so what you're saying is that you enjoy something like a spa resort - not a hotel like a Ramada or a Holiday Inn or an Econo Lodge. I was beginning to wonder about you! me, I can't bear to just sit around and relax. I need to be doing something - whether I'm at home or traveling. I joke with people that if a man's house is his castle, my apartment is my motel 6. I basically only go there to sleep at night. I'm lucky that I live in a state that has more sunny days than Florida, or I would go nuts if I had to stay inside all day because of weather. I feel the same way when I'm traveling. I need to be outside. I need to be doing something.
I, too, have a thing for hotels. We stayed at a particularly nice one at the coast over Christmas. Our room was much nicer than the one in the photo - I think that they've done some updating. But it was awesome - ocean view, fireplace, mini-fridge, sink, surprisingly good free breakfast, amazing spa. I wanted to move in permanently.
Not me. In the right setting, I'm happy just to sit around reading and/or having cocktails. My favorite part of our trip to the coast was sitting in front of the open screen door and watching the waves crash on the rocks. I would have been sitting on the balcony, but it was raining most of the time.
I can't help but have this feeling that I'm going to miss out on something if I'm doing something. I know it's completely irrational. there really isn't a right or wrong way to feel about such things. it's just the way I'm wired I guess. and while others may want to squeeze as much as they can into a trip, and end up doing too much and exhausting themselves to the point where they feel they need a vacation to recover from their vacation, I don't feel that way at all. I'm strangely energized by seeing and doing and adventuring.
Well St. Eustatius was fun too. The airport has no lights so you have to land and take off during daylight hours. We were taking the last plane out and the plane was late so the airport folks were telling us to expect to spend the night on the island. Instead they pulled every car in parking lot and lined them up on the tarmac with the lights on. When the plane landed they said RUN! or it will be to dark to take off. We RAN!
Well St. Eustatius was fun too. The airport has no lights so you have to land and take off during daylight hours. We were taking the last plane out and the plane was late so the airport folks were telling us to expect to spend the night on the island. Instead they pulled every car in parking lot and lined them up on the tarmac with the lights on. When the plane landed they said RUN! or she won’t take off again. We RAN!
Some friends on mine went on this one recently, missing the destruction at the Jersey Shore: http://ultimateclassicrock.com/lynyrd-skynyrd-cruise-hurricane-sandy/
I understand what you are saying. One of the things why we like going to beach places...lie on the beach all day (SPF 15 for the wife, 150 for me ). We like to explore, but in a relaxing way. In Hawaii we drove around the main island's beach road and stopped at places that looked nice, stayed for an hour or two, and casually moved on. To us, that is a relaxing, calm vacation. We've also done the more adventurous parts, too. That is more for me, though. That said, my mom has been a bit of a hotel body. So I get what you are saying.
That is the balance we have. My wife would just lie around, or sit and observe. I walk around and look. I want to see what is out there that might be fun or interesting.
They're not navigating the ship! Not sure I'd want to spend a week partying with southern rock fans, but apparently, a good time was had by all!
We took a cruise on a "smaller" Greek liner based in Houston about ten years ago. Only 800 passengers and with a faster speed than the big ships, it featured traditional Caribbean opportunities (swim with dolphins, go to the beach) and, for those of us who were interested, excursions to several of the main Mayan ruins. One day we boarded a bus in Puerto Cortes on the Honduran coast at 6 a.m., had a granola bar and a banana on the road, and went to Copan for six hours (with a killer mixed grill in the shadow of the ruins, getting back to the ship for a late dinner. A day later we pulled into Guatemala's Puerto Barrios, bussed to a small airfield and caught a plane to within a 30 minute bus ride from Tikal's gates. We soon spent the Spring Equinox at Chichen Itza and spent part of a day at Tolum. It was an amazing way to see all of these sites.
I'm sure there was at least one jerk yelling "Freebird!" on the buffet line, in the pool, getting off the ship, etc.
Well, if they were smart, the band got everyone to yell it once, at the departure, then told the crowd that was enough!
See, that's what's great about being an American. We can spend our vacations in whatever way we wish.
Actually, the very best vacation I've ever taken was more of a prolonged state of mobile homelessness. For four months, in between leaving DC and settling in Portland, we drove around the country. (I know I've typed about this before and y'all are probably sick of it. Sorry.) We were doing it on the cheap so we stayed in a lot of dicey hotels and did very few things that cost a lot of money but we covered about 30,000 miles and it was a blast. For whatever reason, we searched out abandoned properties and ghost towns. One of our more interesting stops was Centralia, PA, which is one of the strangest places I've ever seen. Everyone should be required to take a trip like that at least once in their lives. I wish I didn't have to work for a living or I'd do it all the time.
My wife and I spent two summers as itinerant journeyers. Camped here and there until we ran out of money, then got temp jobs for a couple of days before moving on. They were some of the very happiest times of my life.
I went for a winter kayak trip yesterday on the river that runs a couple of blocks from my house. Beautiful snow and ice. Saw a bald eagle, too. That's my idea of a cruise. I pray I never am forced to go on the other kind. Though having spent some time in Alaska (worked there summer for several years), I'd consider a coastal trip that took in glaciers, etc. Gotta be cold to appeal to me.
Well, just this morning my Dad broached the idea of an extended family cruise together to celebrate my parents 50th anniversary. My wife really wants to do it just so she say she's tried it. My sister and her family are all for it. So my feelings on the matter are likely to be rendered moot.