Poll:How much do you travel?

[Cut-Throat]

We thought we would travel more in retirement, but now it seems more relaxing to stay local and not be treated like cattle by the airlines and TSA.

Become a Local, not a Tourist...........



The key is to travel for 3 months to minimize the airlines and TSA...... Immerse yourself in another culture.....


Business travel (Which I did a lot) is putting up with airlines, airports, TSA, rental Car agencies, hotels.....

 

[aja8888]

I think the people that don’t like to travel probably flew so much for work that they now hate it.

Yes, that's me for sure. Since 1981 it was a steady diet of it for about 40 weeks of the year. There was a year I flew 102 flights. I am (was) in all the airline/rental car/hotel programs. I still have a ton of hotel points to burn off.

But we like driving trips now. But not too many of them.

 

[Sunset]

Become a Local, not a Tourist...........



The key is to travel for 3 months to minimize the airlines and TSA...... Immerse yourself in another culture.....


Business travel (Which I did a lot) is putting up with airlines, airports, TSA, rental Car agencies, hotels.....

And cross the ocean on a cruise ship, arrive without jet-lag rested.

 

[Car-Guy]

I think the people that don’t like to travel probably flew so much for work that they now hate it.

That describes how I feel about it. I don't have a problem with flying but it's the travel hassles that get me. In order of the biggest to the least PIA, airport security/lines/crowds, cattle car seating, hotel checkin/checkouts, rental car challenges. It was exciting when I was younger, now it would be pure torture.

 

[Moemg]

I loved to travel and did a lot of it in my 40's. 50's and 60's . Now that I am 72 traveling is losing it's appeal .I will still travel to my Daughters and probably cruise since we live near cruise ports . We have one more big trip planned and then after that we will play it by year . I renewed my passport for probably the last time today . It is bittersweet .

 

[brett]

I traveled for work. In retirement we travel often.

Air travel is no joy. We know. It takes us 3 flights and 20-24 hours to get to one our preferred winter destinations. We do, however, stay for 8-9 weeks traveling about.

We accept the inconveniences of air travel. Yes, the airlines are not great and security can be a pain. On the other hand, air travel costs have never been lower and the choice of carriers so varied. So we may complain about the seats but we certainly did not complain about our $160USD fare from Thailand to Australia last winter or our $250 USD fare from Sydney to Honolulu at Easter. We understand that at those fare levels we need to pay for the add ons and that is fine with us.

I have no doubt that we will be changing some travel in order to reduce the flying hours and number of connections. But we will still fly. It is either that or stay home. At present our interest in visiting other countries far exceeds the inconvenience of flying.

 

[NW-Bound]

I traveled for work. In retirement we travel often.

Air travel is no joy. We know. It takes us 3 flights and 20-24 hours to get to one our preferred winter destinations. We do, however, stay for 8-9 weeks traveling about.

We accept the inconveniences of air travel. Yes, the airlines are not great and security can be a pain. On the other hand, air travel costs have never been lower and the choice of carriers so varied. So we may complain about the seats but we certainly did not complain about our $160USD fare from Thailand to Australia last winter or our $250 USD fare from Sydney to Honolulu at Easter. We understand that at those fare levels we need to pay for the add ons and that is fine with us.

I have no doubt that we will be changing some travel in order to reduce the flying hours and number of connections. But we will still fly. It is either that or stay home. At present our interest in visiting other countries far exceeds the inconvenience of flying.

At some point, the pleasure of travel and the experience of new places and cultures are no longer enough to outweigh the pain and hassle of travel. And both the perceived pain and pleasure are highly subjective.

We got home late last night, after being 28 hours in transit with 3 flights. It's too early to think of another trip like what we have just done (5 weeks of independent travel by car through Spain and Portugal), but I am quite sure I will not be doing this in my 70s.


PS. In CDG, there was a horrendous long line of travelers waiting at the immigration booth to have their passports stamped before exiting the EU. It was anarchy when there were so many people fearful of missing their connection flight homes. People jumped lines and cheated to get ahead.

One elderly American couple told me they were inline for more than 2 hours and still not able to reach 1 of the 2 agents working. There were perhaps 6 or 8 booths, but they were not manned.


PPS. It was a joy to be able to go through US immigration in LAX in less than 10 minutes.

 

[gerntz]

I think the people that don’t like to travel probably flew so much for work that they now hate it.

I’d hazard it’s more being really into what they do in retirement.

 

[Cut-Throat]

I traveled for work. In retirement we travel often.

Air travel is no joy. We know. It takes us 3 flights and 20-24 hours to get to one our preferred winter destinations. We do, however, stay for 8-9 weeks traveling about.

We accept the inconveniences of air travel. Yes, the airlines are not great and security can be a pain. On the other hand, air travel costs have never been lower and the choice of carriers so varied. So we may complain about the seats but we certainly did not complain about our $160USD fare from Thailand to Australia last winter or our $250 USD fare from Sydney to Honolulu at Easter. We understand that at those fare levels we need to pay for the add ons and that is fine with us.

I have no doubt that we will be changing some travel in order to reduce the flying hours and number of connections. But we will still fly. It is either that or stay home. At present our interest in visiting other countries far exceeds the inconvenience of flying.

I pretty much agree with everything you said, as we do the same.... However about the Costs being cheaper, I don't agree with you on... Maybe it's just where we fly to.... Next winter we fly to Antigua for the Winter and the cheapest airfare in economy MSP to Antigua round trip is $1200 per person, Then add in Premium Economy, Baggage etc.

 

[SumDay]

For those who voted "rarely if ever, I like to stay home", I am curious what (if anything) it would take to motivate you to travel somewhere far from home. For example, would you travel 200 miles to witness a total solar eclipse? Or travel 500 miles to a high school reunion where you knew that your 3 or 4 best friends that you hadn't seen in, say, 40 years would be? What, if any, possible experiences would (at least temporarily) change your mind about traveling?

Enough $$$ for a private plane. That's what I hate - we live 30+ miles from our airport, and I'm always convinced we'll have a flat tire or car trouble and miss our flight. I hate security, waiting, delays, being crammed in a sardine can with screaming kids and snoring fellow travelers.... Air travel is no longer fun for me and I absolutely dread it. I'm not afraid to fly, I just hate the hassle. We've had some pretty nightmarish cancelled flight experiences which just adds to my disdain. But I do it to appease DH.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My DIL’s brother arrived from Poland and it took him 3 hours to clear customs at San Francisco. I once flew to Thailand when I was 20 years younger and I wouldn’t do it now. Europe is far enough. Once going to Europe instead of being a 12 hour flight due to late planes, etc it took us from Wednesday until Friday morning their time to arrive in Poland. Then no sleep for us because they lost our luggage and we had to shop for clothes for my son’ s wedding the next day. Was exhausted the entire 10 days.

 

[Live And Learn]

Agreed. If Scotty could beam me there instantly (ignoring the recent thread discussing whether I would die each time) and beam me back home to sleep in my own bed each night, I'd be up for going almost anywhere.

^ Ditto !!! No long term commitment, no travel hassle. This would be perfect and yes, I would do lots of travel under these circumstances.

 

[Sunset]

My dream trip, besides a private jet (that I don't feel I can afford), is to cruise to distant lands (Australia , Europe, Japan) tour around the country for a month, and then cruise back.
Would need to fly within the US, but at least they are short flights, and no customs at that point.

 

[sengsational]

And cross the ocean on a cruise ship, arrive without jet-lag rested.

Although going over, you'll be getting that paper on your pillow every so often that says you're getting short-changed by an hour. But that's just a good excuse for a nap (as if you need one while cruising).

 

[Cut-Throat]

And cross the ocean on a cruise ship, arrive without jet-lag rested.

Yeah, that'll work.

 

[Ronstar]

We travel via plane to far destinations twice a year with 2-3 3000-4000 mile road round trips. Mostly Chicagoland- Phoenix area to from snowbird place.

 

[NW-Bound]

And cross the ocean on a cruise ship, arrive without jet-lag rested.

Even with a repositioning cruise, you still have to fly one-way across the pond. And if you were like the elderly couple in their 70s, whom we saw at CDG yesterday standing inline for more than 2 hours and getting nowhere yet close to an immigration agent to stamp their passports, all that peaceful rest would evaporate quickly.


And speaking of jet lag, both my wife and I have no problem with it. Even after flying to a new place with almost a 12-hour difference, we readjust quickly. I came home late at 2AM from Europe with a 9-hour difference, and did not sleep until 5AM. Woke up at 7AM, and my daily activity so far is not different than if I never left home.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

According to this study, people are happiest when they spend according to their personality types. Extroverts tend to to like spending money more on travel and entertainment more than other personality types -

Can Money Buy Happiness? It depends on who you are and how you spend it.
https://globalnews.ca/news/3558697/money-happiness-personality-spending/

 

[Nemo2]

Even with a repositioning cruise, you still have to fly one-way across the pond.

Not if you go over in the Spring, stay, and come back in the Fall.

 

[Nemo2]

https://globalnews.ca/news/3558697/money-happiness-personality-spending/

Quote: "The numbers showed that the more people used their money to buy goods and experiences that fit their personality, the more likely they were to report higher levels of satisfaction."

Sums us up...we don't like to urinate money away on 'stuff' we neither need nor want.

 

[FreeBear]

I haven't been to the airport since retiring 4 years ago, but I'm surprised by how strongly folks hate the air travel experience. When w*rking, I did a fair amount of long haul travel. I couldn't say I enjoyed it, but I didn't think much of it because it was just part of the j*b.


Now in retirement, we drive for snowbirding. Although the 14 hour days in the car can grow old, if the trip is long enough then, then the overall pain isn't bad. We drive mainly because of flexibility and the ability to carry tons of food (restrictive diet) and hobby crap. It's also nice to get so see parts the US we wouldn't normally visit hopping airport-to-airport.

 

[brett]

We have never really minded the airport procedures. They are in place for our safety. Those folks work hard and besides, working with the pubic is no joy. Having the trusted traveler pass helps. But even in countries whee we cannot use it I cannot say that we have experienced more than a 30 or 40 minute line. Often much, much less. We did ten flights on our trip past winter, ten airports, 7 security lines. Never an issue really. In a few cases, Australia, we were past security and immigration in about 5 minutes flat. I can think of only once in 10 years or so that we had a one hour wait. And that was because of a security alert as we landing in London to change planes. Suits running all over the show, then uniforms.

We are in our late 60's. I can see a time when we may not want to travel as much however air will always be part of our travel equation simply because of where we live. The question will be how often, and for what duration of flight.

Two things that has made our travel so much easier has been downsizing to carry on only and obtaining the Nexus trusted traveler cards.

 

[Sunset]

Not if you go over in the Spring, stay, and come back in the Fall.

Or a person could take a Cunard ship as they run pretty much weekly between London and NY.

 

[sengsational]

I don't mind standing in line, that's just a matter of having the appropriate level of expectation. I don't particularly enjoy the booking process because I tend to be indecisive, but I get through it. And the day before I start finalizing my packing list and doing the packing, I find myself wondering why I booked the trip, hehe! Once I actually start packing, I'm better, and once out the door I'm energized and eager.



The worst part for me is the risk of acquiring disease in enclosed spaces. I used to fret over on the ground decisions about where to go and what to do at the destination, and I'm still not great at that, but getting better at that.

 

[Moemg]

Or a person could take a Cunard ship as they run pretty much weekly between London and NY.

I would do that in a second if they were not so formal .