Has anyone lost the travel bug?

[southernhybrid]

I probably hate to travel more than most people. I enjoyed it in my younger days but once I made it past 40, I started to hate it. I hate to fly so I quit flying about 20 years ago. I've been on two cruises and was bored to death. I don't mind short trips in the car, say no more than 300 miles, but I despise not being able to sleep in my own comfortable bed. Arthritis in my feet and knees have made it impossible for me to walk more than a mile without severe pain. We took a brief trip to Augusta, Ga. last week and the bed and pillows were so uncomfortable that I barely slept. And, I can look at all the beautiful things in the world on the Internet. Just think of all the money I've saving.

Unfortunately, my only son and 2 grandkids live 600 miles away and his wife refuses to travel to visit us. We visit them once a year. And my 92 year old mother lives 1000 miles away so I still make the journey once a year to visit. Nobody ever wants to visit us even though we are good hosts and have a very lovely guest room. Even my sister in Nashville has stopped traveling. I guess it's genetic or something because everyone in my family seems to hate to travel.
I would go so far as to say that travel is nearly torture to me.

 

[whollygoats]

Well....My travel companion and I already found the 'cruise option'. With us, it was Grand Circle Cruise Lines and their affiliate, Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). We did southern France in a loop through Sarlat, Carcassone, then by barge along the Canal du Midi from Agen to Bourdeaux, then overland to the Loire Valley and Paris. The Canal du Midi on a barge was fantastique! It was 22 couples, a trained crew, a terrific guide, and a leisurely pace through Gascony. Dinner each evening was prepared with local produce. We have since done a more standard 'river cruise' (250 American tourists on one ship) from Amsterdam to Vienna. This year, we will cruise up the lower Danube to Budapest. Cruising means not having to repack....or, hoist much luggage around.

Overland by train is another world entirely. I did that from Beijing to Kashgar. And, all around the UK.

I've never really had my sealegs ever really tested. Every time I've travelled, it's always been calm. But those have been saltwater ferry crossings. River or most lake cruises don't count.

 

[rousseau]

When Samuel Johnson wrote that, ships were somewhat different from modern cruise ships, and norovirus was the least of the problems. I did have a bout of it once, but one learns to wash hands frequently, avoid coming into physical contact with people (e.g. shaking hands), and to use common sense. The crews these days are well-trained at handling outbreaks. But don't let me convince you to go on cruises. The prices are already high enough, and we prefer the cruise lines to feel the pressure of competition for customers.

I'm in the unfortunate situation of having to plan a Mediterranean cruise for my honeymoon (tough life, I know). Any tips for someone who hasn't been on a cruise before?

I would be happy to give you advice. My wife and I have been on several Mediterranean cruises, primarily on Celebrity ships, but we have cruised other itineraries on other lines. Do you have a particular cruise in mind? How far along in the process are you? Have you purchased the cruise yet? How long will the cruise be? Do you know what kind of cabin you want? Do you prefer a party experience or something a little calmer? There are some differences across cruise lines.

If you haven't got a cruise yet, the primary ports for embarkation and debarkation will probably be Civitavecchia (outside of Rome), Venice (spectacular sailaway from there), Athens, or Barcelona. Of all of those, Venice is my favorite.

You can PM me, if you want to take this offline.

Thanks, I may take you up on that offer eventually although it would seem that we've got the basics down. We haven't booked yet, just need to nail down the right cruise which we've researched a bit. Class of cruise ship, ship review, port, length, destinations.. that's pretty much what we're looking at right now.

Right now I've got my eyes on this Greek Isles cruise on the Jewel of the Seas.

I had wanted Marseilles to be one of our ports but it looks like we need to make one sacrifice or another, and it seems like our choices are either Western or Greek Isles. So my current thinking is a 9 day cruise with a couple days on land in Rome before we head home.

I mostly asked in case there were a couple things you 'gotta' know.. but in terms of picking our cruise we've done our research and read several blogs, so I think we've got that down, for the most part.

 

[Copernicus]

I would be happy to give you advice. My wife and I have been on several Mediterranean cruises, primarily on Celebrity ships, but we have cruised other itineraries on other lines. Do you have a particular cruise in mind? How far along in the process are you? Have you purchased the cruise yet? How long will the cruise be? Do you know what kind of cabin you want? Do you prefer a party experience or something a little calmer? There are some differences across cruise lines.

If you haven't got a cruise yet, the primary ports for embarkation and debarkation will probably be Civitavecchia (outside of Rome), Venice (spectacular sailaway from there), Athens, or Barcelona. Of all of those, Venice is my favorite.

You can PM me, if you want to take this offline.

Thanks, I may take you up on that offer eventually although it would seem that we've got the basics down. We haven't booked yet, just need to nail down the right cruise which we've researched a bit. Class of cruise ship, ship review, port, length, destinations.. that's pretty much what we're looking at right now.

Right now I've got my eyes on this Greek Isles cruise on the Jewel of the Seas.

I had wanted Marseilles to be one of our ports but it looks like we need to make one sacrifice or another, and it seems like our choices are either Western or Greek Isles. So my current thinking is a 9 day cruise with a couple days on land in Rome before we head home.

I mostly asked in case there were a couple things you 'gotta' know.. but in terms of picking our cruise we've done our research and read several blogs, so I think we've got that down, for the most part.

Cruise Critic is the best source of information. Definitely join the online "roll call" for that particular cruise. You can also sign up for the Connections party on the Cruise Critic web site. (The ship will send an invitation to your stateroom.) That will give you an opportunity to meet some officers and also make contacts with folks that you meet online. You might want to consider joining with some CC folks on local activities at ports rather than going with the more expensive excursions offered by the ship. People will be making arrangements on the Roll Call and can answer all questions that you have.

Royal Caribbean is a good line. Excellent entertainment, food, and activities. If you like to ice skate, Jewel has an ice rink and puts on ice shows. The RCL corporation owns Celebrity and Azamara, as well, but Royal Caribbean cruises tend to be more popular with a younger, family-oriented working crowd rather than 60-somethings.

We've been to all of the ports you are going to and can answer questions about local logistics and things to see. Probably the least interesting of the ports is Messina, Sicily, but you should find some things to do in just a day. However, if you are paying for excursions, most people go to Taormina. You might also find some interesting local group activity with roll call members. Be sure to try to catch sight of Mt. Etna when the ship passes by.

You can get into Athens by bus or bus+train from the port of Piraeus, if you want to do Athens on your own and do it at minimal cost. A trip to the Acropolis followed by a visit to the Acropolis Museum (if you like history) is well worth the time for first time visitors.

Civitavecchia is a very small town that is located about 40 minutes by train from Rome. Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) Airport is situated between Rome and Civitavecchia, so I recommend you consider a shared limo from the ship to the airport on disembarkation day. We had an early flight out once, and getting there on time can be a bit of a wild ride. Getting to Civitavecchia from Rome takes about an hour by train, and you'll probably want to get to Termini rail station, if you choose that method (the cheapest). Be extremely wary of pickpockets and "friendly" scammers at the rail station and on the train. You can walk from the train station to the port entrance. Alternatively, you could stay overnight in Civitavecchia. Not much to see there, but it can be a charming little town to walk around in.

 

[Thomas II]

I would be happy to give you advice. My wife and I have been on several Mediterranean cruises, primarily on Celebrity ships, but we have cruised other itineraries on other lines. Do you have a particular cruise in mind? How far along in the process are you? Have you purchased the cruise yet? How long will the cruise be? Do you know what kind of cabin you want? Do you prefer a party experience or something a little calmer? There are some differences across cruise lines.

If you haven't got a cruise yet, the primary ports for embarkation and debarkation will probably be Civitavecchia (outside of Rome), Venice (spectacular sailaway from there), Athens, or Barcelona. Of all of those, Venice is my favorite.

You can PM me, if you want to take this offline.

Thanks, I may take you up on that offer eventually although it would seem that we've got the basics down. We haven't booked yet, just need to nail down the right cruise which we've researched a bit. Class of cruise ship, ship review, port, length, destinations.. that's pretty much what we're looking at right now.

Right now I've got my eyes on this Greek Isles cruise on the Jewel of the Seas.

I had wanted Marseilles to be one of our ports but it looks like we need to make one sacrifice or another, and it seems like our choices are either Western or Greek Isles. So my current thinking is a 9 day cruise with a couple days on land in Rome before we head home.

I mostly asked in case there were a couple things you 'gotta' know.. but in terms of picking our cruise we've done our research and read several blogs, so I think we've got that down, for the most part.

R, that's the trip! You're gonna love it! Have a great time! (BTW, sunset from the Acropolis is phenomenal, also Santorini!) You better post pictures afterwards...(Pity it doesn't include a visit to the Palace of Knossos in Crete) The Amalfi Coast is epic too.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

All the joy in flying has been removed for me. Just far too much bullshit. I'd rather ride the rails hobo style than fly.

 

[Tharmas]

My wife and I have travelled internationally for enjoyment quite a bit. These days however the locations I’d like to travel to are somewhat precluded by a disability which is increasing with age. I’d like to travel along the old silk road, through the ‘stans, but they are too primitive for me now.

We’re thinking of a trip to Scandinavia, which will have accommodations for me, but that is less appealing to me.

In the meantime, we visit New York City a couple of times a year to visit grandkids.

We have no desire to cruise, preferring very small groups or travelling alone. As for air travel, it’s always been a chore, although it’s worse these days I will admit. We travelled to Berlin three months after nine-eleven and it wasn’t as bad as today.

 

[DBT]

Posting from Dubai while waiting for my connecting flight to Rome.....yeah, I still have the travel bug. I say this in spite of having spent 20 hours on planes and in Airports so far, which is not particularly pleasant.

 

[Kharakov]

Here's a thought: where are the people who've travelled and experienced enough that they've lost interest in travel?

You rich people are content to sip coffee and mock the poor. By rich, I mean the corrupt, in addition to the content and complacent, middle class on up.

 

[Kharakov]

Posting from Dubai while waiting for my connecting flight to Rome.....yeah, I still have the travel bug. I say this in spite of having spent 20 hours on planes and in Airports so far, which is not particularly pleasant.

I loved planes and airports when my (last) girlfriend was a flight attendant. Never had a shot at travel, or the good life. Wish that had been in the cards I was dealt by people who cheat, but shockingly enough they just torture me until I do drugs.

Which are fun, but I'd rather do drugs and see the world.

 

[rousseau]

Posting from Dubai while waiting for my connecting flight to Rome.....yeah, I still have the travel bug. I say this in spite of having spent 20 hours on planes and in Airports so far, which is not particularly pleasant.

I loved planes and airports when my (last) girlfriend was a flight attendant. Never had a shot at travel, or the good life. Wish that had been in the cards I was dealt by people who cheat, but shockingly enough they just torture me until I do drugs.

Which are fun, but I'd rather do drugs and see the world.

Let me give you a shortcut, first start here:

Google Earth

See anything you like except the inside of churches, which are everywhere and what everyone visits (if you must see inside them there is Google Images).

Now take a few seconds to suspend disbelief and realize that every single city is exactly the same, except for different types of drinks to help you forget about your problems. Granted in Amsterdam you can legally exchange money to have sex, but just try to get over that one.

Next, outside of the cities you would actually visit are a bunch of places where you have to worry about people robbing and/or killing you. Luckily, still able to visit these places on Google Earth.

There, now you've traveled the world and have saved yourself a solid chunk of beer money

Seriously, though, I'm convinced that travelling for a lot of people is more about vanity than desire to travel. Hey.. uh.. I've been to four continents, where have you been!?

It's fun, for sure, but in my opinion no more fun than experiencing local attractions like theatre, sports, museums.. or anything.

*Caveat: unless you haven't traveled at all and don't know anything about the world

 

[Elixir]

I'm over air travel.
Back in the day, you could cram a few c-notes into your pocket, head to the airport and go ... wherever. Even international if you remembered to bring your passport. I remember flying from Denver to San Francisco twice in one day, going to Hawaii and having to go home for about 8 hours, then back to Hawaii. And went wherever theurge struck whenever it struck. Arrive at the airport 30 minutes before flight time, or an hour for international - no problem. Later, in the 90s, I had to fly 2-3 times a week for work. That got a little old, but it was still pretty easy.
Now, it's an all-day nightmare, even for a short ride on a puddle-jumper. I avoid it whenever possible. Having avoided it for so long now, I have to go through the full security bullshit every time, for not being pre-cleared with TSA.
I love being in new places, but getting anywhere good is too time-consuming and painful anymore.

 

[rousseau]

I'm over air travel.
Back in the day, you could cram a few c-notes into your pocket, head to the airport and go ... wherever. Even international if you remembered to bring your passport. I remember flying from Denver to San Francisco twice in one day, going to Hawaii and having to go home for about 8 hours, then back to Hawaii. And went wherever theurge struck whenever it struck. Arrive at the airport 30 minutes before flight time, or an hour for international - no problem. Later, in the 90s, I had to fly 2-3 times a week for work. That got a little old, but it was still pretty easy.
Now, it's an all-day nightmare, even for a short ride on a puddle-jumper. I avoid it whenever possible. Having avoided it for so long now, I have to go through the full security bullshit every time, for not being pre-cleared with TSA.
I love being in new places, but getting anywhere good is too time-consuming and painful anymore.

That's the thing: effort and time.

If teleportation were a thing and I could negotiate two months off of work I'd be travelling all the time. But as it stands I'm usually packing a massive hassle into a short-time frame my company actually lets me take off, when I'd rather just be at home sleeping off the six months of straight work I just finished.

 

[Old Woman in Purple]

I love being in new places, but getting anywhere good is too time-consuming and painful anymore.

This, +1000

 

[southernhybrid]

I love being in new places, but getting anywhere good is too time-consuming and painful anymore.

This, +1000

Yeah. That's what I was trying to say earlier. If all I had to do is magically appear in a new place without ever having to pack, unpack, wait in an airport, ride in a car,sleep in an uncomfortable bed etc., I'd probably love to travel. But, there's no place I want to see badly enough to put up with all the crap that one must endure when traveling.

And I haven't even mentioned that my spouse is the grandson of a Syrian and Lebanese immigrants. Do you have any idea how much hassle he gets when he flies? Luckily, he hasn't flown in about ten years. The last time he did, two black guys were laughing at him. They said something like, Haha, Bro, we thought we had it bad before we watched you get patted down. No thanks. Plus he's grown his hair really long and he has a beard. That's not a good look for a man of Arabic descent at the airport.

 

[rousseau]

I love being in new places, but getting anywhere good is too time-consuming and painful anymore.

This, +1000

Yeah. That's what I was trying to say earlier. If all I had to do is magically appear in a new place without ever having to pack, unpack, wait in an airport, ride in a car,sleep in an uncomfortable bed etc., I'd probably love to travel. But, there's no place I want to see badly enough to put up with all the crap that one must endure when traveling.

And I haven't even mentioned that my spouse is the grandson of a Syrian and Lebanese immigrants. Do you have any idea how much hassle he gets when he flies? Luckily, he hasn't flown in about ten years. The last time he did, two black guys were laughing at him. They said something like, Haha, Bro, we thought we had it bad before we watched you get patted down. No thanks. Plus he's grown his hair really long and he has a beard. That's not a good look for a man of Arabic descent at the airport.

While not to that extent, my partner's Dutch passport has the Dutch spelling of her last name, and her permanent resident card has the English spelling of her last name. For that reason, they almost refused to let her board when we were flying home from Florida last year.

I get the sense that stuff like this is a bigger problem in American airports, though. We'll see when we fly to Europe in the fall.

 

[bilby]

Here's a thought: where are the people who've travelled and experienced enough that they've lost interest in travel?

You rich people are content to sip coffee and mock the poor. By rich, I mean the corrupt, in addition to the content and complacent, middle class on up.

Now that's not fair. We don't mock the poor at all. We barely even notice their existence, as long as they don't spill anything on us.

 

[RavenSky]

I can't even imagine reaching that state. If I were unable to do so for lack of limbs or energy, I would still want to...

This is me, too.

I've done a decent amount of traveling compared to a lot of people, but it has been nowhere near enough to satisfy my wanderlust.

I am especially looking forward to traveling with my sister in a couple more years. Ireland, Scotland, Norway... here we come!

 

[bilby]

I love being in new places, but getting anywhere good is too time-consuming and painful anymore.

This, +1000

Meh. It takes at least eight hours to get out of Australia, and 16-24 hours of flying time to get to America or Europe, so a couple of extra hours at the airport is not that big a deal.

I mostly travel to visit family, as almost all of mine are as far from my home as they could be without joining the space program. But I am fortunate in that I am fascinated by the details of commercial aviation; And in that I am now wealthy enough to fly business class.

 

[RavenSky]

Air travel generally doesn't bother me, not even in the cheap seats.

OWiP, I am also the daughter of a commercial airline pilot, and also have fond memories of traveling with my father - though he took us with him while he was working. Without a doubt, traveling by air was much more pleasant then than now. It was also a 'dress-up' occasion, and it still startles me to see people getting on airplanes in their pajamas and slippers

Now airplanes are simply a means to get from point A to point B. But give me a good book, a bag of M&Ms and a non-smelly seat neighbor, and I'm a happy camper.