The perfect Holiday?
Different personalities and interests can lead to quite different ideas as to what is a perfect holiday, even between partners or close friends.
My daughter has just returned from NZ with her partner from a NZ road trip and having a friend with them made it pretty good as mixed interests led to diversity and more freedom to individually enjoy or share interests.
My sister on the other hand has gone to America without her partner as she says she can enjoy her own interests on her own more that way, tho' I personally find sharing experiences adds to the enjoyment.
Strict schedules or freedom to deviate? Cruise or camping appeals or appals.
What do others think is the perfect holiday plan?
Mostly over the last few years, my travelling has been 20% busines with the joy of travelling to be exposed to other cultures taking up the rest of the trip. Other than that, I have never booked more that the flight & upon landing, have hired a car & watched which way the tour busses go then heading blindly in the other direction. Real people are fascinating.
Real people are fascinating Innes, people going overseas staying in "tourist areas and going on arranged tours" really only get to see a fabricated view of a country, Real daily living is quite different from what a lot of tourists see. Going twice a year to the same resort and hotel in Bali as I have friends who do would drive me bananas and be a waste of my money but they love it, takes all sorts.
A perfect holiday would be with my family. I have been thinking about peaceful bush holidays - somewhere we can walk, talk, eat and play in the fresh air. Horse riding optional. I love camping, but these days prefer my holidays to be less work and more fun.
The holidays I usually take are pretty much as Pete describes above - lock in the first leg and take it from there. I must admit though, I do like to have the final leg pretty much mapped out - what happens in the middle is usually the best part because it isn't planned.
Can't stand cruises. not interested O/S trips at all these days. I do like to travel via caravan, .in Aussie and and stay away from crowds, that way you have all the home comforts --almost, although getting darn harder to do these days, so glad I saw it all in the early years when it was all pristine--but in the van you still can stop anywhere and don't HAVE to be anywhere to book in and do not have to pack and unpack or risk picking up bed bugs in motels etc. I like natural things not into man made buildings etc No real plans just stay where you like and move on if you don't like
Let me tell you of my idea of the perfect holiday. You sail on a yacht to one of the Island Paradises like Vanuatu or Fiji & check in at Vila or Suva then head off to one of the smaller Islands that have a visit from a trading boat every month or two. You find a little bay which is protected from the South East winds & moor & await the arrival of the local canoes who will insist on swapping enough fruit & vegitables to last you & your crew for a month or so, in return for a couple of T shirts. It wont be long before the local Chief or Head Man arrives & he will inevitably invite you & your crew to dinner with the village. They will have a feast prepared & you will have to be polite & eat like never before & "indulge" yourself & the male members of your crew to glass after glass of bloody awful Carva. You will find (to the amazement of some on here) that there are no telephones & the mobile phones don't work. The only contact with Vila, Suva or Nadi is by HF radio. I don't know where the Garden of Eden was, but I am certain that God got a lot of his ideas from these Island paradises.
Yes Innes I agree with your idea as well
Been there & done just that many times. I am seriously looking at doing it just one more time next year before I die of old age. I am looking at a sloop for sale in California that would be ideal for the 4 to 5 months trip back to Australia. My wife thinks that I have finally lost it, but Chichester was only 8 years younger than me & he didn't take crew. Also, my route would only be 15,000 Ks. Regardless, what a way to go. The biggest problem would be that I would have to sell my Company & that would mean having to start from scratch again when I get back.
Any chance of just ferrying a sloop to Australia for the owners Innes, save you the cost of purchase? I know my nephew has done that a few times been asked to fly out from England and bring a yacht back, he takes a break from his Boat Building company and leaves it in the hands of his partner and vice versa when the other guy goes.
What make and size are you looking at Innes
Good idea Vivity, however if Innes wishes to spend a few months cruising in the Sth Pacific --he would need his own
When young and with a young family I was fortunate enough to be able to caravan and also camping in some rugged parts of Australia, also cruising around the whitsunday islands and by ship to NZ. Even travelling by ships, I didn't want to be on, to places where I never wanted to go. Today,my perfect holiday is, to stay at home or go out, just please myself, No preparation frenzy, or travel trauma, I leave that for the young these days. If I want to check out something overseas, I just google earth. Today for the young the world is their oyster. A grand daughter has just returned from four months tavelling around India, Pakistan, Vietnam and cambodia, a fortnight in Java. and she is only 18. her brother is heading off to hike around Scotland. impossible dreams when I was their age.
Great idea vivity & PlanB, BUT there are very few that are prepared to hand oner a valuable yacht to somebody well over 70, regardless of experience & I don't know anybody in this game in America. I would love to know somebody who would want a delivery done. The yacht that I am looking at is a limited edition Hunter 54 that has been very well looked after & would need very little to take on the trip.
I Googled Hunter 54 Innes and looks like a nice one.
Good on you if you are fit and healthy to do it, will your Wife go with you ?
No way. She thinks I have finally lost it. I must admit that she has made no reference to personal Insurance.
Oh well I reckon when you get to a ccertain age you have to do what you really want to, b4 its too late
How very true plan B , but where would you put that certain age .i would suggest 18 .
We travel a lot both here and overseas and we do a mixture which suits us fine. We both like history and art so go to historic places and museums and art galleries together. However, OH is a football and cricket nut so he goes off to those while I go shoppping which he hates.
When we're in the UK I refuse to join his regular sentimental journey to his home town because I've been once and that was enough, so I go off and visit a friend or relative or motor round other places I want to see. For me this is the perfect compromise - company for most of the time and independence when you need it.
I travelled alone when on my own for several years and didn't much like it
I would presume you would go on a holiday with somebody whose company you enjoyed.
Same goes with whom you share your residence and whom you happen to socialise with.
Spam about
With the dollar still high overseas is a good option.
You're not wrong. We go to the UK every years and it's getting cheaper and cheaper evry year. Food is cheaper anyway so the exchange rate makes it even more so. Good pub meals for under $10 and a central London hotel for $160 a night - cheaper than Melbourne - apart from the airfare of course!
You are right we get ripped off here by price fixing which I thought was illegal
My perfect holiday plan is no plan . I book the first leg and first two nights then everything
Is as she goes. Not always possible with family but is my ideal .camping I would find appalling. Cruising too .