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Have you have ever traveled somewhere where you went there with a rather negative emotional reaction to the place, perhaps thinking: I'm know I'm not going to like this place/why am I even going here, and once you got there you were taken aback, surprised, delighted, and it led you to think: Thank God! I didn't let my emotions overrule this decision, look what I would have missed out on!
Perhaps a friend/relative/husband/wife/son/daughter coaxed/manipulated you into going, having deep reservations all the way over there.
And did you learn anything from that experience?
That's happened to me a number of times, with curiosity overriding my emotions, and I was everso glad I went.
Probably the most compelling experience I had like that was Hawaii.
I've posted about it here before.
We lived in Colorado at the time. We wanted a 'get-away-from-the-kids' trip but knew we were not going to go to Europe or anywhere else too far away.
We chose Hawaii, but both of us had this feeling that we were going to be visiting this synthetic place and have a manufactured, artificial vacation.
I did do plenty of research, and it paid off. We saw Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island.
We were entranced from beginning to end.
I won't go on and on about it, but the gist of it was that our expectations were monumentally over-turned in a very positive way.
We did see the manicured, touristy Hawaii, but there is another Hawaii out there too, and we were very happy to experience it.
What we mostly took from this is what we already knew: Do your research.
We also knew we would never want to live there (at the time, we were thinking of relocating, which we later did.)
But probably the biggest thing we learned was the obvious: Until you arrive, explore, and experience, you really do not know a place.
Oh yes!
Vegas.
I had geared myself up to tolerating the week of cheap and tacky and artificial and boring since gambling isn't my 'thing'....most prominent idea was 'tacky'
I loved it and have gone back 3 times.
Probably the most compelling experience I had like that was Hawaii.
I've posted about it here before.
We lived in Colorado at the time. We wanted a 'get-away-from-the-kids' trip but knew we were not going to go to Europe or anywhere else too far away.
We chose Hawaii, but both of us had this feeling that we were going to be visiting this synthetic place and have a manufactured, artificial vacation.
I did do plenty of research, and it paid off. We saw Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island.
We were entranced from beginning to end.
I won't go on and on about it, but the gist of it was that our expectations were monumentally over-turned in a very positive way.
We did see the manicured, touristy Hawaii, but there is another Hawaii out there too, and we were very happy to experience it.
What we mostly took from this is what we already knew: Do your research.
We also knew we would never want to live there (at the time, we were thinking of relocating, which we later did.)
But probably the biggest thing we learned was the obvious: Until you arrive, explore, and experience, you really do not know a place.
Absolutely spot on.
I was going to write almost the same thing. Hawaii to me was somewhere I really was not keen on ( I still hate Honolulu and some of the over developed beach resorts with a vengeance though) but thought I would give it a go.
I did a lot of reading and managed to avoid most of the plastic synthetic areas and found some of the more sublime landscapes on the planet. I really want to take Hubby there one day now.
On the other hand I went to Vegas expecting to loathe it and realised it was even worse than I imagined ! it is about my idea of Dante's circles of Hell on earth. I would literally not go back there unless you paid me large sums of money and then would simply take a lot of books with me, and spend the time in my room trying to get away in my head from the tacky, vile, gharish, loud, vulgar place. Vegas represents everything I loathe about Humanity and our society. The prime example as to why we are doomed as a specie. Hieronymous Bosch's paintings come to life.
The best thing about Vegas was the road out of it into the Desert. Oh and I had a great seafood buffet meal at the Bellagio's. Anything else made me feel tainted, dirty and all I could see was greed, gawdiness, conspicuous consumption and environmental insanity. I would rather spend a month in mud hut than that gawd-awful dump of a place.
Last edited by Mooseketeer; 08-26-2010 at 05:19 AM..
Philadelphia. I thought Philly was just a grungy city with crime everywhere. A few days in center city revealed to me an awesome, vibrant city where I loved just walking around at all hours, ducking into coffee shops, bars and restaurants once in a while. The parks in Philly are incredible, and I find the city's scale far more livable than NYC. After that first trip to Philly, I couldn't get back there soon enough.
Philadelphia. I thought Philly was just a grungy city with crime everywhere. A few days in center city revealed to me an awesome, vibrant city where I loved just walking around at all hours, ducking into coffee shops, bars and restaurants once in a while. The parks in Philly are incredible, and I find the city's scale far more livable than NYC. After that first trip to Philly, I couldn't get back there soon enough.
I love Philly too. Some areas are really dodgy but then again so are a lot of urban areas. I love the History, architecture, sense of place and there is definitely a great vibrancy there too.
I've traveled places where I think I wouldn't like it and wound up having a great time. Thats why you cant be one of those people who just decides they dont like it and set their mind on being miserable.
Just got back from a trip like that and actually wound up having a decent time, only downside wound up being everyone else's bitching and moaning the whole weekend. It was a trip for a wedding to a location nobody would have otherwise visited.
Philadelphia. I thought Philly was just a grungy city with crime everywhere. A few days in center city revealed to me an awesome, vibrant city where I loved just walking around at all hours, ducking into coffee shops, bars and restaurants once in a while. The parks in Philly are incredible, and I find the city's scale far more livable than NYC. After that first trip to Philly, I couldn't get back there soon enough.
And the only visions that we had of Alabama and Mississippi were those provided by the eastern press in the 1960s.
I agree but it can also reinforce a lot of negative feelings.
I knew for example Vegas was not for me but I gave it a try and it turned out even worse than expected. Nothing could have quite prepared me for the extent of my hatred for the place ! I resent the time I wasted when I could have spent more time in the Desert
Oh yes!
Vegas.
I had geared myself up to tolerating the week of cheap and tacky and artificial and boring since gambling isn't my 'thing'....most prominent idea was 'tacky'
I loved it and have gone back 3 times.
Vegas is very polarizing, it seems people either love it or hate it not many anywhere in-between.
I'm with you though I love Vegas and can have a good time there just buying a couple cans of beer and sitting outside near a sifewalk watching the crowds go by on the strip. It is the people watching capital of the world in my opinion.
Plus along with New Orleans is one of the only places one doesn't feel out of place or like an alcoholic clutching a cocktail at 8:00 am.
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