Poll:How much do you travel?

[explanade]

I do about 4 international trips a year since retirement.

I was also doing about that many before retirement too, though they were often 1-week trips.

Now my trips are 10-16 days including travel time. Currently on a 3-week trip in Southern and Central Italy.

Trying to do as much while I'm physically able.

Just stayed 4 nights in Amalfi at an apartment with great views over the waterfront. However, it requires going up 110 steps. It was a bear dragging a 45-pound suitcase up those steps. Wasn't much better coming down with it either.

My Fitbit recorded 40-50 floors a day for 4-5 days, though I tried only to go down and back up once. But one day, I ended up with 97 floors because I tried to go to part of the Sentiero degli Dei hiking path.

Usually I try to work out regularly before I go on these trips but didn't have as much of a chance for this trip.

I'm getting more fit on this trip ...

 

[NW-Bound]

I used to think I could be a perpetual traveler, but realized it was not for me, and certainly not my wife. We needed a permanent home to go back to, and to keep "stuff".

I have been doing one big trip each year: an RV trip of 2 months and 10,000 miles, alternating with a 5 to 6-week foreign trip each year.

Writing this from a small Spanish coastal town 200 km south of Barcelona. Most likely will spend the rest of the year going back and forth between my 2 homes which are only a 2.5-hr drive apart.

 

[kcowan]

We got back from 191 days in Mexico. Will travel in the province for 20 days in 3 trips, and one trip across the country for 10 days. Then back to Mexico.

 

[OldShooter]

Hello from Bulgaria, on our second international trip of the year.

 

[Nemo2]

Hello from Bulgaria

Try the narrow gauge train up to Yakoruda.

 

[levindb]

Yes, we do travel...quite a bit

On average, for the last 6 years, we are "home" n Ohio about 3 months per year. We have a second home in Hilton Head (about 3 months/year) ...we have an investment in the Dominican Republic (2 months/year). We rent AIRBNB, or use our RCI points for 2 months. Last year we did a world cruise (4.5 months) and this year we have 5 week safari planned in the fall. We rented an RV for a month on Alaska a few years ago.

We want to travel now while we can...and we try and do physical things (kayak, paddleboard, bikes, hiking) as much as possible. Experiences are so much more important than things at this time of our lives. We do not want to sit around and watch TV...and last week we down 40' water slides.

We will not grow up!

 

[brett]

We made the decision to only travel with international size carry on @ 7-10KG. This is the size and weight that each of us can easily handle under all circumstances. That could be rolling it over cobblestones or lifting them in and out of long tail boats or on to ferries.

It was a challenge at first but it has made our travel much easier and much more enjoyable. On some airlines we pay to increase our carry on weight from 7 to 10KG but it is well worth it for us.

The only exception is when we are doing road trips at home. Then anything goes. Even then, we only drag a carry on size into the hotel etc. Anything else stays in the trunk.

 

[Stonewalker]

"Travel" for us means leaving the county.

Well, it's not quite that bad but like some others we just don't enjoy it. I traveled at work for training and later, teaching, but while I enjoyed what I did at the destination I hated the traveling. There was a time long ago when I owned an airplane and perhaps that spoiled me because I know what flying could and should be like, and the airlines ain't it. Not even close. I am not cattle and I won't put up with being treated like one.

The railroads used to know what a "schedule" was but they seem to have forgotten. (Okay, I know the reasons, but when a load of widgets has a higher priority to the RR than me, I'm not playing that game.)

I hear you, Walt. There's a long story to it, but we took a train trip which inspired me to start a new blog: The Traveling Grouch. (Bought the domain name and everything.) I thought I was done writing in it, but I find that each trip gives me one more thing to write about. I'm composing a bit now about Spirit Airlines...

 

[OldShooter]

We made the decision to only travel with international size carry on @ 7-10KG. This is the size and weight that each of us can easily handle under all circumstances. That could be rolling it over cobblestones or lifting them in and out of long tail boats or on to ferries.

It was a challenge at first but it has made our travel much easier and much more enjoyable. On some airlines we pay to increase our carry on weight from 7 to 10KG but it is well worth it for us.

The only exception is when we are doing road trips at home. Then anything goes. Even then, we only drag a carry on size into the hotel etc. Anything else stays in the trunk.

Interesting: We travel regularly and I don't remember ever having a carry on weighed. Definitely have never paid an upcharge. Where have you run into this problem?

 

[Car-Guy]

I got my fill of international travel when I was working. I'm glad I got to do it (first class on their dime) but I've had enough. I also hate airports so all my domestic travel these days is done by car. A couple of big (longer) trips each year and lot of shorter trips (5 to 6 hour each). I probably still drive about 50k miles a year now which is starting to drop off as I get older.

 

[brett]

All over SE Asia and Australia. AirAsia, Jetstar (Qantas sub), Scoot (Singapore Airlines sub), etc. The latter even includes my spouses purse in the weight but they allow you 10KG, but will not surcharge unless over 10,9KG. We have had multiple flights on most of them. In the Kuala Lumpur airport AIrAsia have a bag weighing station even before you go through security at their airport wing. They send lots of people back to the counter. We have been weighed by some of the budgets in Europe and by some of the mainline carriers-Lufthansa in particular. Transat, a Canadian international carrier, also weighs from time to time.

Jestar weigh at checkin. They also do weight checks at the gate in Australia. Not so much in other countries though. Revenue generator I guess. Air Asia is spotty. Hong Kong Air also weighed carry on both times. Jetstar allow 7KG of carry on gratis but there is a surcharge if your carry on is over 7KG. Over 10KG and it goes baggage instead of carry on.

This past winter we each did 10 flights, six of them on Jetstar and Scoot. Our carry on was carefully weighed on each of those flights.

 

[SumDay]

We have a neurotic dog who would prefer we didn't go to the grocery store. But once or twice a year we make him suffer. Our kids live in HCOL areas in tiny apartments ($$$ hotel for us), so visiting them usually make up the bulk of our travel budget.

 

[OldShooter]

All over SE Asia and Australia. AirAsia, Jetstar (Qantas sub), Scoot (Singapore Airlines sub), etc. ...

Interesting. We were in Vietnam and Myanmar last year, flew several local airlines and never had a problem. Maybe our day will come.

 

[gerntz]

I feel like there’s a big gap between 1 big trip and a couple small ones per year and rarely travel in the poll. Guess that’s perspective.

 

[Sojourner]

I love visiting interesting new places, although I don't always enjoy the logistics and hassles of the process of traveling to those places. I voted 1-2 big trips a year.

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?

 

[Taxman59]

My wife and a girlfriend usually go on a cruise out of Florida, however.

Man, your lucky, my wife won't let me have a girlfriend!

 

[brett]

OldShooter...our carry on was never weighed in Vietnam either.

But..they were the most thorough bag inspectors. There was a nail file in the lining of my carry on. From when my spouse used the bag 8 years ago. We have been on countless flights and through dozens of security checks all over the world. This was the first time it was found in xray and we had a job just finding it.

 

[Teacher Terry]

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

 

[Live And Learn]

Part of me wanted to travel ALOT when retired. I've determined that I actually LOVE being home. Maybe that is because I am a professional volunteer and have at least one committment outside the house per day. But I'm sort of afraid to travel ... silly on some level ... I am hoping that virtual reality becomes exceptionally good soon and will use that for any travel that does not have specific "smell or touch" highlights.

 

[kaudrey]

We love to travel. My DH works independently and can travel whenever. I'm still working but get a lot of vacation time. We do 1 big trip and a lot of smaller trips each year (in part for my DH's "independent" work and our main hobby/volunteer work).


We went to Ireland last June, New Zealand in January, and are going to the Galapagos in May 2020 with my sister and brother-in-law.


The "non-vacation" travel this year included or will include Tempe, Chicago, Florida, NY, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, and probably a few other cities. That doesn't include trips to NH to help my ailing parents or MA to visit my sister.....we are actually out of town a lot considering I still have a full time job.


Once I retire in a few years, I'm hoping for 1 or 2 more big trips a year....

 

[Mdlerth]

Home sweet home

I love visiting interesting new places, although I don't always enjoy the logistics and hassles of the process of traveling to those places.

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.

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?

I hate being mistreated by the transport industry, and I never sleep well unless it's in my own bed. I would be thrilled to hop into shark-infested waters (taking suitable precautions), but I dread the trip to get there more than the jaws.

I (I, I, I... it's all about me, you know) should also mention that I am going through considerable effort and expense to prepare a comfortable and comforting residence in which to spend my retirement. Like Dorothy Gale, everything I really want will be in my own backyard. No need to travel over the rainbow if I already know that lesson.

Of course, my vote isn't the only one to be cast. I know that once I clock out of Megacorp for the final time, DW will insist we roam half the planet. Ireland, Russia, Germany, Italy, Israel, Kenya, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan... we will likely voyage to all of them. I may not love traveling, but I love DW.

 

[Sue J]

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?

I travel when I have to but mostly I'm just really happy being at home. I've been to the Denver area more times than I can keep track, because DHs family lives there. It used to be different and exciting but it got to be a long, hassle filled ordeal to get there and once there it seems like it was just a bigger version of many other overgrown suburbs. Ok, the mountains, parks and outdoor areas are stunning away from the traffic filled areas.

Flying is no longer a fun adventure, it's a dread. I'll do it if I have to but it's not worth it unless there is a beach at the other end.

My sister and brother-in-law make up for my lack of travel. They do 3 or 4 major cruises every year. They also do other travel to see their kids and grandkids, but most of their travel for fun is the cruises. While on a cruise they will talk to other cruisers, compare experiences and before their cruise ends they have put a deposit on another one.

 

[frayne]

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

Nailed it +1. Have friends that like to travel and more power to them. I do like to hear the stories of bad hotels, loss of sleep, tourist rip off joints, crummy airline service and food poisoning.

Traveling, nope BTDT.

 

[Cut-Throat]

Gone over 1/3 of the year !

 

[daylatedollarshort]

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. We've also stopped going to see plays and concerts in the venues where they pack people in like sardines. Instead we're going to more local and college productions that are less commercial and not focused on trying to squeeze every dollar out of the audience. We still travel to visit family.

We do day trips pretty often and usually have some event to get out of the house every day. The weather is pleasant most of the year where we live and there's always a lot to do so I never really think much about traveling. We can go places like wine country, Yosemite or Carmel and not have to pack or board the dog. Those kinds of day trips seem like just as much fun as most traveling vacations we've had without the airport hassle and lost travel time.