Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It's a bit difficult for me to try and catch the essence of my question in a small title, so it's best if you read this carefully.
If you live in the Northern USA, Canada, or Europe, was the first time you visited a tropical climate merely a climate novelty that no longer interests you much?
For example, I am from Canada. The first trip I made abroad (other than border towns in the USA) was when I was 19 years old. I was so ecstatic about going somewhere warm that this first trip ended up being to Spain and Portugal (which I am aware are not tropical, but same point), while a month later I visited Nicaragua to experience the tropics/jungle scene. Since then I have only been to one more tropical place, Yucatan Mexico. Even though I was dying to experience the heat and beaches for years and years before I travelled, they barely attract me at this point. I almost always prefer to visit somewhere in Europe or Northern Asia. This is despite the fact that before I would never consider anything that isn't warm no matter how interesting it might be. It's not that a tropical country can't be culturally fascinating, it's just a coincidence that they interest me less in general, and that I am no longer willing to go somewhere simply because of the climate.
Anyone else feel the same now that they have travelled more? Or travelled at all?
No. I'm from the US (grew up all over, but mainly up and down the East coast) and I've lived in California for the past 10 or so years. When traveling/vacationing, my favorite places to go are ones that are sunny, warm/hot, and by water. Where I live the weather is mild pretty much year round, so I don't mind a few days of intense heat/sunshine- especially if it's during our 'winter'. Unless I'm snowboarding, I actively avoid the cold/snow.
Depends on what you define as "Northern." I live in Southwest Ohio, technically considered a Northern part of the United States, but not so Northern where we don't get any hot weather. The summers around here can be brutally hot and humid. So going to Florida or whatever other tropical climate is no big deal.
I grew up in the Northeast US and now live in Florida.
Europe is my #1 travel destination, but I don't rule out other places due to the weather with a very few exceptions. I have no desire to visit Siberia in February for example.
Depends on what you define as "Northern." I live in Southwest Ohio, technically considered a Northern part of the United States, but not so Northern where we don't get any hot weather. The summers around here can be brutally hot and humid. So going to Florida or whatever other tropical climate is no big deal.
Of course. I just meant more in the sense of consistent temperature and humidity and how that affects the landscape, flora, fauna, etc. It was very exotic to me having never really left Ontario or Quebec for most of my life. It gets deadly hot and humid in Southern Ontario during summer, not too far from Ohio.
I am a northerner as in Northeaster. NJ gets hot and humid summers, and relatively cold and windy and snowy winters. Extreme climates do not bother me as much.
Mild weather like SoCal, and Pac Northwest are more of novelty for me.
Back in 1972 (which is the first time I remember traveling), I went from humid heat in NYC to humid heat in Puerto Rico so not really a novelty. Maybe it would have been different had I made the trip during winter.
Went back for a visit in June 1985 and then again 20 years later to the day to live. In fact in the last 11 years I've gone from LV==>PR==LV and I'm done with the heat. With the exception of a few snow flurries here in Vegas back in 2003 and 2004, I haven't seen a real accumulation of snow since the winter of 2003 back in NYC.
Maybe I'm being nostalgic but I miss the snow, and the accompanying cold weather. I hope to remedy this with my move to Wyoming in June/July 2015 Who's coming with me?
I will say this, it was a little odd my first year living in PR singing Christmas carols in short-sleeve shirts and shorts.
Depends on what you define as "Northern." I live in Southwest Ohio, technically considered a Northern part of the United States, but not so Northern where we don't get any hot weather. The summers around here can be brutally hot and humid. So going to Florida or whatever other tropical climate is no big deal.
I think it should've more accurately been asked as "experiencing summer weather in the wintertime".
I live in and grew up in the NYC metropolitan area, but had/have a lot of family in all parts of Florida. As a kid, I visited them a lot, but it was always in the summer, so I didn't really notice much different (except that in Florida there seemed to be a short thunderstorm EVERY day, LOL!). As a young adult I went to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, but again it was in the summer.
Finally, about 10 years ago I had a family function to attend in southern California that was in FEBRUARY so at in my mid 30s I finally experienced this. Now I almost didn't as it was "record cold" most of the week (which would be the equivalent of a near 'record warm' February day in NYC.....like high near 60 and low in the 40s). But the last 2 days were in the 80s, something I've never seen in February. It was different.....
I did win a trip to Tahiti the same year I experienced this and ended up going in June, not realizing that south of the equator it was "winter" there. You wouldn't notice it in the temperatures, but it was weird seeing the sun rise at 7am and set at 5:30pm in June.....
I'm also from Ontario Canada, actually not far from where you live, and we've been to the Caribbean quite a few times during the winter and once on a cruise. (we have another cruise booked). I have to say that I love that week's break from our brutal weather (especially last year). We usually go later in the winter, which gives me something to look forward to while I'm bundled up outside, shoveling the snow so my short-legged little dogs can do their business lol. I will continue to make plans to go south for a week or however long I can go, until I can no longer travel for health reasons or otherwise.
I would love to rent a condo in Florida for 3 months of winter, but my hubby loves winter weather, so here I am, not looking at all forward to our first snowfall, again
I grew up in and now live in the upper Midwest. We used to travel regularly to visit family in south Louisiana, and I would ALWAYS get sick from the heat and humidity. But when we lived in northern Mexico I don't remember being sick, so hmmmm. I guess it was a dry heat area.
Anyway, now I still hate heat and humidity, and my idea of hell would be a vacation to a tropical climate.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
, and the accompanying cold weather. I hope to remedy this with my move to Wyoming in June/July 2015
Who's coming with me?
