In a different post, we talked about the different ways we travel, mostly in Europe. However, people also ask us about the different kinds of travelling we do, referring to different types of trips we plan, the end goal and the transportation involved, so we wanted to talk about that here.
For the most part, when we tell people we’re going on a trip abroad, that means we’re flying into a city, renting a car and charting our own path in the area, preferably out of the city as soon as we’ve recovered from jetlag. For us, this accomplishes what we view as our most important goal when travelling: immersing ourselves in the local cultures, meeting local people, eating at local restaurants, staying at B&Bs, and really feeling like we’ve experienced the country. As we’ve said before, there are plenty of neat things to see in the major cities of Europe, and we’ve experienced many of them. That said, just like here in the US, when we’re abroad, getting out of the city gives you a completely different experience, and one we’ve come to enjoy. Just think New York City vs. Upstate New York, two hour drive, completely different worlds.
However, as much as we love getting behind the wheel of a car and doing our own thing, there are other ways we like to travel, too. Some take a little bit more planning, studying timetables and judging distance from stations and airports, calling a taxi/Uber/Lyft, and plain ole hoofin’ it. Others are so easy you almost don’t have to think, just follow directions – find man in orange shirt, get in car. Got it.
In a recent post we talked about our experience travelling to the Secrets Akumal resort on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. To say the resort was an amazing experience would be a gross understatement. In fact, our only regret is that we didn’t stay longer – who goes to Mexico for 3 days? Sigh. There’s something to be said for going to a single place, unpacking and not having to worry about anything the entire time you’re there. Want an adult beverage? It’s already paid for, so help yourself. Hungry? Don’t worry about the bill because you’ve already paid for it. Want to go snorkeling with the turtles? They have equipment for that. Want to walk on the beach or hit the gym? See ya! Want to sleep in and lazily order room service? Every day? No judgment. If your goal is to relax, unwind, and re-center yourself, there are far worse places to do it. Just keep in mind that once you’re back home, when you call for ‘room service’ the outcome might be a little different.
By the same token, we’ve been on cruises that we thoroughly enjoyed as well. A recent example, we went on a cruise with Jason’s family in the Mediterranean for New Years 2020 (had we know that would be our last hurrah for quite some time, I think we would have done a few things differently – like staying longer) and our friends at Viking Cruise lines showed us a great time – 1000% recommend for a truly quiet/laid back experience. It was awesome to board the ship, unpack once, and see a new destination every day. It was also helpful that they provided educational excursions, so you didn’t need to plan anything if you don’t want to. The food was amazing, the staff was the best you could ask for, we went to the spa every day after our excursion and our stateroom (okay, cabin, we don’t need to be fancy) was comfortable, roomy and had a great balcony to hide on with a book. Were we to do this again, we’d probably do a few more of our own excursions. Nothing against the included ones; the guides were great, and the destinations were amazing. However, as we’ve said before, we like to do things a little differently and go off on our own sometimes to find those uncharted locations. Seeing a place from a bus isn’t the same as walking the streets, popping into an alley shop and talking to the people. Beyond the included excursions, there were others that were a bit more extensive that you could pay for, or you can do some planning ahead of time and do your own thing. All of this is completely doable so long as you watch the time: that boat is leaving at the pre-determined time with or without you. You don’t want to be waving from the dock as they pull away!
Looking for a bit of adventure but don’t really want to drive, pay for gas and pay for parking in cities? Have you considered the train? I know we don’t have a great extensive train system in the US, so this is something we aren’t super familiar with as Americans (but we really hope to see in our lifetime). We’ve stepped out of our comfort zone and taken quite a few trains in our travels: high speed, snail speed, metro, airport shuttles, etc.; but one thing we haven’t done yet is a long-distance, multi-city train trip. In fact, we think we should check that off our list, so we’re currently planning one right now. Europe has the Eurail system that allows you to buy a single pass for unlimited train rides in a certain amount of time. Now to decide, Norway to Spain? Prague to Paris? Stockholm to Rome? Mountains? Lowlands? Cities? Desert? The possibilities are truly endless. We’ll keep you posted.
As with all things, when you travel it’s important to know your goals. Looking to stay in one place and relax? Awesome, perhaps consider an all-inclusive resort or a cruise. Want to explore? Nice, maybe an all-inclusive resort isn’t the right option this time. Grab that car and fire up the GPS or hop on a train and grab your walking shoes. Either way, knowing what you want when you travel and planning accordingly will help make sure you have a great experience. After all, if you aren’t enjoying yourself and maybe learning something along the way, what’s the point?
