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.
You have to be pretty senior to earn that kind of leave, at least 20 years of service if I'm not mistaken. Not to mention, sick leave is supposed to be for when you're sick. The average working stiff in the United States does not earn that amount of leave, which is surely one factor among several for why many Americans don't travel overseas, at least not with any frequency.
No that amount of leave is from day one, at 20 years you get only get an additional 3 days. I have only been working here for about 10 months.
Last edited by shellymdnv; 04-05-2019 at 11:25 AM..
Most people in the US do not live in those cities, so have to buy the airfare to get to those cities first. So that doubles the price right there for most.
I realize that living near NYC and in DC gives me an advantage but there are also travel deals from Midwest, Southern, and West Coast cities.
For example
Chicago to Barcelona for $329
Los Angeles to Fiji to $596
Houston to Thailand $576
Orlando to Denmark $380
My main point is that travel is not as expensive as most people thing AS LONG AS you are able to be flexible with you dates and you are open to your destination. I understand that date flexibility is difficult for some people, especially those with children. Being open to different destinations is something that more people should do, when choosing a trip I usually don't start with I want to go to a certain destination but rather I find a deal and then see if I can find dates that work for me. Also a big thing to keep in mind is that travel within some regions can be very cheap, I can sometimes save hundreds of dollars by flying to a nearby country and they booking a second trip to another destination vs booking a flight directly to that destination.
Shouldn't you include the money/time spent getting to NYC when comparing to that Vegas trip which is leaving from your own city?
Yes but it is minor, I would say no more that about $50 to $100 per person (cost of gas, tolls, and a one way rental). That cost is usually a savings compared to trying to fly directly from closer to home.
The US is the size of a small continent, so much variety in landscapes, climates, cultures, flora, fauna, etc. etc.
Some one else mentioned that folks in other countries are encouraged to explore the world. Americans tend to be encouraged to see our own country. National parks, the "Big Apple," the beach, Disney World, etc. Also, many of us have family or close friends in other parts of the country that are convenient places to vacation.
My feeling is that less Americans go to Canada because of 9/11. Pre 9/11 you didn't need a passport to visit Canada, now you do. I know my family didn't go to Canada when we went to Niagara Falls last summer, didn't have passports and weren't going to get them just to see the other side of the Falls.
It is very obvious here where I live, that after 9/11, a lot less Americans even come to Canada, never mind traveling overseas.
Our city used to be a major hub with American tourists. Many cars and RV's with US plates/tags from every state, used to enjoy our city or pass through on their way to other Canadian destinations. Now, we rarely see US tags, or encounter American tourists.
I have no idea why. Is it the price of a passport or fear of crossing a border now?
It can't be the cost, because travel in Canada with their US dollar being so good, it would be a much cheaper place to travel than within the US.
I have crossed the US - Canada border perhaps 250 times as I lived in the Detroit area for several years. I have had far more problems crossing into Canada than returning.
First, there always seems to be a union action among the Canadian customs that leads to a MAJOR slow down in Windsor. I have sat for up to four hours at the Ambassador Bridge waiting on the "slow down" to get to me. The day I was crossing, they were holding each car for a minimum of three minutes.
Second, should you cross into the Western provinces with plates from a distant state, you get the major delay. We were crossing from North Dakota into Manitoba and we were questioned for a solid fifteen minutes and asked at least 19 times if we were carrying weapons.
I tend to travel to Canada less these days largely because of the cost. Even with the favorable exchange rates, most of the costs of travel in Canada are higher than destinations in the US. Also, the places that I would like to travel to - PEI and Newfoundland - are very expensive as there is a near monopoly on the particular routes. I could fly into Singapore for the cost of a flight into St. John's.
Japan is one of the most expensive countries in the world and it is extremely far away and expensive to reach. It is about 4 hours away from Hong Kong, which is one of the most expensive cities in the world, so not a big stretch for the local inhabitants of Hong Kong. I don’t think it is a fair comparison to say that Americans aren’t interested in going to exotic destinations because they don’t want to visit super expensive destinations halfway around the globe. The nonstops from where I live are usually somewhere between $1500-1600 and the flights with stops usually take at least 19 hours to get to Narita. Travel within Japan is also very expensive. There are a lot of places to visit that are exotic but cheaper.
In contrast, flights to London can be very inexpensive and you can get there from several east coast cities in 7-8 hours. That is an easier trip than going to Hawaii, even. It is very inconvenient and going to Caribbean destinations is much easier for people on the east coast than going to Hawaii.
Crossing into Canada is not that bad. It depends on where you enter and return.
The crossing at Washington State between Vancouver and Seattle is the worst. It may take you hours on weekend. But with the weak loonies, there is much less traffic coming down to U.S. for shopping at outlet mall.
Further inland at Idaho, the crossing is absolutely easy. You will always be the first car there.
Crossing at Niagara Fall is bad, but not as bad as the one between B.C and Washington State. It depends on hour of the day and the season.
Driving from Maine into Quebec is wonderful. Along the highway to the border, it always seems to be you are the only car there. Out of 4 booths on the Canadian side, usually only one is opened and stationed.
Crossing south of Montreal is a little bit congested. But not as bad as the one at Niagara Fall.
Japan is not that expensive. You can eat cheap and sleep cheap. The only item that is expensive is transportation.
But there are many kinds of rail pass (which some are catered to foreigners exclusively) that one can use effectively. Now they even have Airport Express Bus from Narita to Tokyo/Ginza that charges only 1,000 Yen (about US$9).
IMO, Japan is the place that offers you the best value of your dollar.
Most of that sounds like my experience living in western Kentucky.
Hahaha, yeah. I have been to Kentucky only once, and it did remind of Asia.
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.
