I love little more than a project - I always have one going! I love finding the really off-the-beaten-path stuff - I have had several friends ask me to trip plan for them, so I make them a loose itinerary (not as detailed as mine). If there was any way to monetize "planning weird-ass vacations for people," I'd be all over it!
Friday OT #2 - Permanent Vacation
- Thread starter Angie
- Start date
I love little more than a project - I always have one going! I love finding the really off-the-beaten-path stuff - I have had several friends ask me to trip plan for them, so I make them a loose itinerary (not as detailed as mine). If there was any way to monetize "planning weird-ass vacations for people," I'd be all over it!
Sygic! Here's the link: https://travel.sygic.com/en
I liked it because they had info on most of the local destinations, but you could add your own. You can group them into days and budget time, make notes, etc. I hadn't found many other apps that would allow for all that. The bulk of it is free - I paid extra for the maps, because then I could just click my next destination on the map and it would give me walking or driving directions (or even mass transit, if applicable).
Any vacation is good as long as it’s away from Type A people. Calm the **** down.
I'm not really a hot sun & beach vacation kind of person. My favorite trips have been to northern climes...but we're on permanent vacation now. 
We try to roadtrip several times a year (particularly to TX, where my 95-year-old father lives). We picked up a senior pass for the NPS and want to visit as many of those as we can on our road trips. We have a goal of making it to all 50 states: I have 6 left, (RI, CT, MA, NH, VT & ME), and he has those plus South Carolina & Alabama.
We also try to take a cruise per year - alternating between warm waters and cooler waters. Last spring was an ISU alumni sponsored trip through the Panama Canal, next summer it will be Copenhagen to Tarragona, Spain. Our goal is to make it to all 7 continents. Last spring, one of the stops was in Colombia. Now all we have left are Africa, Antarctica and Australia. I'm still trying to convince him that Antarctica would be cool!
We were planning on Australia this year, but the wildfires pushed us in a different direction. 
We're kind of a mixed bag of "type A" and "type B" travelers. You would NEVER want to fly anywhere with me because I am an absolute bear until I am sitting IN my seat ON the plane. I'm not afraid of flying. I'm afraid of missing my flight - which we have done during flight changes in Denver, more times than I care to remember! Cracks me up that DSM bills itself as an "international" airport, but you have to fly to a hub to go any distance.
However, road trips are a different story. We have a general destination, but like to change directions on the fly. Two years ago we went to Ohio for TBT, and returned home via Niagara Falls & Ontario. The following year, we went to College Station (in east Texas), but returned home via Carlsbad, NM. It's nice to NOT have a schedule, and hotel booking apps are one of the best uses of cell phones, IMO!
TL;DR We love to travel!
We try to roadtrip several times a year (particularly to TX, where my 95-year-old father lives). We picked up a senior pass for the NPS and want to visit as many of those as we can on our road trips. We have a goal of making it to all 50 states: I have 6 left, (RI, CT, MA, NH, VT & ME), and he has those plus South Carolina & Alabama.
We also try to take a cruise per year - alternating between warm waters and cooler waters. Last spring was an ISU alumni sponsored trip through the Panama Canal, next summer it will be Copenhagen to Tarragona, Spain. Our goal is to make it to all 7 continents. Last spring, one of the stops was in Colombia. Now all we have left are Africa, Antarctica and Australia. I'm still trying to convince him that Antarctica would be cool!
We were planning on Australia this year, but the wildfires pushed us in a different direction. We're kind of a mixed bag of "type A" and "type B" travelers. You would NEVER want to fly anywhere with me because I am an absolute bear until I am sitting IN my seat ON the plane. I'm not afraid of flying. I'm afraid of missing my flight - which we have done during flight changes in Denver, more times than I care to remember! Cracks me up that DSM bills itself as an "international" airport, but you have to fly to a hub to go any distance.
However, road trips are a different story. We have a general destination, but like to change directions on the fly. Two years ago we went to Ohio for TBT, and returned home via Niagara Falls & Ontario. The following year, we went to College Station (in east Texas), but returned home via Carlsbad, NM. It's nice to NOT have a schedule, and hotel booking apps are one of the best uses of cell phones, IMO!
TL;DR We love to travel!
I've only ever done Type A. Pack as much in as possible. BIgger bang for your buck.
I really want to do Type B. Sit on a beach and drink beer all day. My wife doesn't really have a desire to do this, though.. I tell her she can learn to relax!
I really want to do Type B. Sit on a beach and drink beer all day. My wife doesn't really have a desire to do this, though.. I tell her she can learn to relax!
I'm not really a hot sun & beach vacation kind of person. My favorite trips have been to northern climes...but we're on permanent vacation now.
We try to roadtrip several times a year (particularly to TX, where my 95-year-old father lives). We picked up a senior pass for the NPS and want to visit as many of those as we can on our road trips. We have a goal of making it to all 50 states: I have 6 left, (RI, CT, MA, NH, VT & ME), and he has those plus South Carolina & Alabama.
We also try to take a cruise per year - alternating between warm waters and cooler waters. Last spring was an ISU alumni sponsored trip through the Panama Canal, next summer it will be Copenhagen to Tarragona, Spain. Our goal is to make it to all 7 continents. Last spring, one of the stops was in Colombia. Now all we have left are Africa, Antarctica and Australia. I'm still trying to convince him that Antarctica would be cool!
We're kind of a mixed bag of "type A" and "type B" travelers. You would NEVER want to fly anywhere with me because I am an absolute bear until I am sitting IN my seat ON the plane. I'm not afraid of flying. I'm afraid of missing my flight - which we have done during flight changes in Denver, more times than I care to remember! Cracks me up that DSM bills itself as an "international" airport, but you have to fly to a hub to go any distance.
However, road trips are a different story. We have a general destination, but like to change directions on the fly. Two years ago we went to Ohio for TBT, and returned home via Niagara Falls & Ontario. The following year, we went to College Station (in east Texas), but returned home via Carlsbad, NM. It's nice to NOT have a schedule, and hotel booking apps are one of the best uses of cell phones, IMO!
TL;DR We love to travel!
It would be cool. Super cool. One could say "ice cold".
Whoa, whoa, whoa. This isnt the cofessions thread.
Great post Angie!
My wife and I definitely like a mix of things. We aren't really beach people, although she likes to be on the beach and could live there. I can only sit still for so long on a vacation, so I'd get bored. I like mountains and hiking more. I think that's why we absolutely loved New Zealand, because it had a mix of everything in a small area.
We have done both styles of vacationing. We've planned most of a trip out, or had little planned and we "wing it" too. But, we like to get the most out of our vacations and pack as much in as we can. Some mornings we'll get up early, some we'll sleep in. I'm big on photography, so I try to line some scenery up to photograph.
Last trip was to Australia last September before all the fires started. We rented a camper van and traveled the SE portion. That's something we had never done before, even though tight quarters, we thoroughly enjoyed it and would take that route again.
We aren't big drinkers, or well I used to be and now I had to slow down. We'll try to go out a night or two to enjoy ourselves. We definitely enjoy traveling and always look and think of where we want to go next, even before the current vacation is coming to an end. If only we had more vacation time.
My wife and I definitely like a mix of things. We aren't really beach people, although she likes to be on the beach and could live there. I can only sit still for so long on a vacation, so I'd get bored. I like mountains and hiking more. I think that's why we absolutely loved New Zealand, because it had a mix of everything in a small area.
We have done both styles of vacationing. We've planned most of a trip out, or had little planned and we "wing it" too. But, we like to get the most out of our vacations and pack as much in as we can. Some mornings we'll get up early, some we'll sleep in. I'm big on photography, so I try to line some scenery up to photograph.
Last trip was to Australia last September before all the fires started. We rented a camper van and traveled the SE portion. That's something we had never done before, even though tight quarters, we thoroughly enjoyed it and would take that route again.
We aren't big drinkers, or well I used to be and now I had to slow down. We'll try to go out a night or two to enjoy ourselves. We definitely enjoy traveling and always look and think of where we want to go next, even before the current vacation is coming to an end. If only we had more vacation time.
I need to talk to you more about your trip. That's kind of what we had in mind. Maybe in a PM so as to not hijack Angie's thread, but I'm interested in 1) must do things 2) should do things 3) should have done things 4) OHELLNO things...
Hahaha, yeah, we also "voided" the agreement and drove around the NE to the north side of the island. Some hairpin type corners with the 1 land and having to back up to let others go by. Luckily there wasn't much traffic to have to deal with that. We thought it would be cool to go that way to encircle the island to get to the blow hole on the north side of the coast.
Haha, go for it. We like to develop a list of things we want to see or do in an area or country, then visit as much as we can. If we don't get to it all, oh well. We definitely make the best out of our time and are adaptable. I feel like we try to take at least 2-3 vacations per year, even if they are short weekend ones too.
Australia was a cool place. But we got there a day later than initially planned, set us back some. But we were in the Victoria region and New South Wales. I guess we can say we were lucky on missing the fires, but seeing the devastation is making us feel sick about it all. We drove through so much of that prior. Melbourne south to 12 apostles, up/over to Phillip Island, Wilsons promontory all the way up the coast line to Syndey. It's disheartening what's going on there now. I've already donated and I've thought about offering up some of my Australian prints to donate the proceeds to there.
But any thorough details you'd like just message me. Eventually we'll go back, I can't imagine the effect this latest catastrophe will have on their wildlife, economy, and tourism.
It's a cool part of the island, just glad we had someone else driving that was familiar and drives the roads all the time. There were some tight curves and spots if you met someone, 1 of you was going to have to back up quite a ways so the other could pass by. Funny part was we passed through one place and stopped and our guide says "this guy has the best fruit and banana bread on the island" then next place we go through we pass right by another stand like that so we got a chuckle and assumed he must be getting some kick backs for stopping at certain stands maybe.
IMO the most important thing about vacations is leaving yourself a day off at home before you go back to work. VERY IMPORTANT.
If you haven't, already, talk to my wife. We went on a trip two years ago to Oahu (2 nights) and Kauai (5 nights?). We did plenty of on the go stuff and plenty of on the beach/in the water stuff. It was a great balance, and I think about going back at least once a week, if not more.
In Oahu, we did pearl harbor, an island bus tour, walked Waikiki beach, and did some window shopping/out to dinner. In Kauai we did a Napali coast snorkel sail, an atv/mud-buggy trek, to an off the beaten path waterfall/swimming hole, a helicopter tour(not the one that recently crashed), a luau, lots of driving around(rented a mustang convertible) enjoying the beautiful scenery/finding snorkeling spots, time playing in the surf, and eating lots of good food! Best vacation ever, and can't wait to go back!
We have talked about taking the kids next time, but not so sure we want to do that to "paradise"
We do both types but were both super organized regardless. For us the planning part is part of the fun.
We always know where we're staying. We always have plenty of places picked out where we are going to eat. We always have our transportation figured out in advance. In general, we don't do any group/tour type events because people in these groups tend to annoy me and I like to be on my own timetable.
We always know where we're staying. We always have plenty of places picked out where we are going to eat. We always have our transportation figured out in advance. In general, we don't do any group/tour type events because people in these groups tend to annoy me and I like to be on my own timetable.
Kauai is amazing. Only 70,000 people live there. Never seen beaches so devoid of tourists.If you haven't, already, talk to my wife. We went on a trip two years ago to Oahu (2 nights) and Kauai (5 nights?). We did plenty of on the go stuff and plenty of on the beach/in the water stuff. It was a great balance, and I think about going back at least once a week, if not more.
In Oahu, we did pearl harbor, an island bus tour, walked Waikiki beach, and did some window shopping/out to dinner. In Kauai we did a Napali coast snorkel sail, an atv/mud-buggy trek, to an off the beaten path waterfall/swimming hole, a helicopter tour(not the one that recently crashed), a luau, lots of driving around(rented a mustang convertible) enjoying the beautiful scenery/finding snorkeling spots, time playing in the surf, and eating lots of good food! Best vacation ever, and can't wait to go back!
We have talked about taking the kids next time, but not so sure we want to do that to "paradise"
I can do both.
We love Colorado. That is a “type A” vacation for us. Depending on time of year...Skiing, hiking, white water rafting, fly fishing, visiting breweries, even just a mountain drive.
However, I do also like a good beach or lake destination, where I just sit there, take in the scenery either on a lounger or a boat, and drink all day. I also like to camp, sit by a fire a ******** for a few days too, though the wife doesn’t really care for this setting as much as I do.
We love Colorado. That is a “type A” vacation for us. Depending on time of year...Skiing, hiking, white water rafting, fly fishing, visiting breweries, even just a mountain drive.
However, I do also like a good beach or lake destination, where I just sit there, take in the scenery either on a lounger or a boat, and drink all day. I also like to camp, sit by a fire a ******** for a few days too, though the wife doesn’t really care for this setting as much as I do.
Angie, all that history was actually with in walking distance of either your hotel or the airport? How amazing. Your mom must be quite the trooper.
