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The three phases of retirement are often classified as “go-go”, “slow-go” and “no-go”.
In the earliest phase (the ‘go-go’ years), it’s assumed many retirees will choose to focus on those activities that require good health and stamina. Often mentioned is the idea that most of the travelling a retiree desires to do should be done during these earliest years.
As someone who retired at 55, I stand a good chance of spending more time in the ‘go-go’ years than most. And yet, when it comes to travelling, I’m generally a ‘no-go’.
When I was in my twenties, I would check out travel guides from the library. I’d read and plan trips based on the vivid descriptions of locales penned by the authors. But when I took the trips, I often felt disappointed. It seemed like the destinations never lived up to my expectations.
I have yet to venture off the North American continent. The best trips I have taken were to visit and explore Glacier and Yellowstone national parks. The scenery and serenity of both locations appealed to my introverted, nature-loving self.
I do have one trip on my bucket list. I’ve always wanted to see the Crufts dog show in person. With more than 24,000 canines on exhibition, it’s a dream vacation for many dog lovers. Attending Crufts would also allow me to visit Wales–the original home of my beloved Welsh Corgis. And North Yorkshire, the setting of my favorite book series, All Creatures Great and Small, would be on the itinerary as well.
For now, I’m content with my ‘no-go’ travel life. If the travel bug does ever bite me, I hope I’ll still be in my ‘go-go’ years.
Travel is the focus for so many of my retired friends, many going on multiple international trips every year and always planning the next one. I love hearing about their adventures, but I find travel, airports and crowds exhausting. I prefer my daily routines at home, continuing education classes, theater and music performances with friends. Thank you for validating travel is not for everyone.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
One of the many reasons I love the HumbleDollar site is to hear from other folks who are like me. As an introvert who prefers writing to speaking, I can feel isolated and ‘different’ at times. It’s always nice to hear from other people who go through the world in a similar manner.
I definitely prefer my daily home routines and learning as much as I can about any one of the many subjects I find fascinating.
I retired in 2015, and my wife was a stay at home mom. While working, we traveled for work meetings (spouses were invited to some) and award trips, as well as some personal trips. We did a Viking River Cruise in Southern France years ago. We went to a few other countries as well as some other states in the US. We’ve had family cruises and family New Years vacation in Park City. Since retirement, we went to Vegas in 2023 and went to see Adele, and NY City this year. We live in Massachusetts so it was a h short train ride. Since retirement, other than Vegas and NY, we don’t have the desire or need to travel. As one of the commenters here stated, dealing with the hassle of airline flights and scheduling, as well as crowds, it is not appealing. The more popular countries and location in the US seem to be always mobbed, and in some places, it’s tough to get into restaurants. Maybe we feel we’ve done enough, but now have no desire to travel as retirees.
Thanks for your comment–it sounds like you and your wife had some great adventures.
Crowds and airlines hold no appeal to me. I suspect most of my future travel will all be by car.
I got to spend a week or so in Wales in 2006 when my older daughter’s high school choir was accepted to compete in the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, which is kind of like the Olympics for choirs. They did very well, including winning a major category, which put them in the final “Choir of the World” competition. (I guess kind of like “Best of Show” in dog show parlance.) It was very fun, and Llangollen was stunningly beautiful. I’d love to go back to Wales. I hope you get to do your dog show trip!
I also love “All Creatures Great and Small.” We are PBS subscribers (donors?), so we can start binging the new season this coming Sunday, and we can’t wait!
How cool that you got to go to your daughter’s competition. It sounds like they did great.
The scenery in “All Creatures” is breathtaking. I can’t wait for season 5 to start on Sunday!
Lots of folks either cannot travel because of physical or financial reasons, or because they don’t want to, and it’s not necessarily “sad”. That’s a personal judgement that assumes traveling is the only or the toppest most way to experience history, geology, geography, culture and art. Books, videos, online lectures do a grand job of making all of the above accessible and usually with more detail and time for reflection than one has on a one-time museum or historic site visit. But go to the places if that works for you!
I met a retired theoretical physicist the other day who understands much more deeply about the matter and energy that enable our lives, and it was clear that, to him, his research and readings are exploration enough, the beauty of the mathematics is all the awe he requires. He only travels for family events, and it wasn’t the least sad to him.
We are definitely in the go-go phase, even though we’re not (quite) retired. We have a list of places we want to go and are planning them out for the coming years while we still have the health and energy to do so (we’ll both turn 65 this year).
At the same time, I have my limits and sometimes a conflicted relationship with travel. I find that at two weeks away from home, I hit a wall, no matter how good a time I’m having, and start getting really homesick. I want to brew my own coffee, fix my own toast, cook my own dinner, ride my Peloton bike, and sleep in my own bed.
The other thing I’ve realized is that there are very few places or things in the world I want to see badly enough to spend 8-10 hours on a bus for a day trip (say as part of a cruise or a land tour). We could have gone to see the Oracle of Delphi when we were in Greece in 2022, but I was maxed out on long, exhausting bus rides. I can go online and look at pictures or videos! (My husband is still a bit bummed about Delphi, though.)
Maybe a couple of nights in an apartment hotel or AirBnB (although I am no fan of AirBnB) would get you through the wall? Also, perfectly possible to travel on your own time schedule without cruises or tours – most of my travel was solo. I did visit Delphi as part of a tour, but we spent the night there, before heading further south.
I actually prefer non-hotel-room travel. That’s why I enjoy our time share ownership, as I’ve written about here—being able to settle in, have some space, have a kitchen, but also get a change of pace from being home, is the best of both worlds for me. We’ve also done VRBO a couple of times, and that’s been great. I’ve never actually tried AirBnB, and I’m a little nervous about it.
You bring up a compelling reason to have a time share. I would love to be able to getaway to a house (rather than a hotel room). I’m guessing it might be difficult to find a pet-friendly time share?
Four pets?
Hampton Inns – at least some- allow pets, but charge an extra $75 a night supposedly to disinfect. If i got a room where a cat had been I would be in trouble – trouble breathing.
pets don’t belong in hotels IMO
Pets are family and they most certainly belong in hotels. I think loud children who run around like crazy should stay home.
“Feral children” is the term I use.
Their natural habitat is often warehouse stores where they run–unsupervised by any parental unit–up and down the aisles. Their high-pitched screeching calls can be heard throughout the store. They appear to subsist on free food samples they eagerly grab from displays.
More research needs to be conducted to see if they can ever successfully be domesticated.
You’re in luck! People who retire with 100% (or more) of their pre-retirement income don’t have to stay in hotels that allow pets (grin).
Trust me. It’s impossible to find a hotel that allows four (large) dogs. Almost all chains restrict their rooms to one or two dogs and many only allow dogs 40 pounds or less.
This, of course, is one of the many reasons we chose to get a van that allows all six of us to travel comfortably.
Even our 55+ condo community restricts dogs to 50 pounds and no idea why as it’s usually those small dogs that are the annoying yappers.
if you were running a hotel or renting your house would you allow four dogs?😊
I’ve never understood why places put weight restrictions on dogs. Small dog…big dog…they all poop, pee, drool and bark.
When I own a hotel, I will absolutely allow dogs of all sizes. No limit on the number of dogs either. In fact, I will pay people to bring their dogs with them. I can’t wait to own my hotel!
For people who are interested in the most pet-friendly hotel chain, check out Kimpton Hotels. There aren’t that many of them, but I’ve heard most of them have no restrictions on the size or number of dogs you bring with you.
Kristine, I’m quite sure it’s because larger dogs actually scare the heck out of a lot of people. My wife could not imagine anything more terrifying than encountering a German shepherd in a hotel hallway.
Mike. That’s a good point. There are a lot of dog owners out there who don’t understand not everyone is a dog lover.
I don’t mind if there are dogs in a hotel. But I don’t want to smell dogs or hear more than an occasional bark. My room should be dog free (unless I bring my own, but I think we’re done having dogs.)
Most hotels I’ve stayed at have a specific block of rooms set aside for pet owners. I think that makes a lot of sense. If I were allergic to dogs, I certainly wouldn’t want to stay in a room that previously housed dogs.
My husband and I stayed at a dog-friendly hotel last year that replaced all the carpeting in their ‘dog’ rooms with laminate flooring. I thought that was brilliant. Laminate is infinitely easier to keep clean.
Keeping them quiet is usually a challenge. A lot of dogs bark at the sound of doors opening/closing. At a hotel that happens a lot.
You could call your hotel The Puppy Palace or Humans Optional or The Lab Lounge. Charge extra if they bring more than one human.
I’m sitting in a Starbucks and there is a pup sniffing my foot. Once upon a time dogs were not allowed where food was served. Now they replace therapy.
I think an apartment hotel is a better choice. There are also house-swap networks, although I have never used one. I like small local hotels/pensions or old-style B&Bs, as I prefer not to cook, but AirBnB has been providing stiff competition.
When I go on vacation, I initially look forward to being able to eat out. I think about how nice it will be to not have to prepare a couple of meals a day. But after two or three days, I crave homemade food.
Same. I find myself thinking (insert whiny tone): I just want a bowl of cereal!
Most of my meals are homemade, and I do like an occasional break from planning, shopping, cooking, and dishes. But not for too long. And I do like to cook, so that helps.
Yep. I love the occasional breakfast out but for the most part, I just want to eat a protein bar and a glass of milk.
I like cooking as well. Most of the time when I eat out, I end up thinking, “I could have made this better and for a lot less money.”
If all you want is a protein bar and a glass of milk you can do that in a hotel room. I often picked up orange juice and yoghurt and kept them in the mini-bar. I also carried instant coffee in individual packets as many countries have some way to heat water in the room. My longest trip was ten months, and I doubt I cooked once….
Hey, Kathy, I also latched onto the idea of always bringing coffee packets (I especially like the Vietnamese type), as well as tea bags, some dried fruit and maybe even those packaged cracker sandwiches. You never know when you might find yourself without access to a snack of something you like or, for me, the all-important first cup of morning coffee! (My sister once hid our mom’s coffee maker since it wasn’t being used so now I bring my coffee packets even when visiting her- hope she isn’t reading this).
I take protein bars. I have borderline hypoglycemia and need something to stave off disaster if a meal is running late.
I one of those rare folks who doesn’t drink coffee. Or alcohol. Or tea. But I do make sure I have snacks with me whenever I leave home.
My husband is a coffee lover so we always make sure he has at least a few instant coffee packets available when we take a road trip.
Ten months?? Wow. I can’t even imagine being away from home for that long. I think the longest trip I’ve ever taken was two weeks in duration. And I couldn’t wait to get home again.
Yes, my views on travel are my personal opinion, nothing more, but I can assure you books, videos, lectures do not do the job of creating the experience and understanding of a place or circumstance. Let me give an example.
Everyone knows about the troubles in the Middle East and especially Israel, but understanding becomes a lot clearer visiting Israel, and the West Bank, speaking and eating with Palestinians. Being at the Western Wall surrounded by troops, seeing the poverty, being chased away from a street by a Muslim because you had a cross. Seeing how villages have been divided. And driving on a road and seeing a large red sign warning that if you proceed, you could be killed.
Nothing can replace being there to experience and learn and that goes for the Grand Canyon, walking on a lava flow in Hawaii, standing on the rim of a massive crater in Winslow, Az or being stuck on a road for twenty minutes in So Dakota as a herd of buffalo cross the road.
People who do not like to travel have their reasons and there are many. No doubt they are happy with their choice and that is their business alone. Last time I looked 17% of Americans had never left their home state.
For once I agree with Dick. Sometimes you do have to be there. There are places that are so much more than their photos – the Taj Mahal, anywhere in the Himalayas. There are places that are experiences rather than sights. When I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau it took me several days to recover because the place was imbued with evil. On the other hand the street life in much of Asia is endlessly fascinating.
That said, right now too many people are going to the same places. If you are happy with photos and other people’s reports, that’s better for the planet.
I expected I’d want to travel more, but as mytimetotravel says, too many people are going to the same places. Also, just about everywhere has become more homogeneous and/or self-aware of creating experiences for travelers. I really dislike that there’s less spontaneity; you pretty much need to book everything using a cell phone. There is some convenience to it, but there was a charm in speaking with the hotel staff about where to go, what to do, booking tickets with them, which is all gone. And there are influencers everywhere. For instance, young people (usually women) shooting selfies in museums rather than looking at what’s in the museum. And the museums are super crowded everywhere. There is no off season. I live in NYC and one of the reasons I like it here is the crowds, but museums have gotten intolerable. And the influencers post about how a food truck is the best and parked at a certain location and suddenly a line three blocks long forms. (This is happening everywhere; we first saw it in Miami, but also saw it in the Netherlands and Italy last year.) It’s very odd. And made travel less interesting.
The selfie problem has been going on for a while. I recently reread my reports from my South America trip in 2012, and noticed I was complaining about people who just wanted to photograph a waterfall rather than let other people (e.g. me) look at it.
My one hesitation about going to the Grand Canyon (which is just a three hour drive from our home), is that we’ll run into a bunch of folks more interested in taking selfies rather than taking in the views.
I hope if we go in the winter, on a weekday, there won’t be quite as many visitors.
Try the north side instead of the south, it may be less crowded. Walking the trails will probably get you away from the crowds, too.
Since I don’t travel much, I had no idea this was happening. It makes me desire to travel even less than it was before (and that’s saying something).
The last time I went to a live concert (probably 10 or 11 years ago), I was so frustrated. I went to the concert to listen to the music. I paid for the best tickets I could afford. And when the concert began, the vast majority of people around me kept talking. And because a fair bit of alcohol was involved, they continued to talk throughout the concert. I’m quite sure many of them were completely unaware the concert was actually going on.
It’s experiences like yours–and mine–that make going to events less than appealing to me. I’ve often wished that museums, theaters, musical venues, etc. should have hours set aside where only adults over a certain age could attend.
Only once?
I too was moved and forever affected by visiting Auschwitz. The rules said not to take pictures of the children’s shoes piled up in a room. I took one, but I was so ashamed I deleted it before leaving the room.
The cemetery at Normandy beaches was also moving and still affects me, We had a man with us who landed on D Day and when they played Taps there wasn’t a dry eye to be seen.
We were asked to place a flower on the grave of a soldier from our state – he was seventeen years old when he died.
You seem to really enjoy writing about all your travel adventures. As I mentioned before, you should consider writing a book about all the travel you’ve done. I’m sure other people would be interested in the stories.
Truly a doubting thomas if not for fleeting, curated-for-tourists trips!
Whatever that may mean.
There’s nothing at all wrong with no-go — my mom felt that way, which was a source of bewilderment to her globetrotting parents and sister.
If I may humbly offer a suggestion to a continent-bound, crowd-avoiding introvert who loves scenery and serenity, a leisurely drive along the northwest coast of the US in April or late September is nothing short of perfection.
Just a half day north from San Francisco along the pretty Sonoma Coast and you’re into the redwoods for an overwhelming, towering celebration of what life can accomplish. (We’ve most loved Prairie Creek in Redwoods National Park, but to each her own.) And if it’s not summer RV season, you have the trails pretty much to yourself.
Then you’re on to the wild southern Oregon coast, where sparsely traveled 101 takes you past dozens of vast, empty beaches framed by sea stacks, otherworldly rocks hundreds of feet high. (Our sacred place is Pistol River State Beach, a windy expanse of absolute beauty where my ashes will be scattered.) Bandon Beach at morning low tide offers Circles in the Sand, where an army of sand artists with rakes creates intricate labyrinths. You can’t imagine a more peaceful experience.
Finally, many of the northern Oregon beach towns feature long flat walking beaches and local art, if you’re into that kind of thing.
I would put the drive north through Sonoma County into Mendocino on Highway 1 up against any views in the world.
Mike–thank you for the lovely comment. I adore the way you captured my personality perfectly: a “continent-bound, crowd-avoiding introvert who loves scenery and serenity. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
I spent a good part of my childhood growing up in Oregon so I’m familiar with some of the areas you mentioned. As a child, my parents had sled dogs. We would run them on the Oregon beaches (using sleds with wheels) during the summer months. I haven’t spent as much time on the southern beaches as I have the central and northern ones, but it is definitely a lovely area of the country.
My mother and her husband reside in Florence, Oregon. We visited them last year and enjoyed the change of scenery. The Oregon coast is about as different from the Arizona desert as you can get!
Kristine, I’m so delighted that you’re already an Official Oregon Beacher. Sled dogs? What a mental image that brings up! Must have been magnificent and hilarious at the same time.
Florence is special to me for parental reasons as well. The last hike I ever took with my own mom, before illness struck her, was on South Jetty Beach.
There’s a good reason I’m a dog person through and through! I have a photo of me mushing one of our Siberian husky dogs on the Oregon coast when I was about nine years old.
In the winters, we would have two teams, each with about six dogs. We’d run them in the Cascade mountains. I’d often ride in the sled and can still vividly recall the experience. After about the first mile, the dogs would settle down into a trot and the only sounds I would hear were the panting dogs and the skis of the sled gliding over the snow. Blissful.
I guess if I had a second “bucket list” trip, it might be to go to Alaska and ride on a dog sled up there.
I am very familiar with the South Jetty Beach. As a teenager, I spent a summer in Florence working at the Girl Scout camp as a counselor. The jetty was a favorite getaway!
That is truly the most evocative description of “mushing” I’ve ever read. What a memory to cherish!
My own memories of 45 years of trips up and down that coast (and six years living there, in a Brookings beach house) with wives, girlfriends, pals and pups are far more pedestrian but equally cherished — teaching my elderly Chinese mother-in-law to skip stones on tranquil water, bowls of local chowder, watching two different dogs make their first ecstatic sprints down the sand after the seagulls (no huskies, just a Pomeranian and a Papillon), sleeping in a camper van overlooking Pistol River and Depoe Bay, a 7-mile beach run at Lincoln City, the ice cream at Tillamook and trying to catch the “green flash” at hundreds of sunsets.
So when you say “favorite getaway”…. I assume you mean…?
What lovely memories you have of the Oregon coast.
I do miss the Tillamook creamery. They had the most delicious tomato soup. It came topped with cheese curds. Absolutely the perfect food to eat on a cold, grey Oregon coast day.
My husband and I have visited a stretch of the Washington coast that allows dogs to run free for miles. The videos we have of our four dogs frolicking along that stretch of beach are among our favorites.
When I worked as a Girl Scout counselor, we had to work 24 hours a day for 4-5 days at a time. Then we would get either a half-day or a full day off. When I had half-days off, I’d usually go into downtown Florence or to the jetty to spend some quality time alone. Supervising and teaching 50-60 high energy girls for days on end was exhausting!
Kristine, no-go is fine. We all are different and what is important is that we do those things we most want to do.
I have done several overseas trips: UK, Italy, Israel and Jordan, South Africa, several Caribbean Islands and South America. My wife and I have done several road trips to the Western US and Canada. We enjoyed those Western trips far more than our overseas trips. Glacier NP and the trip from Banff to Jasper were our best.
We are not hikers, but we enjoy the natural beauty of the West. I have been to some of the world’s great museums, but they do not interest me that much. We are all looking for different things in our travel, and our interests are more aligned with yours.
BTW, we are grudgingly in the slo-go stage (ages 82 and 80), but we are thankful and blessed for every day.
Jerry–thank you so much for the thoughtful comment. You and your wife have truly been blessed to see so much of the world.
I went to Banff when I was a child. It is stunning. Even though I haven’t seen much of the world, I do believe that parts of the western United States and Canada are among the most beautiful in the world.
Thanks again for your comment. Have a lovely day!
Jumping in here on the “You should travel for new experiences” vs. “Prefer to be active in my home environment” discussion. I notice there wasn’t any discussion about financial ability to travel, perhaps because for most writers and commenters that isn’t a barrier. I have some very active, involved friends for whom finances are an issue. One saves all year for a one-week visit to family on the other side of the country. Though she looks forward to in-person time with the grandchild, she dreads flying and is anxious for weeks in advance, both about the flight itself and the money she will spend. But at home, she enjoys her pet family and many activities. On the other hand, a couple I know could financially go anywhere they wish but just prefer a quiet life at home. They are still young enough to change their minds (and no major physical/mobility issues), but I think it’s likely they will limit travel to domestic locations to see family. As much as I’m looking forward to soon being freer to travel, (already booking fall trips), I’m holding back on urging my less travel-inclined friends to jump on the travel bandwagon. Some people aren’t able to and other don’t want to – and they are old and wise enough to know their own minds.
Has the friend who hates flying looked at taking Amtrak? It’s slower, and if you want a sleeper instead of a seat, possibly more expensive, but much more relaxed. I once traveled cross-country (New York – Chicago – San Francisco) and then up the coast (Portland and Seattle) by train, and it was a great trip.
As I’ve posted here before, travel abroad doesn’t have to be that expensive, and is arguably more fun and more informative if you do travel cheaply. I managed four round-the-world trips and 70+ countries without spending a whole lot. The right guide books and travel sites can help.
Thanks for a good suggestion, Kathy, and one that I may use – I’ve always loved train rides. I occasionally check out both Amtrak and Canadian Railways. My friend’s problem is that she can’t bear (or afford) to leave her pets longer than a week. She has to kennel one cat and pay someone to check on the other two so the kenneled cat doesn’t fight with the other two! Is there behavior modification for cats? Idk.
I can definitely relate to your friend. Finding anyone to care for our four dogs would be difficult. And costly. I suspect it would run us at least $200 a day to find a caretaker for all of them. I’m also a seriously over-protective dog mom, so it would be difficult to find anyone I would even trust to care for them.
For now, we’re pretty content doing short road trips in our dog van. Our dogs are all great travelers and they seem to enjoy getting out to explore new locations.
We don’t have pets at the moment, but several of my family members who do and who travel use trustedhousesitters.com. They swear by it, and it’s free to the person booking the housesitter! In fact, there are housesitters at my sister and brother-in-law’s home right now caring for their three cats for three weeks. They have a second home in Italy and go there for up to three months at a time, so they definitely needed a cost-effective option.
Good to know!
Part of the issue we have is that our dogs are all large working breeds and it’s (understandably) a bit more difficult to find people to deal with them as opposed to a 5-pound lap dog.
I did take a train trip many years ago. I went from Vancouver, BC to Jasper, Alberta. I couldn’t afford a sleeper at the time but it was still an enjoyable experience. The gentle swaying of the train car made sleep come quite easily.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment Linda. I’m absolutely a homebody. I’m excessively introverted and am perfectly comfortable being alone for extended periods of time. I’ve always been that way. I’m sure it’s the reason I have very little desire to travel.
That’s all true of course, but I find either case a bit sad. The worst is wanting to see the world and not having the resources to do so.
My mother was a homebody, never wanted to go anywhere. She even resisted a family vacation in our same state. One time my father won a sales contest and a trip for two to Germany. He was mighty proud, but my mother wouldn’t go. He went with the group by himself.
Each to their own, but I can’t understand not wanting to see the world, learn about history, cultures and just see the amazing things out there.
On one of our trips to Italy I picked up a tiny piece of mosaic off the ground at a Roman villa. I still have it and when I look at it and think it is 2000 years old I’m still amazed.
I once stood at the podium in Nuremberg where Hitler gave his speeches. I looked out over the vast field where the crowds once were and could almost hear the yelling. I few days before I had walked in the gas chamber at Auschwitz. We have a neighbor who was confined there as a child. His book is the Survivors Club. My perspective is more alive than a history book.
You couldn’t tempt me with a trip to a resort to lay on the beach, but ask me to visit the Louvre and I’m ready to go.
To each their own. Full. Stop.
It sounds like you need to write a book about all of your travels. There’s a woman in our community who did just that. She gives talks at our library about her various adventures.
I have a cousin who puts me to shame. In the last six months she has been through out SE Asia and recently got back from taking a camel caravan across the desert in Morocco sleeping in tents .
Last fall she was on a safari to see gorillas in the jungle.
Perhaps the two of you could collaborate on a travel book!
And let us know if you should decide to share some of your adventures at your library or senior center. One of my cousins is now part of a folk rock threesome of retired, musically-talented men. The Highland Woods Project began by playing at local nursing homes in the Marlborough MA area, but now they are doing free concerts on porches and, most recently, at a book store. I’m hoping to get up there to see them one of these days. Lots of ways to share our talents and experiences with others!
Dick, I’m about to book a trip to Morocco where I’d like to do what your cousin did. Do you know what company she used?
Overseas Adventure Travel.
Thanks, Dick! I know several people who love OAT. I think I used to get their brochures many years ago. They reasonable, no single supplement and, always, planned events to meet local residents. I think it may be a non-profit as well, but not sure. I’m going to check them out.
Nice article Kristine. Indeed, you can take advantage of your go-go years with lots of activity and keep go-going even longer, without necessarily traveling. Maybe this is “go-going in place.” 🙂
While I personally enjoy travel, I won’t say you’re missing out by not doing it. You’re obviously happy.
Last week we were in Sardinia and I’m writing this from Malta. Glacier and Yosemite are (somewhat embarrassingly) still on my to do list. We feel like there may come a time when we still want to travel but for whatever reason want/need to be in the US.
Thanks for your kind comment Michael. And thanks for not telling me, “Each to their own, but you are missing out, by not traveling.”
I am, indeed, very happy.
I have been to Yosemite as well as Glacier and Yellowstone. I preferred Glacier and Yellowstone, but Yosemite has its own unique appeal. Glacier is particularly amazing and, if you go in the off-season, it’s blissfully free of humans. It’s a perfect getaway for an introvert like me!
If you liked Glacier, might I suggest Patagonia? The glaciers there are amazing. For photos go here and here.
That area is amazing.
Amazing photos Kathy! Patagonia looks gorgeous.
Amen, Kristine. My wife and I did Yellowstone and Grand Teton in late September. We felt like we had the world to ourselves. It was wondrous.
I’ve been to Yellowstone at least three times. I saw a bit of the Grand Tetons once. Montana is one of my very favorite places. I almost moved there in my twenties but chickened out.
I think you retired in Arizona, right? Maybe you could start with a little in-state travel, like Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument or Cave Creek Canyon in the Chiracahuas. Great bird watching and hiking there.
I also love visiting the UK (my days on Hadrian’s Wall, visiting in York, seeing Bath among the most memorable. Not to mention Stonehenge.) The idea of going to attend the dog show is brilliant and will shape the whole trip. That will be much more satisfying than your 20s experiences seeing whatever top sites a travel book recommends.
Thanks for your kind words and travel suggestions Catherine!
We are in Arizona. And I should have mentioned that we do venture out for day trips occasionally. Now that we can travel comfortably with our dogs, we’ve visited Flagstaff, Payson and are hoping to make it to Tucson soon. I also want to do a trip to the Grand Canyon to at least drive around part of it. Hopefully we’ll make our way there this spring.
I don’t think “go-go” necessarily implies “go somewhere”. I think it means to do the things you enjoy that require energy, stamina, good health and mental faculties while you still can. If that includes travel, definitely get the travel in sooner rather than later, but equally get the volunteering, part time work, skiing, parachuting, hiking etc. etc. in if that’s what you enjoy.
That said, the UK is one of the easiest countries for Americans to visit – no language barrier. There is so much to see, and reasonably good public transport to get you around.
You make a really good point. My wife and I were on a favorite hike that’s a bit physically demanding and while enjoying the hard won view we discussed the idea that some day we probably won’t be able to make that hike any longer. That moment of reflection contributed to our appreciation of the moment and the need to continue to rack up similar moments while our health still allows us to.
We really enjoy the UK and agree it’s easy. But I’ll opine that there’s not a big language barrier. 🙂
I can’t imagine visiting a country where I didn’t speak the language. I’d be too terrified to venture out!
If I ever get brave enough to travel there, it’s good to know the UK has a well-run public transportation system.
The only places we have been where the language was a (minor) issue was Russia and the Ukraine. Otherwise it’s hard to find anyone under age 50 who doesn’t speak English. Plus sign language and pointing works quite well. 😎
Kristine – We were in Spain 1-1/2 years ago and there really wasn’t a language barrier. My wife remembers more Spanish than I do, so she could communicate a bit, but almost everyone involved in tourism speaks some English. We had a similar experience in the Czech Republic a number of years ago. But you’re also right about the UK – the public transportation system is very good as long as it’s not on strike.
That’s good to know about the (lack of) language issues. Maybe by the time I’m ready to travel there will be robot translators everywhere…
Kristine,
I have had language issues in Italy, South Africa, South America and Jordan. People are right that interacting with people in travel industry is usually not a problem, but if you interact with regular people, it often is a problem, even in major cities like Rome.
But do not let that deter you from going. You can usually muddle through the language barrier.
I only speak some bad French, although being required to learn Latin means I can manage to read a little in Spanish and Italian newspapers. However, I have traveled successfully in countries that not only use a different language, but a different alphabet. It’s easy enough to learn the Cyrillic alphabet for countries like Russia, but good luck with east Asia. I’m an introvert too, but when I’m traveling I handle interactions better, perhaps because I don’t expect to meet the people again.
Kristine, I hope you do get a chance to attend Crufts. If you need to start a Go-Fund-Me, I’ll be glad to contribute.
On a separate issue, my wife and I are big animal lovers. We want to donate to a reliable and qualified animal charity when we begin QCDs. We currently support a husband and wife who take in dogs and cats that need lots of medical attention. Unfortunately, people just drop off their dogs overnight and tie them up to their gate. These people are getting up in their years and don’t know how much longer than can continue. The ASPCA commercials can be sad to watch, but we aren’t looking for an organization like that. Appreciate any suggestions you may have.
Animal charities is a subject near and dear to my heart. There are so many worthy organizations out there. Just a couple of thoughts off the top of my head; I’ll add additional ones if I think of more.
There are a variety of ways to support animals–both directly and in a roundabout sort of way.
Via a recent comment on HD, I learned about “Animeals”. It’s often run in conjunction with “Meals on Wheels” programs. Not all “Meals on Wheels” chapters offer the “Animeals” option, but some do. The program supplies pet food to seniors who might not otherwise be able to afford it. From what I can tell, the programs usually accept both monetary donations as well as donations of pet food.
I’m also a fan of the Penn Vet Working Dog center. Founded after the events of September 11, 2001, they train working search and rescue dogs and police K-9’s to be deployed throughout the country.
I think supporting scholarships for veterinary students is a worthy charity. The United States doesn’t have enough veterinarians right now to care for the millions of companion animals residing here.
Those are just three ideas that popped into my head. I know there are hundreds of other worthy organizations as well.
Thanks for these!
You’re welcome!
I’m so glad there is discussion here about animal charities. Here are two near and dear to my heart:
Zero Stray Pawject. http://www.zerostraypawject.org/
Takis Shelter: https://takisshelter.org/
Thanks for those suggestions!
Thanks! I screen captured your suggestions.
I’m also a fan of organizations that donate Kevlar vests to police K9’s.
Another thought: there are quite a few organizations that provide service dogs to veterans who suffer from PTSD.
Glad it was helpful. I’m sure I will think of others!
Yeah, but you’re a physically active person. You better be to keep up with those dogs. Travel is highly personal. I keep finding out new things about myself with every trip. Most recently that I may not enjoy South Florida as much as I thought.
Because my home gets hotter and “freer” every year?
Oh, I’m definitely ‘go-go’ when it comes to physical activity. I’m walking between five and ten miles a day right now. Mostly with the dogs, but also on a treadmill and on bird-watching strolls with my husband.
I’d like to explore a few more places in the United States. I would like to see more of Wyoming and Montana and I’m intrigued by North Carolina. I have only ventured into the eastern parts of the US a couple of times…
Kristine, I hope you get to the Crufts soon. I suspect plans need to be made far in advance in order to find a room.
Indeed! I suspect reservations and tickets must be obtained many months in advance. I enjoy watching it on TV every year and hope someday I may see it in person. Stay tuned!
Tickets are available for March. They are about $31.00 a day. 20000 dogs and 100,000 plus people. Just getting there and finding a place to stay will be a challenge. Doesn’t sound like your cup of tea people wise Kristine.
My husband and I went to Crufts years ago. It’s a lot of fun— not at all stuffy like Westminster (we’re big dog fans so have been there too. ). We stayed in London and Birmingham (site of Crufts) was just an easy train ride. The train stops right at the locale of the show. I imagine a lot of attendees are day trippers like we were, so finding a place to stay wouldn’t be an issue.
We’ve had Norfolk Terriers for years so went to that judging. We were able to sit right next to the judging ring, I mentioned how different that was from Westminster to the man sitting next to me. He laughed and said
Westminster has real show dogs; a lot of these dogs are house pets! They looked good to my eye!
While we were there, we saw a group collecting signatures on a petition that would allow pets from other countries into the UK without having to quarantine. We wanted to sign, but were told we couldn’t because the United States has rabies! Guess some of those folks might benefit from traveling here to see how we limit rabies.
How great to hear from someone who has been to both Westminster and Crufts!
I love that Crufts is a bit less ‘stuffy’ than some of the big dog shows in the United States. I also like that Crufts offers lots of dog sports–flyball, heelwork to music, agility, etc.
I love Norfolks. I’ve never owned a terrier, but I so appreciate their tenacity. They are characters!
I’m another Crufts and Westminster veteran but Crufts was about 45 years ago at Earls Court.
For our Crufts trip, we booked a Crufts tour from a company that advertised in a dog magazine so we didn’t have to deal with tickets, hotel or transportation.
While using a tour company costs a bit extra, the simplicity was worth it.
The experience and feeling at Crufts is dramatically different than Westminster.
I remember seeing ads for Crufts trips in dog magazines back in the day. I think that’s probably when the idea of attending the show first landed in my head.
I really enjoy watching all the performance events at Crufts. They have police K9 demos, flyball, agility, heelwork to music and more. Their obedience competition is very different from what you see at AKC obedience events.
Thank you for your comment!
We really enjoy All Creatures as well. I grew up around my grandparent’s dairy farm, and from that experience I’m pretty impressed with the show’s realism when dealing with the various animals (and people!) Definitely looking forward to the new season!
Like you, I see travel as more of a means to an end, rather than a luxury good to be consumed. Thanks for the perspective.
Thanks for your kind comment. I grew up on a small farm. We had goats, pigs, rabbits and various other livestock (in addition to 10-12 dogs at any given time).
The show does give a very realistic view of farming life. And I too am impressed by the animal medical scenes. I sometimes wonder how they get the various cows, horses and sheep that appear on camera.
Each to their own, but you are missing out, by not traveling. There is so much to see and learn in the world. Great art, great people, historic places come alive. You can learn the difference in societies and attitudes and how they may affect us. What you read in the news comes alive, real.
We have walked the streets of Pompey, kissed the Blarney Stone, had French fries on the Eiffel Tower, walked the sands and cemeteries of Normandy, placed a prayer in the Western Wall, got in trouble in the Kremlin, stood in the gas chambers of a concentration camp, walked on Hadrian’s Wall and visited the markets in Tangiers to name a few.
The world and history become real and you get a perspective quite different than presented on TV.
My only regret in retirement is that we are in the very slow, close to no-go years, but we have visited 45 countries and every state at least once. I drank from the Fountain of Youth, but sadly report, it doesn’t work – and tastes awful.
Give it a try Kristine, I doubt you will regret it.
LOL, where is the Fountain of Youth to drink from? I just read that the recently renovated Trevi Fountain in Rome will have a tap to allow visitors to drink Metallic tainted water, YUCK!
I’m reading/ responding to this from my United flight to Puerto Vallarta….wanting 2025 travel to exceed 2024’s 9 trips so getting an early start! We will be visiting Italy in April but don’t plan on drinking from the fountain there!
Go-Go yes!
I can tell you throwing a coin in the Trevi fountain works. Three times for us.
Enjoy your travels!
It’s in St Augustine, FL. I drank the water in Bath, England from the Roman baths. It tasted even worse with no promise of youth either.
I think the new season of All Creatures Great and Small on PBS starts sometime this month. It is such a good show. Chris
It does–next Sunday! We just finished re-watching Seasons 1-4 last night.
I must have read those books at least ten times when I was a child. The show does a great job of staying true to them.
Kristine, thanks for your post! I just wanted to also applaud the Herriot books and PBS series. I read the books as a teenager. My Dad was a large animal vet in the midwest in a dairy area. The books were so true to life. Many of the experiences that were told, I would remember similar experiences from travels with my Dad. Thanks for your work with the animals. Bob
Yes! I read the Herriot books many times, too, and I still like listening to the audiobooks via Hoopla. I enjoyed the original BBC series, haven’t seen the recent PBS series remake.
1PF it is so good. Quality TV. Chris
I think if you liked the original series you will also enjoy the PBS remake. I particularly enjoyed watching it as we did recently–binge watching all four seasons over the course of a few days.