant.

I don't know what that means.

 

[REWahoo]

I don't know what that means.

Let me Google that for you:

break-journey - definition in the British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionaries Online (US)

 

[RonBoyd]

I hate these kind of questions... calls for too much introspection.

I suppose we travel so much because it is a habit we have had for so long that... well, mental laziness, I guess.

I suspect it will continue into our 80's.

 

[braumeister]

I've been to all 50 states (finally snagged Montana in 2009), and 15 other countries. Much of the travel was during my military career, but that doesn't mean I enjoyed it less than my personal travel.

Other places have things to do, foods to eat, beers to drink, sights to see, and people to interact with that provide much more richness to life than I would get if I stayed in one place. Some of them are so enjoyable that I continue to go back over and over.

 

[Meadbh]

I don't know what that means.

I'm sorry RonBoyd, I assumed that this would be a familiar phrase. See REWahoo's post.

As an example, I did not travel from home (A) to my ultimate destination (B) all at once (which would have been a 24 hour journey with three flights). Instead, I flew from A to C, rested, explored C, spent overnight and flew to B, refreshed, the next morning. I "took a break", so to speak.

 

[Goonie]

?....Other places have things to do, foods to eat, beers to drink, sights to see, and people to interact with that provide much more richness to life than I would get if I stayed in one place. Some of them are so enjoyable that I continue to go back over and over.

+1

Especially "....that provide much more richness to life...."!

 

[RonBoyd]

Let me Google that for you:

Well, I never ... but should have several times over the years.

 

[RonBoyd]

As an example, I did not travel from home (A) to my ultimate destination (B) all at once (which would have been a 24 hour journey with three flights). Instead, I flew from A to C, rested, explored C, spent overnight and flew to B, refreshed, the next morning. I "took a break", so to speak.

Oh! Well, that describes almost all of our trips. For example, a couple years ago we booked a cruise to Central America and left Denver (driving) 2½ weeks before departure. We, despite wanting to have a week of Florida exploring, arrived in Ft. Lauderdale the night before the ship sailed. We were distracted by several things including the Natchez Trace.

 

[Dash man]

It's all about the beer, wine and spirits found in different parts of the country and the world. I love to try the local favorites wherever I travel.


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[MichaelB]

Our travels are a never ending search for transcendental enlightenment.

 

[REWahoo]

Our travels are a never ending search for transcendental enlightenment.

+1

I keep telling my wife we have a better chance of finding it if we don't take too much luggage...

 

[rodi]

I am curious. That's why I travel. One of the things that attracted me to my husband was that he also enjoyed travel.

About 15 years ago I figured out "slow travel"... which is more about exploring a smaller area more in depth by staying a week or more in one location and doing day trips from that base... that suits my temperament better than the pace of most tours where you rush from city to city, changing hotels every night. This allows me to try and replicate a restaurant meal, a few days later, using local ingredients.... Since our vacation rentals always have kitchens. It also allows for more "down" time while travelling since you can always visit site x, y, or z a day later if you're in town for more than one day.

Budget has limited my travel more than desire... But I've tried to have an international trip every 3-4 years. (Travel with the whole family means 4xAirfare... so it's something I have to plan for.)

 

[ivinsfan]

Most of my travel is between Illinois home and Arizona condo - about 100 round trips in the last 12 years. Mostly to get away from the Illinois weather. I do enjoy travel to other places. DW wants to visit every state within the next 10 years. We should have 5 states visited by the end of the year. We also want to visit a few foreign lands. We travel because we like to explore new places and new things. I expect to do this as along as we enjoy it - see no problem doing it until we're around 80 if possible. We've got 20 years to take it all in.

Wow, is that really 100 trips or a typo? Do you drive or fly, we like to snowbird as well and that route you take can involve some nasty weather unless you can go from Oct to April and it's a looong drive. For work reason we can only snowbird for 4-5 weeks max and find the weather issues when traveling a little unsettling, had a fun drive last Feb between Eagle Co and Denver!

 

[MichaelB]

I keep telling my wife we have a better chance of finding it if we don't take too much luggage...

Last time I suggested reducing luggage she told me I could stay behind. I haven't brought the subject up again.

 

[RetireAge50]

Mostly to break up the routine. Makes home feel like home when we return.


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[Nemo2]

I keep telling my wife we have a better chance of finding it if we don't take too much luggage...

The secret of life......on the road.

 

[38Chevy454]

Good question. I think a lot has to do with your personal desires. What you want to see, taste, hear, feel, or smell. I have done fair amount of work travel and have been in probably 40 or more of the continental 48 (never really counted it up). Have not left North American continent, and to be honest no real desire to have to go see a lot of the rest of the world.

Since work travel is not much time for real experience beyond airport, rental car, highways, and hotels; once I retire my goal is to do a lot more trips with my motorhome and see the USA. I like driving trips, like others have had enough of air travel. Especially now, air travel is just a flying bus. Add in the security crap and full flights, it is just not enjoyable to any extent.

I would like to visit Australia and New Zealand, and maybe UK for a great pub crawl tour. Otherwise, not much desire to go other places.

 

[NanoSour]

During my 30 working years I travelled to all 50 states and 30 different countries. Wouldn't trade the experience and feel fortunate to have had that opportunity. But now, as I'm raising my children through their teens, I've pretty much lost the traveling bug. Guess I've been there, done that, and I'm still in the decompression phase of ER. Completely enjoy being home with the family for a change.

Maybe once the kids are launched I'll be ready to hit the road again. Time will tell.

 

[2017ish]

I'd rephrase: "Why would I not travel?"

DW and I love Scuba diving and live in landlocked state. Variety of life in the south pacific and along the Wallace Divide. Sharks/Cocos. Seychelles. Fiji was great and we want more. Etc. Don't get to do enough of it now while still not retired, but planning for multiweek (month) trips multiple times a year.

Machu Picchu hiking and Galapagos. Southeast Asia. New Zealand. Appalachian Trail. Southeastern mountain hiking.

Once tired of that, many states still to see in our future RV, and there may be an Austalian Big Drive in our future.

Europe. Never been there...

None of these things are in the category (for us) of equally enjoyable second-hand.

For how long? In Laws were climbing step pyramids in their very late 70s with a pair of replacement knees. I think we can beat that.

Basically, we've been planning for travel our entire working lives, which has resulted in delaying ER to amass what most would consider to be entirely too big of a war chest. Getting closer and closer!