At what age did your desire to travel wane?

[Gumby]

I'm 58 years old and I still like to go to new places. I would prefer that flying be more enjoyable, but I'll do what I have to do to get where I want to be -- like most things in my life.

 

[Nemo2]

and stop by Lucca inside the walls.

The Torre Guinigi provides a great view of Lucca, but I hope NW-Bound isn't bypassing Genoa, (one of my favorite cities).

 

[NW-Bound]

I suggest you can save time in Pisa (pay parking by the hour) and stop by Lucca inside the walls. We stayed there for a week ("Penthouse" on craigslist) just inside the wall. Lots of neat side trips around Florence. Siena you have to park outside the wall as well.

Yes, as we are going to have only a couple of hours to stop in Pisa, I already check out the parking lot from which to walk to the tower.

Never heard of Lucca. There are so many hilltowns that I doubt if many Italians even visit them all. About staying in town, there are many flats that are available inside the ZTL's of the hilltowns, but I have to give them up. The walk to/from the car that has to be kept outside will get old fast when we need access to it for day trips. So, I am going to stay outside of town in the countryside, except for a couple of nights in a small hilltown near Civita di Bagnoregio.

Siena is one of the places to visit. I already check out the parking situation there, and the best bet is the one next to the train station. There is one closer to the town square Piazza del Campo, but it gets full often.

The Torre Guinigi provides a great view of Lucca, but I hope NW-Bound isn't bypassing Genoa, (one of my favorite cities).

On the way to Cinque Terre, I am going to spend a night in Genoa. Only have enough time to visit Via Girabaldi. I already marked out a paid parking lot near the seaport, from which to walk 1/3 miles to where I want to go. If that is filled up, a runner up will take a longer walk.

 

[kcowan]

Never heard of Lucca.

Here you go:
https://www.italyguides.it/en/tuscany/lucca
Right on the way to Florence!

 

[plex]

Not going to lie, it was about 10, by then the novelty wore off, and I had developed a severe dislike for planes after suffering a series of ear infections due to my parents taking me on a lot of airplane rides when very young (because they love traveling). I still go on one two-way plane ride every year to see my parents, but I don't take pleasure out of the traveling part.

 

[NW-Bound]

Here you go:
https://www.italyguides.it/en/tuscany/lucca
Right on the way to Florence!

Yes, I looked it up out of curiosity after you mentioned it. My plate is already full, so will have to save it for the next time I am in the region. At this point, all the stops have been chosen, and the lodgings booked and paid for.

 

[Fedup]

Yes, I looked it up out of curiosity after you mentioned it. My plate is already full, so will have to save it for the next time I am in the region. At this point, all the stops have been chosen, and the lodgings booked and paid for.

I went to Pisa from Florence. A day trip. We didn't have a car.

 

[StaceyR]

No "waning" in sight for us as we are just now RE. The party is just getting started now that we finally have the free time to travel. First up (once our new travel trailer gets delivered) are longer RV excursions throughout the western U.S. with flights to Mexico and the Pacific Northwest mixed in to scout for a possible 2nd home. European and other long distance (and expensive) trips can wait until we settle into our RE lifestyle and budget. That said I don't see the desire to travel waning until the body or bank account forces it!

 

[audreyh1]

My neighbors are in their early 80s. They are still traveling like crazy. They do mostly cruises now, I think they stopped the long walking vacations (Country Walkers?) a few years ago, but they also go on extended car trips to visit family half the country away.

They are inspiring.

The following discussion reminds me that these same older neighbors pretty much only fly first class now. I've often thought that once I reach their age, if I'm still traveling and have the funds, I'll go first class too, because I won't be so concerned about the nest egg lasting for decades anymore, and at that age who knows when we'd have to suddenly stop traveling!!!

 

[Nemo2]

I've often thought that once I reach their age, if I'm still traveling and have the funds, I'll go first class too.....

During the approximately four years that my late wife was associated with Air France in Saudi, we were upgraded to first class on pretty much every flight we took, (I've never once flown business class), so much so that one flight attendant even recognized us from a previous trip.

I was also upgraded to first, (once), on the Pan Am 'Slingshot' from JFK to Dhahran, but, given my 'druthers, I'd choose to double the length of my vacation and break even overall, rather than pay for it.

Perhaps I am cheap, rather than 'thrifty'.

 

[NW-Bound]

I went to Pisa from Florence. A day trip. We didn't have a car.

I have rented a home just outside of Florence inner city which will allow us to park the car for a few days. The nearest light rail station is just down the street a few hundred feet away, and we can hop on the tram to be in the town center in 10 minutes.

I need the car for this trip to visit a few hill towns in Umbria, and also to go up to Lake Como to stay a few days. Our earlier trip to Italy in 2003 was entirely by public transportation, and the car allows us to do different things now. Many places do not have rail access, and public buses are not as convenient.

 

[Teacher Terry]

When we went to the Tuscany region we rented a car and made Sienna our home base for 10 days and drove to all the surrounding towns. We needed the car there. When we got to Florence we did not need the car for the remainder of the trip.

 

[Redbugdave]

I grew up as a kid seeing new places. My father was in the military and we moved about every 2 years or so. All over the place. We did stay in one place 4 years, though. I grew up and also went in the service and moved around some more, too. Way back when just after high school...I hitch hiked across the country and got to see things that way, too. Anyways, I am retired and we enjoy a trip now and again. But I am a stay-at-homer. Got my belly full, and really enjoy all the things I do where we live. Out in the woods and water a good bit.

Food for thought..."Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don't need to escape from"...Seth Godin

 

[Teacher Terry]

Vacations for many people are not an escape from their regular life. It is because they enjoy seeing and experiencing new cultures, etc. I can see that if you did that much traveling while young you don't want to now. However, some of us have not had those experiences so desire them now.

 

[whatnot]

I am 56 and Love to travel. My DH (59) not so much - he doesn't like being on a plane for long periods of time.
We started international travel about 8 years ago when we became empty-nesters. Italy was our 1st trip. I loved Venice, the Vatican, Florence, etc. Several years later we did a Greek Island cruise. So, luckily, I have a single girl friend and we have done a few trips together -Amsterdam and Ireland, France.
I think he may enjoy the trips more if we had more time and weren't rushed to get back to w*rk. May even look into repositioning cruises to get to Europe after we retire and have more time.
So, although I don't love certain aspects of getting there and back, I love seeing new places, trying new foods, etc. So my hope is that we continue to do a little of both US (DH preference) and international travel once we retire.

 

[Marita40]

Best thing I ever did was go abroad as a college student. I traveled a great deal then, and permanently caught the travel bug. Over the years as a working stiff, the combination of time + money has often been difficult, but I did live in Rome for awhile and was able to travel from there all throughout Europe. I'm planning on branching out in retirement: Japan, South America, New Zealand are high on the list. I'd also like to visit many more U.S. state parks.

 

[braumeister]

Vacations for many people are not an escape from their regular life. It is because they enjoy seeing and experiencing new cultures, etc. I can see that if you did that much traveling while young you don't want to now. However, some of us have not had those experiences so desire them now.

I think that's only part of the picture.

For me, travel was simply part of the job. During my career I had business travel to 46 US states, 3 Canadian provinces, and 12 other countries. In virtually every case, I managed to tack on an extra day or five to use some vacation days and enjoy the location on my own.

Since my retirement, I've kept the fascination with travel. I've added the missing US states, two more provinces, and five more countries. Next month I'll be adding another new country.

For me (and DW), it's always fun to explore a new place, and 9 times out of ten we find good reasons to go back for a second or eighth visit.

We're just built to like travel, and even though air travel is a bit more of a hassle than it used to be, we still find it worthwhile and fun.

 

[Nemo2]

We're just built to like travel, and even though air travel is a bit more of a hassle than it used to be, we still find it worthwhile and fun.

+1

"Hallelujah brother.....come on down!"

 

[audreyh1]

Food for thought..."Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don't need to escape from"...Seth Godin

I think few travelers here use travel as an escape. Rather, it's an adventure of discovery.

I traveled when I was young as we lived all over the world growing up. I still have a strong wanderlust. So I really enjoy traveling to explore new areas and experience new things. That is what really motivates us. And we have a fantastic time. Then it's nice to come home and chill for a while.

We did actually travel non-stop for 5 years. And while I think we have done all we really want to do RV living-wise, as I no longer have the tolerance for driving long distances with the RV, I'm still very happy to fly to locations and have shorter adventures. Still have that travel bug. I probably always will.

 

[Fedup]

No escape. My husband said we live in a 5-start resort, our garden is so nice and relaxing. Beautiful weather here, we are close to the beach. But traveling is fun. My husband and I rarely traveled when we were working. We made it a point to be home with our kids most of the time. In fact, when he was working with an international body, he only travelled at most is one week a quarter. I feel like a young window if I'm home with 2 young kids. My dad did a lot of traveling, my mom was mom and dad. So when I got married and had kids, I didn't want to repeat that kind of parenting lifestyle. So we didn't.

 

[NW-Bound]

Vacations for many people are not an escape from their regular life. It is because they enjoy seeing and experiencing new cultures, etc...

I am 56 and Love to travel...

...For me (and DW), it's always fun to explore a new place, and 9 times out of ten we find good reasons to go back for a second or eighth visit.

We're just built to like travel, and even though air travel is a bit more of a hassle than it used to be, we still find it worthwhile and fun.

I think few travelers here use travel as an escape. Rather, it's an adventure of discovery...

No escape...

+1 +1 +1 +1 +1

It's the same as people who like to try different food. Sure, a foodie still has his comfort food, something that is a go-to meal like a steak, a burger, or a pizza, but that is not all that he is going to eat. He is willing to try something new.

A foodie will never say "I have tasted all the dishes there can be, so there's nothing new to try". A travel lover will have the same mentality towards travel. The world is a big place, so how can someone possibly see it all?

 

[Amethyst]

We have a love-hate relationship with travel. We get bored just sitting at home, even though we like our home, and we like seeing new places and things.

We hate the tedious process of getting anywhere. Being the prisoner of the transportation process, whatever it may be.

Also, I hate having to anticipate every little thing, have a plan B and C, and so on. It reminds me far too much of w*rk.

 

[Nemo2]

Also, I hate having to anticipate every little thing, have a plan B and C, and so on. It reminds me far too much of w*rk.

Sometimes/oftentimes we just go with the proverbial 'flow'.

 

[Walt34]

We hate the tedious process of getting anywhere. Being the prisoner of the transportation process, whatever it may be.

Here ya go, that'll take care of it.... Has transatlantic capability, flight into known icing, all the bells 'n whistles. A bit pricey though.

 

[Fedup]

We have a love-hate relationship with travel. We get bored just sitting at home, even though we like our home, and we like seeing new places and things.

We hate the tedious process of getting anywhere. Being the prisoner of the transportation process, whatever it may be.

Also, I hate having to anticipate every little thing, have a plan B and C, and so on. It reminds me far too much of w*rk.

This is true, the love hate part. Maybe we will have virtual traveling soon. I can go to Machu Picchu on my fat butt, no hiking necessary.