I have reached the fast travel portion of my journey, and I think that it may no longer be my style. In the last ten days, I have been to four different places, and while it is fun to see a lot of stuff, I think I actually short change myself a little because I don't see as much as I could, because I don't really want to be in the go-go-go mentality at the moment. Let me explain.
Destination one (Krakow) was cold, and while there were a ton of things I wanted to see, museums and Auschwitz and running on the river etc. I just did not feel like it half of the time. Don't get me wrong; I went out and did them, but I think I would have liked to have more time to spread out the things rather than cramming them into a smaller period of time. I went to one museum and unbeknownst to me, arrived there at the same time as the tours all started, and it was a funnel type of museum where you have to follow a prescribed route, and I had tours in front of and behind me, sometimes barely so. I was trying to read the history information and all I could hear was a lady in front of me speaking German and a lady behind me speaking Italian and at times there were people touching me as I stood there. It was not peaceful and I ended up trying to pass one group, only to realize that there was another Spanish group in front of them! On the flip side, due to the cold (15 degrees F / -9 C on some days!) and rain there were not a ton of tourists out, and I did have some nice solitary runs through the old town area.
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| Krakow - St. Joseph's Church |
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Even the cats ride bikes in the Netherlands
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Destination three (Brussels) was kind of the same thing. I did not feel like making yet another list of things to do and to see, so I drank beer and wandered around in a leisurely way. I even booked a walking tour and then canceled it because I could just go and see the things on my own, but then I only went to about half of them in the end.
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| Could not miss the pissing boy (PS he is tiny) |
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| Brussels Main Square |
I arrived yesterday at destination four but did not feel well. I don't know if it was the early morning flight, weird food over the last day or so, or the fact that I worked out the day before (I lifted weights for the first time in years!), but I have been feeling a bit nauseous. I wandered around a bit when I first arrived and then went back home for a nap that ended up being a full night's sleep! I am still here and plan on doing a walking tour today but am leaving tomorrow for yet another destination.
The moral of the story for me, and this is something that I had already realized, is that I don't want to be on two week vacation mode. I like settling into a place and living the day to day life rather than feeling like a tourist who has to go and see everything in a one or two or three day period. I don't want to feel guilty for not going to this or that museum or attraction. I definitely have the mindset that I can come back, and this is not just placating myself, as I have returned to several places that I have been before, sometimes several times.
Of the last four places I have been, three were new, but I also "checked off" two new countries. However, I don't really like "checking off" countries or ticking boxes. I want to really get to know the place. I already knew that, but I think I needed this four country-palooza to remind myself of it. Luckily I will be staying for a month in the next place I am going so I will have time to do just that!
It's not all doom and gloom; next week I will be finishing up my FIG list, so stay tuned!
What is your usual travel style? How many places is enough for a two week vacation for you? Do you feel guilty if you don't check off your list?
I am a slow traveller, either on foot or cycling, my favourite way to enter a city, say Vienna, is to ride my bike along a river arriving right in the center with my luggage in my pannier bags and time consuming no airport transfer or parking quest. I usually stop when I feel like it, find accommodation - hotels and guesthouses along cycling routes always find space, plus there are various networks like warm showers, Servas etc. I avoid airbnb because it has pretty much ruined my home city's rental market (and the top boss just made friends with that billionaire in the US). Never been stranded, best travel tips come from locals. Best food and drink and pub/bar/restaurant tips also, ditto with when and how to book culture stuff. I've been on four continents that way, the world is my homeland.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! Cycling is the way to go! I did that last year and am trying to spend more time in one place this year, but I sure do miss my bike! And I did it exactly like you say, mostly finding accommodation as I went. That was fun, but I also like having things planned out a bit more now. I think at some point I will develop a hybrid system, but need some more beta testing for now!
DeleteJust last year, my friend Mikey checked off his last country and has now been to every single country in the world. He didn't start out to do it, but he adores travel and after going to places like Afghanistan and North Korea and Syria, he decided he might as well. I don't remember how long it took him, but it wasn't a race or anything. He really enjoyed it (except for maybe some countries in W Africa). He is a very good slow traveller, focusing on taking good care of himself and having fun in out of the way venues and seeing odd things.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, I was all Go Go Go; Do All The Things. Now, I just so appreciate being away and at my leisure. I just do what I feel like and enjoy being in a different place.
I think I am leaning toward your later paragraph, but still have a little desire from time to time to see all the things! However, I then get a little burned out and then I don't enjoy them as much or I am tired. I think also having my last year be a different place essentially every single day has made me both appreciate the slower pace, but also loathe having to make a plan every day to a certain degree. I do hope to someday see all of the countries, but know that it may take a while as I keep going back to ones I have been to in addition to adding new ones, so I will see how it goes!
DeleteI have "lists" of things that I like to do on my travels: FLW sites, state capitols, lighthouses, and meeting other bloggers are just a few that come to mind. But the least satisfying thing is "checking off the boxes". It really is about the journey and not the destination.
ReplyDeleteBecause all of my trips are "fast" I struggle with the pacing. I always feel the pressure to squeeze one more thing in, but the reality is that doing about two things a day when I travel is "enough". Maybe sometime I will challenge myself to just spend a day vegging and to not do anything on a trip.
I need a much slower pace of travel as a middle-aged lady. I can't wrap my mind around taking a 2-week vacation right now, though! I think a week is the max we could do and that seems far off for us. Phil prefers shorter 3-4 night stays. The exception was our honeymoon but that was a special event so we were able to take more time off and my role was so different back then. But we spent 10 days in Maui and did not feel the pull to see 2 islands for example. I'd rather really experience a place versus move around a lot. Similarly, for my France trips I have always stayed in Paris and didn't feel pulled to do day trips besides going to the beaches of Normandy for one of those trips. I did a tour so it was a super long day but it was the way to do it since I was by myself and wasn't keen to drive. Plus I learned more on the tour than I would have had I done it myself.
ReplyDeleteI think that your method is perfect. I don't mind being in one place for 10 days and I don't know if I would even add a day trip in, depending on the location. In Poland I have always had the Tatra mountains on my list, and in Krakow they were about 2.5 hours away, each way and I considered going, but decided against it. It would be one full day of constant go-go and also the main town was quite touristy. I decided I would rather go in summer when I could hike off into the wilderness and avoid people, AND I would rather go to the mountains for a week or 10 days, not on a one day day trip. As for 3-4 night stays, that is a good length for a closer place, and then you don't feel like going to a second location, but you have enough time to see the major attractions and to spread them out a bit too!
DeleteYes, I DEFINITELY feel like I need to fit every. single. thing. in. I think it might feed back into my frugal nature and so I think in the dollars and cents of how much it has cost to get to a certain place. That said, I am getting MUCH better about savouring and resting. I think having older kids helps with this a lot as well. My goal in retirement is to basically mirror what you're doing. Spending a month or so in each location so I can really get a feel for the culture, establish some little routines (e.g. find my favourite pastry shop).
ReplyDeleteI am a lady who thinks you should have two things scheduled for any given vacation day and that is it. One morning activity and one in the evening and then I'm pretty wiped out. If I'm on vacation (which, to be fair, is rare), I want time to sleep and veg. Also, I am lazy. LOL.
ReplyDeleteThere is a quote and I cannot remember it at all, but basically the gist of it is that we need to stop trying to be busy and just be. So I don't think you're lazy; you are just good at "being."
DeleteOh dang. Mini is studying in Florence and she wants to go to Krakow, but hasn't found anyone to travel with her. I should've told her to meet you there. Kidding. ;)
ReplyDeleteWhen I studied abroad, my brother and I did all the things. I walked around with the Let's Go Europe book under my arm and was on a forced march of sorts. I feared I wouldn't get back and I was sort of right, but things have changed and I'm getting to go visit my offspring when the study abroad. Yippee. I would like to take my time now that I'm older. I enjoy relaxing and settling into a new place, if I can. I haven't been on a two week vacation since I studied abroad. Dare to dream.
Ernie, I would happily have Mini come and join me anywhere! Send me an email and I can send you my current schedule! Even if she wants to do her own thing but have a place to crash, I am down. Yes, we don't always go back, but I think there is a good mix of doing too much and not doing enough, and then there is a happy medium somewhere! I am still trying to find it myself.
DeleteKyria - Ha. I will email you!
DeleteI am a planner and I want to do all the things. Partly this is due to the fact that we are so far away from Europe, I feel like I need to make the 36 hours or so of travel and carbon worth it. Normally we go for 2-4 weeks, but we generaly stick to one country and even then it will generally be part of the country. When I'm planning I know I won't be able to see everything (even though I want to) and my template for planning that I use has a space in the morning, the afternoon and the evening, but activities will generally go in maximum two of those spaces. I find limiting to two things a day works well and allows time for a nap, a wander, a run or just sitting in a cafe. I am planning our trip to the UK and we have two weeks after G finished his marathon and work he needs to do to travel. Some might have taken that time to do a whistle-stop tour of the UK but we decided to spend the whole time in Wales which I'm really looking forward to.
ReplyDeleteI think that is a very good plan! I also like about 2 things a day, which provides enough time to read, sleep, run, whatever! I find myself less interested in the go-go as time goes by. I am also a planner, so this is a hard thing for me, as I am at war with myself. However, physically and mentally I think in the end I am happier if I do not try to cram it all in!
DeleteOh, Melissa, I cannot wait to hear about your trip to Wales! I dream of going... someday. Sigh. Likely thanks to reading the Susan Cooper Dark is Rising sequence many, many times in my life. :)
DeleteI read that series a number of times too! At the moment I am rereading Sharon Penman's Welsh trilogy to get ready for my trip.
DeleteI love seeing all your photos - the cat in the bike basket is the best! I used to think traveling meant go, go, go and see all the things. I was young and could walk forever! Now I'd rather see fewer things more thoroughly and have plenty of time to rest and reflect. I can't wait to hear where you're going next for a month!
ReplyDeleteI do love the cat in the bike. It is amazing what the Dutch can put on a bike. I love it! I will unveil at some point where I am now, but I don't love putting my current location online just in case, you know? I am still a bit old fashioned when it comes to privacy!
DeleteI really wish I could be a slow traveler! I think that would be ideal for the way I like to travel. I always make a list of the MUST-DO things I want to do when I'm travel and I try to keep it pared down to just 1-2 things per day. I don't like being busy on vacation. It defeats the purpose!
ReplyDeleteBut I also like being home so being away for 2+ weeks would be hard for me, too! I'd miss my cats so much!
I think making a list of must dos and then knocking off a couple of them each day is the perfect way to travel. However, when you are "living life" in a different place, I also like being home and so a day at home is not a wasted day in my opinion. I just don't have the cats, but any time I want them, I just book a housesitting gig! Win win!
DeleteI remember travelling with my mother one time when I was in my twenties and being very angry that she was moving at an unrelenting pace when I just wanted to travel at a more relaxed pace. I've found these days, especially with kids in tow, our max is two activities each day. Otherwise everyone gets really grumpy. And really, the kids just want to hang out at the hotel and watch tv and go to the pool...
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite travel experience was when I lived in Florence for two weeks and took an Italian class. I loved just living in an apartment with other students and going to the grocery store and coming home and cooking and hanging out and maybe taking a day trip or two.
I do sometimes feel a little wistful if I don't see something that i wanted to see, but then I have to remind myself that I made so many other memories and got to see so many other things. Life's full of sacrifices, right? (My biggest take away from Oliver Burkeman's 4000 weeks - you can't do everything so make sure you do the things that you want to.) Also, I'd rather do things in a way that i can soak things in. I'd rather spend one day going through a museum slowly then see three museums briefly in one day.
I totally agree! I have had a lot of (good) downtime while traveling and sometimes that is what makes the trip! I did a similar thing as your Florence trip in that I went to Sydney and stayed with friends and we basically just made dinner and tea and hung out most nights! It was awesome. I did go to the "requisite" Opera House, Harbor bridge, Bondi beach etc. but really my best memories are just of spending time with my friends!
DeleteI struggle with this. I want to be the kind of person who takes things at a leisurely pace, but then there is SO MUCH TO SEE and I want to SEE SO MUCH OF IT, and I never have enough time. My husband is much more laid back and wants a vacation to be relaxing, and I just feel like we're missing everything. A big part of that is going a long distance but not having enough time. Really it would be great to pick a spot and stay for a month, I think. Like you're doing (in Spain, right?) That seems like a way to get out and see things, but not feel rushed and have days where you don't do much. I love that you are able to relax and go at your own pace, even if you're only somewhere for a day or three. Something for me to work on.
ReplyDeleteI think a mix is good, like for a two week vacation, maybe 75% busy, 25% slow or something. Usually my "vacations" consisted of hiking a long distance trail, so 95% hiking every day and 5% doing something in a nearby city, and so my "relaxing" was usually camping each night! I do like that style too but it often means that what I see in a country is the mountains, not the museums.
DeleteBirchie will take me to task for this comment - and maybe you will, too - but my challenge is simply a) finding the time and b) doing the travel that I want to do. My parents are still around - thank goodness - and still able to travel - thank goodness, again - and they love doing family trips. This means that I am sometimes (ahem, often?) helping them adjust their destinations to align somewhat with somewhere I want to go. I dream of a 2-week solo UK-focused vacation, or one in one European country. Thank you for reminding me that 'slow' travel is immersive travel, and that is a GOOD thing!
ReplyDeleteFamily trips are fun and you know what, if you want to go hog wild at some point, you can do it, but for now, it is good to be around family! And someday you can have your dream... :)
DeleteI am with you. I don't want to "check off things" but try to spend more time in one place to experience it truly and not just rush through it. It's hard if many cool things are close together and you have limited amounts of times though... but I think I'd rather pick a few things that I really get to experience than rush through everything.
ReplyDeleteExactly! You can easily get information overload and then you are not really very excited about going to yet another museum in a short period!
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