WSJ article - It's time to rethink the bucket-list

[athena53]

While I agree with you (heck, DH and I have been to Alaska twice and are returning to Iceland this year because it's a different experience every time), I know perfectly sane retirees, including my siblings, who have no wish to leave the country unless it's an all-inclusive in Cabo San Lucas. To each his/her own; don't want the airline lounges to get too crowded!

 

[Walt34]

...what REALLY beckons is that dear little baby napping just 15 min. away from my new neighborhood.

...I don't intend to become the child care provider, but will babysit sometimes for DS's nights out with his DW, and have offered to be their back up sitter when little granddaughter has to stay home from childcare if she is sick.

This sounds like DW with her grandnieces and grandnephews. (The second grandnephew is about a week old.) They are two hours and one hour away respectfully and she thoroughly enjoys every minute she spends with them. She comes back home tired if not exhausted, more often than not with a sore back, but wouldn't miss a minute of it. She is also "Plan C" for when babysitting arrangements collapse and is happy to do it.

There is not a shade doubt in my mind that these kids will always remember with deep fondness "Aunt G" and how much she cared for them and how much time she spent with them. And that is important to both of us.

Like W2R we have little interest in travel but will do so from time to time, just not for extended distances or times. And we're happy with our choices.

 

[Souschef]

Flying that jet sounds cool, but I'm not to the point in my life where I'm going to spend $170/minute on any experience.

It is a veritable bargain at $60 a minute. My wife, bless her heart, told me to go for it. She also bought me a helicopter lesson for my birthday one year.

 

[KmmFIdreamer]

A mountain is a mountain, a beach is a beach, and an old building is just another an old building...regardless of whether it's 200 years old or 1000 years old.

Yep, but I can't see any of that from inside my house! I think I am just a restless soul that needs the change of scenery every once in a while...

I really cracked up today by the way, because my son said he wanted to be Forrest Gump and just run across the country for 2 years ..... I guess the restlessness is a family trait!

 

[haha]

Yep, but I can't see any of that from inside my house! I think I am just a restless soul that needs the change of scenery every once in a while...

I do think think that travel is more appealing if it is kind of dull either topographically or socially or entertainment-wise where a person lives.

As soon as I got out of high school I saw to it that I lived in lively places that were magnets for others' travel. In general if I didn't have to travel for work, I liked being home. I does make a difference if you look out the window and see sea and mountains, instead of another few miles of prairie.

Also, if you are outgoing you meet people from other places pretty constantly. Today we went to a happy hour and talked to a guy from Atlanta, another guy from Portland, a bartender we didn't previously know from Western Michigan, and a young woman who had recently moved out from Dorchester Mass. Plus I think the locals here are about as good as people can be.

Ha lives in what is a perfect place for him.

Ha

 

[athena53]

I do think think that travel is more appealing if it is kind of dull either topographically or socially or entertainment-wise where a person lives.

Interesting observation. DH and I are in a lakefront house in a little town that's a suburb of a Big City. There are excellent restaurants and a world-class concert hall within a 45-minute drive and we do enjoy them on rare occasions but mostly we're homebodies who rent a RedBox movie on Friday nights. It's interesting that we both love it this way: peace and predictability 90% of the time, with occasional travel. Another way it's a match made in heaven!

 

[LitGal]

This sounds like DW with her grandnieces and grandnephews. (The second grandnephew is about a week old.) They are two hours and one hour away respectfully and she thoroughly enjoys every minute she spends with them. She comes back home tired if not exhausted, more often than not with a sore back, but wouldn't miss a minute of it. She is also "Plan C" for when babysitting arrangements collapse and is happy to do it.

There is not a shade doubt in my mind that these kids will always remember with deep fondness "Aunt G" and how much she cared for them and how much time she spent with them. And that is important to both of us.

Like W2R we have little interest in travel but will do so from time to time, just not for extended distances or times. And we're happy with our choices.

Wow-- those kids are lucky to have their "Aunt G." And it sounds like she has a lot of fun!

 

[check6]

Flying that jet sounds cool, but I'm not to the point in my life where I'm going to spend $170/minute on any experience.

One way around it is to get the military to pay you to do it.

 

[Danmar]

I do think think that travel is more appealing if it is kind of dull either topographically or socially or entertainment-wise where a person lives.

As soon as I got out of high school I saw to it that I lived in lively places that were magnets for others' travel. In general if I didn't have to travel for work, I liked being home. I does make a difference if you look out the window and see sea and mountains, instead of another few miles of prairie.

Ha

I agree and this is part of the appeal to having several homes. They are all in places others would view as tourist destinations. Best of both worlds for us, ie don't get bored in one place but also don't have to live out of a suitcase. Have friends in all locations and sometimes invite them to visit us at a different local. Kind of neat in my view, but obviously not practical/affordible for most people.

 

[bclover]

Travel certainly is a big item on many people's bucket list (not mine), but I wonder how much of that comes from the fact that w*rk often prevented people from taking as many trips as they would have liked. But, once one is retired with plenty of time to travel, how special or enlightening can it really be to see another famous landmark or a nice view? A mountain is a mountain, a beach is a beach, and an old building is just another an old building...regardless of whether it's 200 years old or 1000 years old.

Ouch, can't agree with you there. There is a HUGE difference in the beach near me (Ocean city NJ) and a beach in Hawaii or a Hot water Beach in New Zealand.

IMO it can be extremely special. sure if you go with the premise of another old building is just an old building.
So I do agree , that it's how you view different things when traveling. IMO traveling is supposed to expand your mind and soul. So yes, you defeat the purpose if when you step out your door you say "a building is a building".

I live in Philadelphia, a few years back, after some excavations they discovered the resting place of some slaves that worked for George Washington, now they have an exhibition on how these folks lived and what they did. Yes that is very enlightening imo. At the Betsy Ross house, they usually have a character actress, very interactive and not just some woman smiling and sewing. You ask her questions about her life and she gives an historically accurate personal account.

the mountains in Pennsylvania are not the same as the mountains in Colorado. lol, heck once I saw the Sierra Nevada mountain range I really thought the Poconos should stop using the word "mountain".

 

[bclover]

I do think think that travel is more appealing if it is kind of dull either topographically or socially or entertainment-wise where a person lives.

As soon as I got out of high school I saw to it that I lived in lively places that were magnets for others' travel. In general if I didn't have to travel for work, I liked being home. I does make a difference if you look out the window and see sea and mountains, instead of another few miles of prairie.

Also, if you are outgoing you meet people from other places pretty constantly. Today we went to a happy hour and talked to a guy from Atlanta, another guy from Portland, a bartender we didn't previously know from Western Michigan, and a young woman who had recently moved out from Dorchester Mass. Plus I think the locals here are about as good as people can be.

Ha lives in what is a perfect place for him.

Ha

I guess for me travel is more than just "seeing" some thing different. I was born and raised in Manhattan. lol, pretty much you can't get more diverse and lively than that.

I grew up with the travel bug, I was blessed with parents who felt that "difference" was good. NOw I live in another big city and still love to travel.

 

[Hershey102]

Seems to me that most people are about as happy as they choose to be. And I believe it actually has little to do with where you go and what you do. Rather, it is your fundamental reaction to life itself. Essentially happy people can find fulfillment in almost anything.

Well said. The key to happiness is contentment.

 

[Gone4Good]

I guess for me travel is more than just "seeing" some thing different. I was born and raised in Manhattan. lol, pretty much you can't get more diverse and lively than that.

It's true. I'm back in Manhattan now for two months. It's one of my favorite cities on earth. There's a wealth of culture here that few other places can rival. I once read of a man who was completing a project where he was photographing children from every one of the world's 191 countries. And he did it without ever leaving New York's five boroughs.

But as much as there is that is here, the list of things that aren't here is longer still.

Even just the feel of places are different. Walking down the avenues of NYC is nothing at all like walking through the bee-hive of activity that is Hanoi or through the centuries old mazes of Seville or the millennia old warrens of a Marrakech souk.

Those experience aren't as much about seeing, as they are about feeling.

 

[Nemo2]

Even just the feel of places are different. Walking down the avenues of NYC is nothing at all like walking through the bee-hive of activity that is Hanoi or through the centuries old mazes of Seville or the millennia old warrens of a Marrakech souk.

Those experience aren't as much about seeing, as they are about feeling.

When we are traveling, the 'must see' attractions are generally of secondary or tertiary importance, (and are often totally ignored).

We prefer to walk the back streets and alleys of towns/cities where people live, in an attempt to temporarily (albeit peripherally) 'connect' with different communities, absorb the atmosphere, and enjoy the illusion that we are a fleeting part of that society......both now, and in the proverbial days of yore.

 

[Gone4Good]

When we are traveling, the 'must see' attractions are generally of secondary or tertiary importance, (and are often totally ignored).

We prefer to walk the back streets and alleys of towns/cities where people live, in an attempt to temporarily (albeit peripherally) 'connect' with different communities, absorb the atmosphere, and enjoy the illusion that we are a fleeting part of that society......both now, and in the proverbial days of yore.

We usually stay places for long enough to settle in and explore. At the same time we're suckers for the big ticket attractions, too. I really do find that most popular tourist attractions are popular for a reason.

But there's also plenty of under-the-radar stuff that more hurried travelers wiz right past. We were back in Rome last summer and it was so completely mobbed that we skipped most everything on any guidebook itinerary to avoid the crowds. Instead we went to palaces and churches and museums that weren't high on anyone's list. They were all amazing . . . and empty notwithstanding crowds 30 deep at places like the Pantheon.

It's nice to have the time to experience both.

 

[NW-Bound]

Every so often, the debate on travel resurfaces. Some people get nothing or little out of travel. They should not feel pressured to do it. It's a free world. I get nothing out of watching spectator sports, and would be bored out of my wits. I would have to be paid big money to go to a stadium, though I would take less to watch it on the tube. Good thing nobody ever twists my arm to do either.

I have an uncle-in-law who does not care to travel. This is fine, except that he objects to my aunt traveling with friends or family. Now, that is awful.

 

[kcowan]

Travel certainly is a big item on many people's bucket list (not mine), but I wonder how much of that comes from the fact that w*rk often prevented people from taking as many trips as they would have liked. But, once one is retired with plenty of time to travel, how special or enlightening can it really be to see another famous landmark or a nice view? A mountain is a mountain, a beach is a beach, and an old building is just another an old building...regardless of whether it's 200 years old or 1000 years old.

This is a sign that you want to stay at home. Nothing wrong with that.

Every place is different. Sometimes in large ways and sometimes in small ones, but no two places are exactly a like. Partly it's the appreciation of these differences that keeps travel fresh.

We love the culture. If all you want to see mountains, watch the pictures and videos on the internet!

While I agree with you (heck, DH and I have been to Alaska twice and are returning to Iceland this year because it's a different experience every time), I know perfectly sane retirees, including my siblings, who have no wish to leave the country unless it's an all-inclusive in Cabo San Lucas. To each his/her own; don't want the airline lounges to get too crowded!

Yes we believe that a little discomfort is worth the reward.

I agree and this is part of the appeal to having several homes. They are all in places others would view as tourist destinations. Best of both worlds for us, ie don't get bored in one place but also don't have to live out of a suitcase. Have friends in all locations and sometimes invite them to visit us at a different local. Kind of neat in my view, but obviously not practical/affordable for most people.

We enjoy our 3 homes because of the people. It is very rewarding to get to know people from such different ways of life. It helps to keep us open-minded

It's true. I'm back in Manhattan now for two months. It's one of my favorite cities on earth. There's a wealth of culture here that few other places can rival. I once read of a man who was completing a project where he was photographing children from every one of the world's 191 countries. And he did it without ever leaving New York's five boroughs.

But as much as there is that is here, the list of things that aren't here is longer still.

Even just the feel of places are different. Walking down the avenues of NYC is nothing at all like walking through the bee-hive of activity that is Hanoi or through the centuries old mazes of Seville or the millennia old warrens of a Marrakech souk.

Those experience aren't as much about seeing, as they are about feeling.

Agree that the feeling of differing cultures is very exhilarating. That is likely what differentiates travelers from home bodies.

We are currently constrained by our 18 year-old cat but we expect that to change in the next 3 years. We go to Europe for a month (with a cat-sitter at home), we spend 5-6 months in Mexico and a couple of weeks with our grandchildren.

(Would I like to spend more time with the GCs? I learned during our time with young children that a couple of weeks of quality time beats dinner every Sunday or attending every soccer game.)

To each their own!

 

[imoldernu]

Will the Brussels attack affect bucket list travel plans?

 

[MichaelB]

Will the Brussels attack affect bucket list travel plans?

No. We have multiple trips to Europe planned for the upcoming months and see no reason to make any changes.

 

[NW-Bound]

The risk of getting harmed in a terrorist attack is low. However, the hassle of air travel is increasing. I used to think that if I coughed up the money for business class that all would be well. This does not however fix other problems, such as security lines, canceled flights, delays, etc...

I am getting to the point where I start to enjoy my RV trek more than international travel. This is a bit of concern, as I am not that old to accept defeat.

PS. We have been to Belgium (Brussels, Bruges, Ostende), and have no current plans to revisit.

 

[Gone4Good]

Will the Brussels attack affect bucket list travel plans?

It will mine.

We haven't yet been to Brussels but yesterday's events caused me to move the city up on my itinerary because . . . f@ck terrorists!

 

[Nemo2]

But there's also plenty of under-the-radar stuff that more hurried travelers wiz right past.

33 years ago, my late wife & I drove for a day to visit Rorke's Drift......there wasn't a whole lot to see, and there were no other people there......but I've seen it, and I'll never forget it.

 

[Fedup]

Will the Brussels attack affect bucket list travel plans?

Yes, I booked all my travels in continental Europe using free points and mileages, just in case I have to cancel.


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[NYEXPAT]

The article/title is at the very least misleading, it assumes TRAVEL is an ingredient in all bucket list entries.

I've had a bucket list since I was 30-something and still do, but travel wasn't central to any of the items on my list. I'm a little more than halfway through my list of 70 something items.

+1
I am having a really hard time with the "triplets" and a "circus midget".

 

[Ronstar]

Will the Brussels attack affect bucket list travel plans?

Nope - Just booked a trip to England and Ireland. I'm not worried - I probably stand a greater chance of danger in Chicago.


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