2024 Travel Plans

[brett]

Do you ever have friends or acquantances who ask....'why would you go there' or 'why would you do that'

We have had that said to us at least four times about our recent trip to Morocco. Have had the same comment about other countries that may not be on their radar. We have spent 6 winters in Thailand/SE Asia. We hope to go this winter and I have no doubt that some of the exact same people will ask that question as they have every other time.

My response is always the same. Why not? Probably because I was brought up that way. Glass half full, focus on reasons why to do something vs why not to do, etc and to to jump at an opportunity. Stretch even if you are not confident of your ability to succeed.

I believe that it is a generational thing. People of our adult children's age never seem to ask that question. Rather, they want to know details, how did it go, what did you like, should we go, etc.

 

[Lemonade]

Do you ever have friends or acquantances who ask....'why would you go there' or 'why would you do that'

We have had that said to us at least four times about our recent trip to Morocco. Have had the same comment about other countries that may not be on their radar. We have spent 6 winters in Thailand/SE Asia. We hope to go this winter and I have no doubt that some of the exact same people will ask that question as they have every other time.

My response is always the same. Why not? Probably because I was brought up that way. Glass half full, focus on reasons why to do something vs why not to do, etc and to to jump at an opportunity. Stretch even if you are not confident of your ability to succeed.

I believe that it is a generational thing. People of our adult children's age never seem to ask that question. Rather, they want to know details, how did it go, what did you like, should we go, etc.

I'm interested in the why of returning often, like your 6 winters in SE Asia. As a former military dependent who spent most of my formative years outside the US, I have enjoyed visits to many countries. But not many would I return to again and again, so I'm interested in the draw of Thailand? Good weather/food/people apparently, but what else keeps pulling you back?

 

[Chuckanut]

Clark Howard suggests finding the bargain places and times and then figure out why you want to go there. I’m currently doing that with a relatively ignored state right here in the USA.

After seeing photos of Morocco taken by friends I completely understand why they want to go there. Fascinating!

 

[brett]

I'm interested in the why of returning often, like your 6 winters in SE Asia. As a former military dependent who spent most of my formative years outside the US, I have enjoyed visits to many countries. But not many would I return to again and again, so I'm interested in the draw of Thailand? Good weather/food/people apparently, but what else keeps pulling you back?

We use it as a base. We have gone north to Cambodia and Vietnam. South to Malaysia by train and van or by ferry via Langkawi. Then Penang, sometimes KL. We spend time on the mainland and do some island hopping.

We have combined it with flying into Singapore, then Philippines, and end up in Thailand. Also used the area as a base to fly to Australia for a month or so from Krabi, Thailand or KL, Malaysia.

Much better than being at home in the cold snowy winter for two or three months!

Some of our friends have been spending winters in the same place in Mexico, Palm Springs, Arizona, Florida, and Hawaii, etc. They own or rent the same place year after year! Not our preference. We considered buying a winter home or condo. Our preference is to spend time in warm places that were on our respective bucket lists instead.

 

[brett]

Clark Howard suggests finding the bargain places and times and then figure out why you want to go there. I’m currently doing that with a relatively ignored state right here in the USA.

After seeing photos of Morocco taken by friends I completely understand why they want to go there. Fascinating!

We have done the same on occasion. Albania and/or Bulgaria are on ourradar for the next time we go to Greece/Turkey.

 

[Chuckanut]

We have done the same on occasion. Albania and/or Bulgaria are on ourradar for the next time we go to Greece/Turkey.

I was in Bulgaria about a decade ago. It was just opening up to tourism. The big issue was language as most of the interesting places only had signage in Bulgarian. Most people who worked in those places only spoke Bulgarian. But, there were signs in most major cities showing happy youngsters saying “English for my future”, with the name and phone number of a school below.

 

[brett]

I was in Bulgaria about a decade ago. It was just opening up to tourism. The big issue was language as most of the interesting places only had signage in Bulgarian. Most people who worked in those places only spoke Bulgarian. But, there were signs in most major cities showing happy youngsters saying “English for my future”, with the name and phone number of a school below.

We were in Hong Kong on business in 1984. We decided to do a short 7 day tour to mainland China. Spent a day in Guilin. I can only imagine how different it is today. We escaped our guide one afternoon and paid a farmer to take us to a local village in his cart. Some of the locals brought their children out to see us....we only learned later that the probable reason was that 2 of the four of us had blonde hair. No one other than our Gov't guide spoke English. Food was awful.

 

[TheWizard]

We’re thinking about a road trip to the Ohio Valley later this month, going to visit a cousin celebrating a special event. It’s an opportunity to visit a couple of museums mentioned in this thread Specialty Museums in the US

I’m considering 2, the Air Force Museum and the Ford Innovation museum. Maybe also the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, although it may be too much.

The USAF museum at Wright-Patterson is huge and can take several days if you get involved with each exhibit. I've been there three times and haven't quite finished it...

 

[TheWizard]

We were in Hong Kong on business in 1984. We decided to do a short 7 day tour to mainland China. Spent a day in Guilin. I can only imagine how different it is today. We escaped our guide one afternoon and paid a farmer to take us to a local village in his cart. Some of the locals brought their children out to see us....we only learned later that the probable reason was that 2 of the four of us had blonde hair. No one other than our Gov't guide spoke English. Food was awful.

I'm kinda surprised the food was "awful"...

 

[ut2sua]

We were in Hong Kong on business in 1984. I can only imagine how different it is today.

The bolded part is partly why we are in a hurry to travel earlier rather than later. We noticed once things change, they tend to be lost forever.

 

[brett]

The bolded part is partly why we are in a hurry to travel earlier rather than later. We noticed once things change, they tend to be lost forever.

This is exactly how we felt after we spent a month in Vietnam a few years ago. It is changing so quickly.

We did not get to see all that we wanted to so we are hoping to get back soon for a few more weeks.

 

[iloveyoga]

2024 travel. We are currently in Breckenridge, Co, headed to western Co in the morning. We have been here for four nights. It is nice to get away from the Iowa heat and see something different. We want to drive home via Laramie, WY.

My next trip after this is a girls trip to Madison, WI in October.

 

[brett]

West coast later this month. Puerta Vallarta in Nov/Dec.

Still shopping, watching airfares for an extended snowbird trip.

 

[Lagniappe]

We are in Northern Spain and Portugal. Viana Castelo & Ponte do Lima, Portugal; Santiago de Compostelo, Spain; Bilbao, Guernica, San Sebiastian, Biarritz (France), Pamplona, and Salamanca. It has been amazing. It is August, so hot and crowded most places. But great food and friendly people (almost) everywhere we have been. We have been staying mostly in former monasteries and convents, and enjoying a lot of hiostory along the way. The only thing I would change is that I would spend less time in Bilbao and more in San Sebastian.

 

[explanade]

We are in Northern Spain and Portugal. Viana Castelo & Ponte do Lima, Portugal; Santiago de Compostelo, Spain; Bilbao, Guernica, San Sebiastian, Biarritz (France), Pamplona, and Salamanca. It has been amazing. It is August, so hot and crowded most places. But great food and friendly people (almost) everywhere we have been. We have been staying mostly in former monasteries and convents, and enjoying a lot of hiostory along the way. The only thing I would change is that I would spend less time in Bilbao and more in San Sebastian.

Wonderful places, hope to go back to Basque Spain and France.

I returned from Turin, Aosta -- tons of pics of the Alps with snow on the peaks in July -- then Lugano and Como.

Going to Stockholm, Helsinki Berlin and Copenhagen at the end of the month.

 

[Plantman]

Went to Japan for 10 days in April, Australia for 20 days in late May and will be going on a 35 night cruise from Florida to Antarctica in November.

 

[ClarkeK]

In 10 days we leave for Denver CO, then up to Breckenridge for a few days. We're going to try and hike/conquer our first 14er, Quandary Peak. This is our 2nd attempt, was unsuccessful a few years ago. Even though it was August we still weren't prepared for the cold near the top.

Then we depart Colorado for Seattle. Spending Labor Day weekend at The Gorge in George, WA. Then finishing off the trip with a few relaxing days in Puget Sound on Whidbey Island before returning home.

Later in September we travel to Portugal to spend a week in The Algarve before heading off to Morocco for weeks.

 

[brett]

In 10 days we leave for Denver CO, then up to Breckenridge for a few days. We're going to try and hike/conquer our first 14er, Quandary Peak. This is our 2nd attempt, was unsuccessful a few years ago. Even though it was August we still weren't prepared for the cold near the top.

Then we depart Colorado for Seattle. Spending Labor Day weekend at The Gorge in George, WA. Then finishing off the trip with a few relaxing days in Puget Sound on Whidbey Island before returning home.

Later in September we travel to Portugal to spend a week in The Algarve before heading off to Morocco for weeks.

A PERFECT time IMHO to visit the Algarve and Morocco! Enjoy.

 

[tulak]

Booked a trip to Portugal in November. We fly into Lisbon and out of Porto. We’re there for a week and now I need to figure out the details of what to see.

This is our third trip to Europe in November. Always a great time to go. Less tourists and better prices. The only downside is the weather can be hit and miss, but that hasn’t bothered us yet.

 

[audreyh1]

Nice!

Just one 2024 trip left for us. Going to Grand Teton NP an old favorite.

We generally don’t travel late Oct thru March because the weather here is awesome and it’s prime wildlife photography for DH.

 

[tulak]

November in the PNW is wet and windy. It’s a good time to travel.

 

[Trailwalker]

We had to put off a lot of travel plans in the last 9 months due to lengthy family illnesses and passings. We are going to take my 85 year old recently-widowed mother on her first cruise in November. It won't be anything fancy--it's just not her--but it will be a blast to spend time with her in this way. She's always had a passport but never used it. She'll have a balcony, and that will be cool.

 

[CO-guy]

I have 5 trips planned in the next 3 months to see friends and family: Bay area (x2), Chicago, Seattle, and Caribbean. Our little local airport is running 2-3 flights a day during the off-season with amazing fare deals. For some trips I'll be staying with family and the others I'll be using hotel points, so my only cost has been for flights. I usually only travel with a small back pack and the airport is close enough to our house that I can either pedal or walk.

No big sights to see but I'm excited to reconnect with friends and family.

 

[PatrickA5]

Just got back from a week at Glacier National Park. Beautiful. And nice and cool. It's probably in the top 3 of the national parks we've visited.

 

[anethum]

I went biking in 3 different regions in France, and also spent about a week in Paris, my favorite city. I got together with several friends there. Despite all of the biking, I gained a couple of pounds. (I ride a regular bike, not an ebike.) I was eating very well.

For a couple of years, I've been doing a weekly French/English language exchange on Skype with a very nice guy in Paris. He and his partner stayed at my home last year. He insisted I stay in his apartment while I was in Paris. I had it all to myself as he was either away at his home in the countryside, or stayed at his girlfriend's place in Paris. I was there about a month before the Olympics and it was interesting to see the Olympic venues being set up next to major Paris sights.