As an early retiree myself I do agree with the need for “time away from day to day life” aka vacation! When at home, there is always stuff to do and obligations to fulfill. Being away from the every day scenery activates a different skill set. One needs to navigate other challenges and is exposed to a (completely) different culture and way of life. It opens a different perspective and broadens your horizon.
The difference in travel duration (for Americans and Europeans) is an interesting perspective.
Being from Europe, we had the luxury of 2-3 week holidays while still working, heck, I even did a 4 week motorbike tour through Belgium, France and Spain while at my first job!
Being more flexible in how I dedicate my time now I’m opting for short (5-7 days) trips on my own and longer 3-4 week more “planned out” trips. My short trips are usually with a small campervan (gives a lot of freedom plus the luxury of your own bed, kitchen & toilet).
The last big trip was a 4 week trip to Mexico (10 days diving on a live aboard around Socorro and an overland tour). The live-aboard was an interesting experience with a mixed group, some we got on with pretty well others not so (friction while on a boat…yay). During this trip I was part of a group of 10 people who frequently do dive holidays together, so we’ve known each other for years and don’t feel an obligation to do everything together during the overland tour.
The next big vacation will be a 4 week trip to New Zealand with my best friend. She will fly in from Denver, I will fly in from Düsseldorf. Plan is to either rent a campervan or do B&B’s and self drive but have it all customized arranged by a travel agent. It gives both the freedom to do things at more or less your own pace and the luxury of not having to figure out everything (and possibly not being aware of some “not to miss” locations).
An option you also might want to consider for longer trips is a combination of group travel, followed by a customized arranged self drive (did that in Argentina, well worth it!). I notice with group travel you have less spontaneous contact with local people, which I find an essential part of travel.
Anyways, have fun with your travels, broaden your horizon and learn and experience new things! The weirdest/ most uncomfortable situations make the best travel stories 😄.
Interesting post, Jason. We've always been "DIY'ers", except on cruises. I like your idea of doing a 7 day DIY in conjunction with an organized tour. We're planning the same approach next summer, when we're taking a 15 day Arctic Cruise (Greenland/Northwest Passage) and are considering adding a 7 day DIY around Iceland prior to the ships departure. Amazing minds...
Thanks for sharing! I know it’s difficult but how would you rank this destination compared to other trips you have made in terms of the whole experience: culture, food, experiences etc?
it's not as easy to navigate as Japan (what is?) and there is certainly a mix of economic conditions afoot, as with most of South + Central America. but we really enjoyed ourselves.
You're welcome! Indeed, that is very tough. I think from a sheer -diversity- of experiences overall, this is a tough one to beat. It's certainly up there with our very favorite trips, which includes two weeks in Japan (prob still #1 but so hard to compare).
Excellent reading material again, thanks Jason!
As an early retiree myself I do agree with the need for “time away from day to day life” aka vacation! When at home, there is always stuff to do and obligations to fulfill. Being away from the every day scenery activates a different skill set. One needs to navigate other challenges and is exposed to a (completely) different culture and way of life. It opens a different perspective and broadens your horizon.
The difference in travel duration (for Americans and Europeans) is an interesting perspective.
Being from Europe, we had the luxury of 2-3 week holidays while still working, heck, I even did a 4 week motorbike tour through Belgium, France and Spain while at my first job!
Being more flexible in how I dedicate my time now I’m opting for short (5-7 days) trips on my own and longer 3-4 week more “planned out” trips. My short trips are usually with a small campervan (gives a lot of freedom plus the luxury of your own bed, kitchen & toilet).
The last big trip was a 4 week trip to Mexico (10 days diving on a live aboard around Socorro and an overland tour). The live-aboard was an interesting experience with a mixed group, some we got on with pretty well others not so (friction while on a boat…yay). During this trip I was part of a group of 10 people who frequently do dive holidays together, so we’ve known each other for years and don’t feel an obligation to do everything together during the overland tour.
The next big vacation will be a 4 week trip to New Zealand with my best friend. She will fly in from Denver, I will fly in from Düsseldorf. Plan is to either rent a campervan or do B&B’s and self drive but have it all customized arranged by a travel agent. It gives both the freedom to do things at more or less your own pace and the luxury of not having to figure out everything (and possibly not being aware of some “not to miss” locations).
An option you also might want to consider for longer trips is a combination of group travel, followed by a customized arranged self drive (did that in Argentina, well worth it!). I notice with group travel you have less spontaneous contact with local people, which I find an essential part of travel.
Anyways, have fun with your travels, broaden your horizon and learn and experience new things! The weirdest/ most uncomfortable situations make the best travel stories 😄.
Thanks for the perspective, Nanda! NZ has been on our list for a long time as well, and your plan sounds like a fun option.
Interesting post, Jason. We've always been "DIY'ers", except on cruises. I like your idea of doing a 7 day DIY in conjunction with an organized tour. We're planning the same approach next summer, when we're taking a 15 day Arctic Cruise (Greenland/Northwest Passage) and are considering adding a 7 day DIY around Iceland prior to the ships departure. Amazing minds...
Thanks, Fritz. I look forward to hearing about that trip! We loved our DIY Iceland trip
Some incredible scenery… thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing! I know it’s difficult but how would you rank this destination compared to other trips you have made in terms of the whole experience: culture, food, experiences etc?
If it’s comparable to Japan, that says a lot. This confirms my belief that it could be an excellent destination for the future. Thanks!
it's not as easy to navigate as Japan (what is?) and there is certainly a mix of economic conditions afoot, as with most of South + Central America. but we really enjoyed ourselves.
You're welcome! Indeed, that is very tough. I think from a sheer -diversity- of experiences overall, this is a tough one to beat. It's certainly up there with our very favorite trips, which includes two weeks in Japan (prob still #1 but so hard to compare).