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The experiences of travel are good to look back on when you become a geezer and the rocking chair has a death grip on you. I smile when I look at the picture of my late wife sitting on a camel in Morocco. I also smile when I see the picture of her holding a Koala in Australia.
This is a good litmus test:
Imagine yourself old and gray and sitting in a rocking chair.
Would you be satisfied with the memories going through your mind of all the places you've traveled to so far?
If yes, then you've done enough traveling.
If not, then go out and do some more traveling before you have any regrets.
I admire the new gen who wants to accrue experiences rather than material stuff. We are so enriched by different experiences and cultures, and you can bask in the memories the rest of your life when you MAY be rocking-chair-bound, as Engineman said. We really treasure our memories, as DH does of the European semester he spent in his teens.
Thing is, everyone has different memories they value. I traveled little when younger and more for Uncle Sam. Honestly can't say that any place I traveled to is huge in my memory. The things that do run big is canning bean with mom on a hot August day. Going fishing with dad. My wife holding our babies. My kids playing soccer or baseball or first camping trip or first fish. The people I served with. The things we did. But the places are just that, places.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Igor Blevin
I do wonder about Millenials who travel young -- do they have a plan how to provide for their retirement, or are they just assuming the money will magically be there for them, beyond the paltry amount Social Security will pay when they need it. I wonder if they are spending their retirement money now. Which is great and fulfulling now, but will they be living in studio apartment in a bad neighborhood, living on cat food?
I just wonder if they are able to afford travel no and are still putting money away for retirement?
I am not saying they aren't. If they don't buy any stuff, and use all that money for travel, then they could still be saving for retirement. I just don't know. I hope they are not just ignoring the fact they will need to fund their retirement somehow.
I think the Millennials are getting old enough now that things like retirement are entering the picture. I knew a couple who traveled extensively. Big trips to exotic places. Then they had kids. Trips overseas turned into trips to the doctor & dentist. Travel funds turned into college funds.
Imagine yourself old and gray and sitting in a rocking chair.
Would you be satisfied with the memories going through your mind of all the places you've traveled to so far?
If yes, then you've done enough traveling.
If not, then go out and do some more traveling before you have any regrets.
Yeah. I suppose.
On the other hand I have traveled to 49 states. Seen most of America, and worked in a lot of it. Been overseas, too, but just talking about America, now.
It's not where I have been that's important. It's who I met or who I was with that is important to me. Sure, I saw The Grand Canyon. But I fell in love with a girl from tiny Stanfield, AZ, and that counts for more, to me. Wasn't much to see in Stanfield, I can tell you that.
I turned 21 in 1966 in San Francisco, but most important to me is the fact I am still friends with my room mate from those days. The events of that night, though, could have happened almost anywhere in America. So it really didn't have anything to do with San Francisco.
So I am old (I never turned gray, for some reason). But I don't sit in a rocking chair. I work out three times a week and enjoy the people I know and even the people I used to know. I don't really enjoy thinking of the places I have been. I enjoy remembering the people I knew, and maybe the way I was.
For some people, travel is really about jealousy. They think someone else is experiencing all the great things they, themselves, dream of.
I have a relative that loves to brag about trips but the devil is in the details:
Alaska cruise: Yep, but no shore excursions/ won't travel more than 400 ft from the dock. Cabin on the boat will be the cheapest, won't go to any shows or anything
Big City USA: Yep, eating at Chilis/Outback type places (yeah just like you have at home). Sightseeing to the local mall and maybe an open roof bus tour.
I think Millenials watched their parents and grandparents wait until retirement to travel and said, "forget that. I am traveling before I get old".
I took two motorcycle tours of the USA before I was 40 years old. Each tour took over 2 months time. At 65 years old, I could never do that today -- either risk the injury or tough out all the conditions necessary.
That was the most travel I have ever done in my life and those two chunks of temporary early retirement have given me 25 years of memories. It is a daily ocurrence when I see a place on TV and I can honestly say, "yep, I have been there or seen that from the bike."
I have never regretted it for a moment. I think Millenials feel the same. Buy less and do more. I still bought a lot, so there is that. They are probably on the right track. How much do you really need to buy?
Exactly! And no clue how old the OP is, but traveling had ALWAYS been a thing, not just a millenial "thing". I grew up going on a vacation each year with my grandparents as a kid. When I met my DH who literally NEVER left his stoop, it was a mind mend. His parents are two strange birds, who while they have the money, are OCD and afraid of germs, hence won't stay in hotels. Instead they invest their money in new appliances, TVS they don't need and will bore you to tears at their table gushing about their new Anderson windows Sorry, I would much rather hear all about your vacation, what you did and even about your delayed flight. And like you, when I look back at the many vacation trip pictures I have in my living room with my family, it brings a smile to my face each time.
I find the ones who are anti-travel, either are not able or willing to spend the money to travel or have some strange hang up, see my above, about traveling.
I'll be thinking about this post on my flight down to Vegas in 3 days
Exactly! And no clue how old the OP is, but traveling had ALWAYS been a thing, not just a millenial "thing". I grew up going on a vacation each year with my grandparents as a kid. When I met my DH who literally NEVER left his stoop, it was a mind mend. His parents are two strange birds, who while they have the money, are OCD and afraid of germs, hence won't stay in hotels. Instead they invest their money in new appliances, TVS they don't need and will bore you to tears at their table gushing about their new Anderson windows Sorry, I would much rather hear all about your vacation, what you did and even about your delayed flight. And like you, when I look back at the many vacation trip pictures I have in my living room with my family, it brings a smile to my face each time.
I find the ones who are anti-travel, either are not able or willing to spend the money to travel or have some strange hang up, see my above, about traveling.
I'll be thinking about this post on my flight down to Vegas in 3 days
Delays??!!
You wanna hear about a DELAY? OK. I'll tell you about a delay! Only I won't tell you here because I already wrote about it HERE.
In an almost macabre way, I have to confess I enjoyed the whole thing, sort of - even though I didn't get to go! We humans are a strange lot.
And you know what?........ I made it back home in time to go out with our regular Sunday night group and they all wanted to hear all about what went wrong and why I was still in town.
I have a relative that loves to brag about trips but the devil is in the details:
Alaska cruise: Yep, but no shore excursions/ won't travel more than 400 ft from the dock. Cabin on the boat will be the cheapest, won't go to any shows or anything
Big City USA: Yep, eating at Chilis/Outback type places (yeah just like you have at home). Sightseeing to the local mall and maybe an open roof bus tour.
So? What's wrong with that?
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeyYa80s
I find the ones who are anti-travel, either are not able or willing to spend the money to travel or have some strange hang up, see my above, about traveling.
I don't see many who are anti-travel. People who choose not to travel aren't anti-travel; they just have other things they prefer. What I do see are a lot travelers who think what they choose is the only right choice. And it's not just about traveling vs not traveling but traveling the way they do is the only right way to travel. Reading these comments is almost like reading about extroverts vs introverts. Extroverts try to change introverts, but introverts don't try to change extroverts. Just substitute travelers for extroverts and the rest of the conversation is the same.
Thing is, everyone has different memories they value. I traveled little when younger and more for Uncle Sam. Honestly can't say that any place I traveled to is huge in my memory. The things that do run big is canning bean with mom on a hot August day. Going fishing with dad. My wife holding our babies. My kids playing soccer or baseball or first camping trip or first fish. The people I served with. The things we did. But the places are just that, places.
Well a few things.
It doesn't have to be an 'either/or.' There's nothing whatsoever that prevents you from enjoying multiple memories.
And the, I dunno, travelling need not be reduced down to just 'places.' I mean there are jaw-dropping beautiful places that pretty much stand on their own, but I have to imagine that it's almost always a combination of place+people+activities that make trips memorable.
I have a relative that loves to brag about trips but the devil is in the details:
Alaska cruise: Yep, but no shore excursions/ won't travel more than 400 ft from the dock. Cabin on the boat will be the cheapest, won't go to any shows or anything
Big City USA: Yep, eating at Chilis/Outback type places (yeah just like you have at home). Sightseeing to the local mall and maybe an open roof bus tour.
I mean I would not enjoy trips like the above but I don't judge or see this as a competition. Sure, I might have to bite my tongue if an uncle went on and on about the tourist shops 100' from the cruise ship, but the truth still is that even that uncle has seen more than someone who never went on a cruise.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigCityDreamer
Another thing to note about traveling is that the United States is by itself one of the wealthiest, most culturally diverse and geographically diverse countries in the world.
The United States has some of the best accommodations for travelers you will find anywhere.
You can travel just within the states and cover a lot of places that have high quality attractions.
Have you stayed in many Asean 5*, or Polynesian resorts? Seems tough to equal in USA unless at a 5* destination / ski / swimming / golf (i.e. not daily traveling).
Quote:
Originally Posted by tnff
I think your statement 2 is the primary answer for the majority of people, esp if we add other obligations like kids, school, etc.
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Yes, USA parents seem to think there is actual value in keeping their kids locked up in USA schools, then hauling them to age segregated (clone) sports. Thank goodness that availed many foriegn assignments for our family that others would not take because of their kids!
Our kids were really fortunate NOT to have attended school. (Any school, until college).
Travel and being a minority in locations with few english speakers was good daily training for our kids. (who interfaced everyday with locals).
Gotta take some 'risks'.
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Sorry, I would much rather hear all about your vacation, what you did and even about your delayed flight. And like you, when I look back at the many vacation trip pictures I have in my living room with my family, it brings a smile to my face each time.
