Do you chase the bling?

[LitGal]

I love to travel but I agree with this 100 percent. I have listened to so much travel one-upmanship (mention you're going to Whereverland and they're all "you must go to _____, the coffee is divine" because of course they know all about it).

+1

 

[Mulligan]

My favorite passport stamp is from Trinidad where I spent many months obtaining approvals for the construction of a 2,500 MT anhydrous ammonia plant. I don't show it off though as it's in an expired passport.

I am ashamed of my Cheepo Weber grill (maybe I can trade it in?) but always boast about my implanted titanium hip joint and steel plates and screws in my left arm. The TSA guys and gals are always impressed when they scan my body.

One out of three is not bad, I guess.

At least you have an expired passport. I have never owned one. Went to Mexico a few times before you needed one and wont be back. Virgin Islands of course does not require one so that is our "out of country travel". A lot of places I would consider going and getting the passport if there were no people there. Thats why I go to St. John. Very few people there.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[bclover]

Travel only gives me a superficial understanding of foreign culture and history. Deeper knowledge requires much reading. I read mostly non-fiction works, and do this more than anybody I know. But to make something come alive, it is easier to be there in person. Perhaps it provides stimulation so one reads about it more (not true with many travelers I know).

My latest passport is so sparsely filled in, ever since I do more RV'ing the last 5 years. I don't recall if they even bothered to stamp my passport at the Canadian border. So, I am now really passport-bling poor.

that's me. I think the problem is that for most people travel is not a deep, moving experience partly because of time constraints. How much "enlightenment" on french culture and life does one get from 6 days in Paris?? when I was working even with 5 weeks vacation the most I could take at one time is 10 days. I've actually wanted to drive and visit every national park but never pursued it because no way could I drive from NYC to Yellowstone in a week. I'm hoping that now that I'm retired I'll be able to spend more time at a destination.

My late husband was Portuguese so my kids actually have better passports than me from spending summers in Lisbon when they were younger and my in laws were alive.

 

[Danmar]

At least you have an expired passport. I have never owned one. Went to Mexico a few times before you needed one and wont be back. Virgin Islands of course does not require one so that is our "out of country travel". A lot of places I would consider going and getting the passport if there were no people there. Thats why I go to St. John. Very few people there.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

About 36% of Americans have a passport. So you are in good company. The percentage of Canadians holding a valid passport is 57%. A little surprising given the fact that Americans are generally wealthier than Canadians. Maybe you could draw the conclusions that Americans are more content with their home Country than Canadians? Or that Canadians value international travel more than Americans?

 

[Nemo2]

About 36% of Americans have a passport. So you are in good company. The percentage of Canadians holding a valid passport is 57%. A little surprising given the fact that Americans are generally wealthier than Canadians. Maybe you could draw the conclusions that Americans are more content with their home Country than Canadians?

Any stats as to the utilization of these passports? I suspect that a fair percentage, (absolutely no idea how many, and certainly not all), of Canadian passports are used primarily to enter the US, (and/or Mexico/Caribbean in the winter).

 

[Danmar]

Any stats as to the utilization of these passports? I suspect that a fair percentage, (absolutely no idea how many, and certainly not all), of Canadian passports are used primarily to enter the US, (and/or Mexico/Caribbean in the winter).

I believe the percentage of Canadians that have passports have increased a fair bit since the rules changed requiring passports to enter the US. A much higher percentage of Canadians travel to the US than the corresponding percentage of Americans travelling to Canada. This would seem to explain some of the difference for sure.

 

[athena53]

Yesterday I had an interesting "bling" experience. I pulled an Indian tunic out of my closet that I rarely wear; it's festooned with a lot of spangles and rhinestones. Two women (receptionist at an office building, my dentist's hygienist) commented on my "nice bling". The first time, I'd assumed it was my jewelry, which included a gold Austrian ducat on a chain, 22k gold earrings and a bangle from India and my Rolex. The second time I realized- it was the fake stuff on my tunic!


I suspect many people assume my jewelry is fake since the rest of my dress rarely lives up to it. I'm happy if they think that!

 

[HFWR]

...my ginormous breast implants...

Useless without pics...

 

[aja8888]

I believe the percentage of Canadians that have passports have increased a fair bit since the rules changed requiring passports to enter the US. A much higher percentage of Canadians travel to the US than the corresponding percentage of Americans travelling to Canada. This would seem to explain some of the difference for sure.

We have two sets of Canadian friends who have been here over 10 years. They are making the U.S. their permanent residence in retirement for a lot of reasons, one big one being medical care going forward. I don't find that surprising since the Canadian system appears to be having difficulty with doctors participating and other issues.

I would suspect that many Canadians come here just for medical care when time is of the essence and that may contribute to the large percentage of passports being issued.

 

[pullmyfinger]

There are a few items of bling that I do covet a little bit - generally moderately priced designer clothes like Tory Burch or Equipment silk blouses that are a few hundred dollars. I say that these are items I would buy if I had $5M.

 

[RobbieB]

Why not treat yourself to 1 nice silk blouse?

Silk just feels so good...all silky and soft -

 

[pullmyfinger]

Why not treat yourself to 1 nice silk blouse?

Silk just feels so good...all silky and soft -

Ahhhh....the downside of LBYM. It is a hard habit to break!

 

[Danmar]

We have two sets of Canadian friends who have been here over 10 years. They are making the U.S. their permanent residence in retirement for a lot of reasons, one big one being medical care going forward. I don't find that surprising since the Canadian system appears to be having difficulty with doctors participating and other issues.

I would suspect that many Canadians come here just for medical care when time is of the essence and that may contribute to the large percentage of passports being issued.

I would be surprised. Health care is very good in Canada but some less critical treatments can take a long time to be scheduled, eg, knee replacements, etc. The cost of health care in the US is generally not covered by any type of insurance in Canada if it is available in Canada. We have sometimes travelled to Cleveland for health care (knee surgery) but this is rare and generally reserved for the wealthy who simply pay out of pocket. Top 1% type of people.

Canadian health care issues generally relate to non critical wait times, and the over-all cost levels.

 

[athena53]

Why not treat yourself to 1 nice silk blouse?

Silk just feels so good...all silky and soft -

Yeah, but it needs to be dry-cleaned! (I know the question wasn't directed at me.). I still have one left from my work wardrobe in beautiful, rich colors and I'm afraid if I wear it I'll sweat!

I like cashmere, though. Just hand-wash.

 

[RobbieB]

Lots of stuff needs to be dry cleaned.

Like those suits I used to have to wear for work -

I still have a couple for going to weddings and such...

 

[braumeister]

As far as the breast implants = bling... I'd say yes. I live in SoCal and they're pretty common.

One of the funniest things I've ever seen: We had a secretary in one of our offices in Brazil who wanted plastic surgery. That is extremely common in Brazil, so no big deal. She took a month off for it and when she returned to work nobody could see what had been done. We all just assumed it would be a nose job since hers was pretty large. But no, she had a "butt tuck" which was utterly unnecessary in the eyes of everyone but herself.

When I was traveling a lot for both work and vacation (company offices in UK, Switzerland and India) I had to have extra pages put into mine. Yes, I DID consider it the height of cool!

Extra pages in a passport is pretty impressive IMHO. My only claim to fame there is that I have all three types of (expired) passport in my files: normal, official, and diplomatic. The diplomatic passport was great fun. Every once in a while, some customs official would want to do a "random" check of luggage, and I was able to wave my black passport and loudly refuse the inspection. It always worked. Alas, I never had any good reason to refuse; it was just that I was supposed to do that.

 

[Nemo2]

Extra pages in a passport is pretty impressive IMHO.

In Saudi, since an initial entry visa was required, (and referred to on each trip), along with exit/re-entry visas each time you left the country (a lot of stamps and a lot of ink), when a new passport was issued in-Kingdom by the Canadian embassy, the one containing the original entry visa had to be bonded to it.

Somewhere laying around I have two or three passports all joined together as one.

 

[Mulligan]

About 36% of Americans have a passport. So you are in good company. The percentage of Canadians holding a valid passport is 57%. A little surprising given the fact that Americans are generally wealthier than Canadians. Maybe you could draw the conclusions that Americans are more content with their home Country than Canadians? Or that Canadians value international travel more than Americans?

Kind of surprised its that low. I like reading the travel forum here that way I don't have to leave my house and can still enjoy the experience. After a while it makes me feel Im the only one with out one.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[6miths]

We have two sets of Canadian friends who have been here over 10 years. They are making the U.S. their permanent residence in retirement for a lot of reasons, one big one being medical care going forward. I don't find that surprising since the Canadian system appears to be having difficulty with doctors participating and other issues.

I would suspect that many Canadians come here just for medical care when time is of the essence and that may contribute to the large percentage of passports being issued.

Agree with Danmar here. Medical care would not be high on the list of things that Canadians would be going to the US for. If anything the high cost of health care and medical travel insurance is an impediment for Canadians thinking about going to the US. I would think that most Canadians dread the thought of having anything to do with the US healthcare system. As Danmar points out, the well off might occasionally avail themselves of private services for elective procedures or highly specialized care.

 

[aja8888]

Agree with Danmar here. Medical care would not be high on the list of things that Canadians would be going to the US for. If anything the high cost of health care and medical travel insurance is an impediment for Canadians thinking about going to the US. I would think that most Canadians dread the thought of having anything to do with the US healthcare system. As Danmar points out, the well off might occasionally avail themselves of private services for elective procedures or highly specialized care.

The friends I know that are Canadian are here long enough working to get Medicare. I suspect that is the main reason they wish to stay here rather than move back to Canada. In one of the threads here recently, they was links to articles indicating people in Canada are having trouble being assigned doctors and that the VON (nurses) are very difficult to get service from.

I'm not knocking the socialized medical system in Canada, just commenting on my observations and what I had read and how it may relate to the large number of people in Canada getting passports.

 

[6miths]

Yes I understand. And I was commenting that I don't think many people are getting passports in order to access healthcare in the US. In fact, the vast majority of the small group that might chose to utilize US heathcare would have had passports from the get go.

 

[explanade]

They may be coming down to escape the snow.

And if you want to go by anecdotes, there are stories about Canadians getting in accidents or needing other urgent care while down here and getting 5-figure emergency room bills.

 

[Danmar]

They may be coming down to escape the snow.

And if you want to go by anecdotes, there are stories about Canadians getting in accidents or needing other urgent care while down here and getting 5-figure emergency room bills.

It is certainly all about weather. Canadians generally like Canada and are proud of their country. It's the weather, ie awful winters that chase us down to Florida, Texas, or Arizona. Health care is a major concern for these snowbirds.

 

[MichaelB]

Extra pages in a passport is pretty impressive IMHO. My only claim to fame there is that I have all three types of (expired) passport in my files: normal, official, and diplomatic. The diplomatic passport was great fun. Every once in a while, some customs official would want to do a "random" check of luggage, and I was able to wave my black passport and loudly refuse the inspection. It always worked. Alas, I never had any good reason to refuse; it was just that I was supposed to do that.

I have one expired passport with loads of added pages. Most of the travel was among Andean countries, which are also drug traffic routes, and it did have one downside - additional attention by immigration and customs authorities. US customs officials always had something to say.

There was also one unexpected benefit. While we were living in NY I was tax audited for three years. PW had filed that I was a non-resident with limited state tax liability (despite owning our home there). NY State refused to accept expense account reports as proof of travel and demanded passport stamps, which were (of course) all blurred, on top of each other and in random order.

I was able to list all the travel, find the corresponding stamps in the passport, and build a summary doc with pointers to each stamp. Only 3 trips disallowed, and the PW manager told me that was just because the auditor needed to save face.

 

[Dawg52]

Do you chase the bling?

Somewhat. I had an implant done a year ago and liked it so well, I'm having the corresponding tooth done on the other side of my mouth. Each implant roughly $3,500. I guess I'm not a true blinger as I didn't buy gold crowns.