a good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving

Lough Swilly, 1 of 3 glacial fjords in Ireland

1. Have you traveled abroad? Where have you been? If you haven't been overseas, which countries would you most like to visit? 

    I have not. The most feasible country would be the maple leaf to the north. However, I would most like to visit the area in and around Ireland and Spain, to see the places I wrote about in my thesis (which, incidentally, I'm thinking about reading for the first time in a long time even though just the thought makes me very nervous.) Berehaven and Lough Swilly (Ireland), for example, and Vigo, Cádiz, and obviously Gibraltar (in or near Spain).

 

2. Where did you go on your last trip? Talk about where you went and what you did. 

    my last trip was to the cornhusker state (and really, that's an excellent motto—both bewildering and intriguing) during the summer of '24. I stayed in the most populous city in the state, which is conveniently located at the extreme eastern edge bordering the hawkeye state. That spot was chosen because it's within 6 hours of my current location by car, has several bookstores, and is a place I'd never been. I stayed in a casino hotel (though I didn't gamble at all). Went to a handful of bookstores, a science museum (worth the trip in itself), had the best steak of my life so far, and stumbled upon a food festival that was surprising and fun. There was also a long walk across a pedestrian bridge (pictured below, right) that spans the state line. I would go back, for sure, if the opportunity arises. 

the river area, looking a bit muddier than when I saw it

3. What is the best place for a vacation in your country?

    it is a good thing and a bad thing that my country is home to many, many vacation options that appeal to various types of vacationers. There really is something for everyone: sports, relaxation, big cities, small towns, wilderness (in a huge variety of forms), learning, partying.... 

    My country has a strange, extreme reputation in other parts of the world. We are said to be stupid, arrogant, venal, violent, frivolous, gluttonous, and many other bad things. Some of that is true, albeit in specific examples rather than broad categories. I've always thought it was shortsighted stereotyping, anyway—in the same way that it's simplistic to think—or to pretend—that all _____ers are just _____. Fill in your own blanks.

    In this big country with so much to do, my preference for a vacation is not going to be like everyone else's, but here it is: Lawrence, Kansas. It's cosmopolitan without feeling crazy busy or over-populated. It's natural, without being "in the country" and lacking amenities. It's quirky. There are lots of bookstores. It's less expensive than some vacation spots, though the university is the town and thus on big sports weekends it can be impossible to find a place to stay or eat.

 

4. What is the longest time you have been away from home? Did you feel homesick? 

    this question confuses and amuses me. What does "away from home" mean when you're an adult? 

at the conference hotel

    I spent a week (5 days) taking a professional course, shortly after I started working the (last) financial services job, plus a day on each end for travel. There have been a couple of (road) trips lasting five days or so, and a handful of stays at my feline BFF's place that were nearly as long.

    Did I feel homesick? The week of classes came at an extremely inopportune time, emotionally and socially, and was suffered rather than enjoyed. I wouldn't have called it "homesick", though—more like "newly in love and lonely for the beloved." Each of those road trips was taken with that person, and I was definitely not homesick! And the latter group is pretty much the happiest and most comfortable I can be. No complaints there. 

 

5. How long should a vacation be? How long does it take you to really relax? 

    at least 3 days, not counting travel days. More or less depending how much there is to do and see, and of course how much money there is to facilitate it all. Any less than that and it's all rush, no relax. 

6. What forms of transportation do you prefer to use when you travel? 

    driving myself, 95% of the time. Then, driving when someone I trust is at the wheel. Then flying. Trains (though that's a sketchy proposition), then buses. Not at all a fan of ride-share. Maybe it's the lawyer in me, but it just seems so unregulated (like driverless cars), and the bad examples are far more bad than the good examples are good. My tendency toward vertigo makes boats unappealing, though I can handle the ones that stay pretty calm or, oddly, those that go really fast. And because I'm a throwback, I quite like taxis.

 

7. How do you choose where to go? Are you inspired by other people's travel stories? Or photos?

Or advertising? 

     as described in #2, above, there is a list of verified and potential destinations within a 6-or-so hour drive from home. Anything beyond that would require a higher degree of scrutiny. Within that list, a decision can be made based on: the available time away; seasonal benefits (e.g. the right weather for great photography) or considerations (e.g. the wrong weather for driving or for outdoor adventures); overlap with other travel interests (a cool exhibit at a museum, or in-person shopping needs); and especially good or bad funding.

    'Inspired' is a stronger term than I would use to describe the feelings I have about others' travel stories or photos. Those I see most often are cruise ships and hockey camps, neither of which appeals. The idea of travel, though, can be spurred by seeing someone else's adventure stories.

    As with the above, advertising is almost never directed toward something I'd actually do or see. High-end hotels, flights to seemingly-random locations, weekend tour packages... none of that is in my realm.  

 

8. What's more important to you when you travel—comfort and relaxation, or stimulating new experiences? 

     comforting and relaxing new experiences that are also stimulating, maybe. For instance, I think bookstores are like home away from home, and they're also exciting and compelling. Same with walking by a river that's new to me, or dining in a restaurant that's unfamiliar, prehaps a new favorite (and maybe just food as fuel 'til the next meal). There's always something to photograph, to try, and to remember fondly afterward. I don't need an agenda or a to-see-and-do list to enjoy a trip. 

 

[stolen from here; the title quotation is from Lao Tzu]