Travel Thread II: Wish You Were Here

[Mugsy]

I think it should be called Travel Thread II: Wish I Was Anywhere

Ten years ago my group of friends planned to go on a river cruise in 2020, April or June. They're expensive, so that would allow ten years to save up. Last fall we finally got together to plan and decided it was still too expensive, so we all went to Costa Rica in February instead. You have no idea how grateful I am that we had that opportunity before Covid ruined everything. If we had booked it for April or June like the original plan, we would have missed the trip and some of our friends cannot afford to take a financial hit like that (not all travel companies are refunding).

That said, typically we have a summer trip planned by March, but we chose not to book anything this year. Again, grateful for that. We are getting itchy to go somewhere, anywhere.

[groovethang]

I’m so desperate to go somewhere this summer that I’m trying to convince the family that we need an Airstream. I love them and think it would be really fun to just hit different places along the coast. We absolutely don’t have the money for one but a girl can dream.

[Mugsy]

You could rent one. Cheaper, and gives you a chance to see if you really like it before spending big bucks.

I like road trips, but not in any kind of camper/motorhome for one reason: all the work. I go on vacation to get away from cooking and cleaning. Plus, I have a dishwasher so it seems counterproductive relaxation-wise to spend a couple weeks washing dishes by hand. Plus, showering in the equivalent of a mailing tube.

We tried it when the kids were young, owning a trailer in a park. The kids loved it, but it was work for us. Mow the lawn at home before leaving for the weekend, then get to the trailer and mow the lawn there. All the packing of stuff on Friday and unpacking on Sunday, and the afore-mentioned dishes. When does the vacation start? And always going to the same place, boring. For the cost of the annual park fee, we could rent a cottage in a different place every summer, if we wanted, and leave the work to the owner. Sold our trailer and never looked back.

[famvir]

MrF waxes on about doing a travel trailer road trip (which is a major step up from our tube tent days). I said I was up for an extended road trip, but there would have to be a real bed and shower for nights (ie, we stay in hotels).

It’s probably cheaper to rent rooms than a whole trailer, you save on gas, you don’t need to haul an actual car around for the short trips about, gas costs, insurance costs, dumping human wastes (my dad wouldn’t let us poop in the toilet.)

Maybe I’m just getting to old for the inconvenience, but a few years ago there was a mixup on a booked hotel room (we arrived after midnight, and they gave our room to someone else...and didn’t refund our prepaid money.) We ended up sleeping in the car.

Or he did, I ended up sitting in the car all night not sleeping. I watched the sun rise. I watched as some random guy kept looking in my window.

I am too old for this shit. I sleep in hotels.

[mojogirl]

When I was younger I wanted a Teardrop - my husband and I used to do some camping and it seemed very romantic. Then we had kids, which don't fit in a Teardrop, and besides we haven't been camping since it's a ton of work to prep as Mugsy mentioned.

Now that I can theoretically see being empty nesters in the near-ish future, no way am I sleeping in a trailer as I'm too old for that! It will forever remain a velleity.

[groovethang]

Jun 19, 2020 10:25:09 GMT -4 Mugsy said:

You could rent one. Cheaper, and gives you a chance to see if you really like it before spending big bucks.

I like road trips, but not in any kind of camper/motorhome for one reason: all the work. I go on vacation to get away from cooking and cleaning. Plus, I have a dishwasher so it seems counterproductive relaxation-wise to spend a couple weeks washing dishes by hand. Plus, showering in the equivalent of a mailing tube.

We tried it when the kids were young, owning a trailer in a park. The kids loved it, but it was work for us. Mow the lawn at home before leaving for the weekend, then get to the trailer and mow the lawn there. All the packing of stuff on Friday and unpacking on Sunday, and the afore-mentioned dishes. When does the vacation start? And always going to the same place, boring. For the cost of the annual park fee, we could rent a cottage in a different place every summer, if we wanted, and leave the work to the owner. Sold our trailer and never looked back.

I’m just desperate to get away from my house that I’m thinking of ways to do that while still in the middle of a pandemic. I have looked up rentals and may go that route.

So, in my head, I’m thinking we drive to a campground, park the R.V. at a waterfront location, swim with the kids (11 and 13) and the dog, grill, have a fire, play cards while relaxing under the stars and then have an awesome nights sleep. But I know that this is more likely: the teenager will proclaim how boring it is every 5 minutes and fight with his sister constantly, we’ll be bitten by mosquitoes and the beds will be so uncomfortable, we won’t be able to sleep.

[Mugsy]

I hear you. I'm fantasy travelling anywhere. Looking at places we could drive to and spend a few days - Thousand Islands, Montreal, Blue Mountains, Niagara-on-the-Lake! What's open? I'll go there!

[Deleted]

I’ve been touring cities by way of Drive and Listen ( ( taxi trips while listening to local radio)
It’s a little addictive, I’ve been to NY, Melbourne, LA, Delhi and Dublin is there too.

[luckylexie]

2020 was the year I was supposed to travel somewhere internationally. My last trip overseas (UK) was four years ago and the travel bug was biting hard. And then COVID. Gah!

Fortunately, I live close enough to Sandbanks (in Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada) and we kept our annual camping reservation there in late July. Did another family camp at Silver Lake in August. Then I did some solo camping in the last two weeks up in Gatineau Park and then out in Algonquin Park.

Looking at a backpacking trip out in Jasper National Park next summer, since international travel looks out of the question for a long time to come. But even plane travel to Alberta makes me nervous with COVID. I’m hoping things will be better next summer and that we’ll be closer to a vaccine.

[Mugsy]

Alberta is our plan for next summer too, barring some world-opening miracle. I want to go back to Europe so bad; there's so much left on the travel list, but it will have to wait.

Until then, it's the beautiful Rockies. I have family in Alberta, so a visit is due anyway, and maybe a few days on the heinously pricey Rocky Mountain Railroad will happen if it's open. Also, I want to go on the glass shelf at Jasper. Flying doesn't bother me, other than the huge pita it's going to be, even more than post-9/11 hassles. But we might drive out, if we can find 2-3 weeks free.