Take a Vacation

[Bo Diddley]

I’m hoping to spend a lot of time traveling when I retire. I’d prefer longer trips to Europe so I don’t have to deal with the flights and jet lag. I think MJ would be down for 3-4 week vacations in France. It’s different if you are just “living” over there and not on a tight timeline. In fact, my first trip to France when I retire will be to follow the Tour de France around a bit. Not every route but some of the bigger climbs and hopefully the finale in Paris.

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to convince her.

[Northwestcoug]

When we've talked about it we'd like to spend a month somewhere each year, and then do some smaller trips to visit kids. This may impact when I retire though...

I could see myself spending a month in Ireland, Vancouver Island, Scotland for starters. New Zealand may get on that list also (pending upcoming revew).

Major edit: how could I forget Italy?!?

[BigFatMeanie]

I'm with Pelado on this one. Two weeks is a good target for me. I get tired of living out of a suitcase, tired of eating in restaurants, tired of missing BYU games or having to watch them at bad times of the day.

[Clark Addison]

I'm with Pelado on this one. Two weeks is a good target for me. I get tired of living out of a suitcase, tired of eating in restaurants, tired of missing BYU games or having to watch them at bad times of the day.

Depends on what it means to "Travel". If it is living out of your suitcase in hotels, especially if you are traveling around and not in the same place for more than 3 or 4 days, I completely agree.

But I think it would be a lot of fun to go to a cool place and just stay there for 4-6 weeks, to experience it a little more like a resident than a tourist. If we had an Airbnb or something with a kitchen and laundry, I think there would be a lot less of the vacation fatigue.

I'm just guessing though. We haven't done that yet.

[Pelado]

Depends on what it means to "Travel". If it is living out of your suitcase in hotels, especially if you are traveling around and not in the same place for more than 3 or 4 days, I completely agree.

But I think it would be a lot of fun to go to a cool place and just stay there for 4-6 weeks, to experience it a little more like a resident than a tourist. If we had an Airbnb or something with a kitchen and laundry, I think there would be a lot less of the vacation fatigue.

I'm just guessing though. We haven't done that yet.

True. On our international trip earlier this year, we moved around a lot, which was particularly rough on my wife. I tried to make sure we were at an AirBnB with washer/dryer periodically so we wouldn't have to wash clothes in a hotel sink or use a laundromat.

[Bo Diddley]

Depends on what it means to "Travel". If it is living out of your suitcase in hotels, especially if you are traveling around and not in the same place for more than 3 or 4 days, I completely agree.

But I think it would be a lot of fun to go to a cool place and just stay there for 4-6 weeks, to experience it a little more like a resident than a tourist. If we had an Airbnb or something with a kitchen and laundry, I think there would be a lot less of the vacation fatigue.

I'm just guessing though. We haven't done that yet.

This. Points I'm trying to make with the missus. She does get anxiety being away from home too long as well.

I've just started searching for luggage options to make moving hotels a little easier. I've seen suitcases that extend into a sort of closet. Maybe something like this would help:

https://solgaard.co/products/carry-o...42152036597933

[Bo Diddley]

I feel like I need a vacation. I didn't take any time off over the holidays because I was working on our year end inventory. After working through last weekend with Guard Drill, I'm really looking forward to a four day weekend.

Problem is, the missus still watches one of our grandkids during the week, and in an effort to not interfere with their work schedules, we try to minimize our trips away. We offered to take the grandkid to Disneyland with us, but they want to be with her on her first visit. We'll probably tell them to bite the bullet in the next few weeks.

[Northwestcoug]

It happened. My take on New Zealand depends on what things you want to see and do...

So we have our NZ itinerary, and at first glance it looks we'll be won't be doing basically anything that you did. This is the tentative plan, which Mrs. NWC has spent time enough on that I know not to critique or suggest much change. Anyways:

Flying into Aukland, getting there in the morning and spending one night. We wanted to go to the Tiritiri Island but the ferry doesn't run on the two days we are there. We looked into booking a charter but that's really pricey. We're thinking of spending a day on the Oneroa Island checking out the sites. There is a nudist beach there but we will be pretty jet-lagged.

Driving to Whiritoa beach and spending 2 days there. On the eastern coast. Doing some kayaking and chilling there.

Three days near Rotorura. Glow worms cave, redwoods, probably a Maori cultural thing (Mrs. insists).

One day in Taupo, checking out Lake Taupo and environs.

Three days in Napier. Sort of open-ended here. We'll be visiting Mrs. NWC's HS friend, maybe some vineyards.

Fly to Christchurch on the South Island. Spending a couple of days near Mt. Cook and Lake Tekapo.

3 days near Queensland. More hiking, visiting other HS friend of Mrs. NWC.

One day guided fishing tour on the Mataura River. Please weather gods, you can rain on me every day this whole vacation, if you just give us this one clear day

Te Anau for 4 days. Mrs. found a 4 day hiking excursion where they pick you up from the hotel each day, drive you to a destination, hike the day, and drive you back. Please, no hating from the peanut gallery.

Driving to Queenstown, flying back to Aukland and leaving NZ that night.

Even spending almost 3 weeks there we quickly realized you can barely scratch the surface. We considered limiting ourselves to one island, but we reasoned if this is the only time we ever go to NZ we need to experience as much as possible. I feel like we should spend some time in Aukland to see the sites that you and others suggested, but I think it's going to be the scenery that lingers in my memories, more than museums and such.

[beefytee]

We decided to go to Hawaii over Christmas this year when my daughter gets home from her mission. It looks like a few of my siblings and their families may come along with us.

We were thinking that Maui would be good to go to but weren't sure how well things have recovered in Lahaina after the fires.

Any suggestions for a potential big group. Any other tips.

[Non Sequitur]

We decided to go to Hawaii over Christmas this year when my daughter gets home from her mission. It looks like a few of my siblings and their families may come along with us.

We were thinking that Maui would be good to go to but weren't sure how well things have recovered in Lahaina after the fires.

Any suggestions for a potential big group. Any other tips.

I got back from the big island last week (my first time in Hawaii). I don't get it. We did all the tourist shit, but the only part I really enjoyed was the golfing, and if all I'm looking for is golfing, I'd rather go to Myrtle Beach.

[beefytee]

Things we are interested in doing there:

• Going to the beach
• hiking
• going to see volcanoes
• Eating good food ( I know there has been a lot of discussion on that here on the board, I’ll have to go back and review that)

My parents who are in the early eighties may come as well, so having a place that is chill by the beach would probably be best.

[Northwestcoug]

I got back from the big island last week (my first time in Hawaii). I don't get it. We did all the tourist shit, but the only part I really enjoyed was the golfing, and if all I'm looking for is golfing, I'd rather go to Myrtle Beach.

I...don't even know how to respond to this.

Things we are interested in doing there:

• Going to the beach
• hiking
• going to see volcanoes
• Eating good food ( I know there has been a lot of discussion on that here on the board, I’ll have to go back and review that)

My parents who are in the early eighties may come as well, so having a place that is chill by the beach would probably be best.

There's plenty to do on Maui other than Lahaina, but if you want to stick to traditional touristy stuff you'll need to go north to Kaanapali or west to Wailea. It's been awhile but at least in Kaanapali there's plenty of beach, food, and snorkeling places up that whole northwestern coast. If there's a big age difference and some of your group want to leave your parents on the beach, get this guide:

https://www.amazon.com/Maui-Revealed...a3850a751f5177

For hiking, Ioa State Park is beautiful and not too strenuous. At the top you get a really nice view of the valley and ocean.

I wouldn't recommend driving to Hana unless you plan to stay a night there. The drive is gorgeous and Hana is a special place, but to do it all in one day and drive back is tiring. If you go, look out for Weird Al.

Maui might be the best island for you if the parents don't want to drive around much, but the big island has my heart. There's less people and it's just as beautiful. You can find a vrbo relatively close to a less inhabited part of the island and travel out from there.

[Non Sequitur]

I...don't even know how to respond to this.

I love seafood, so I did like the food, but the beaches on the big island are shit. I grew up in California, and my go-to beaches were in Santa Cruz, and those beaches are shit beaches by southern California standards, but I'd take Santa Cruz beaches over anything I saw on the big island, and the seafood in Santa Cruz would be just as good as anything I had in Hawaii, and there wouldn't be any tourists. I may be biased, but I think it makes more sense for locals from Hawaii to come to California for vacation than the other way around.

[Northwestcoug]

I love seafood, so I did like the food, but the beaches on the big island are shit. I grew up in California, and my go-to beaches were in Santa Cruz, and those beaches are shit beaches by southern California standards, but I'd take Santa Cruz beaches over anything I saw on the big island, and the seafood in Santa Cruz would be just as good as anything I had in Hawaii, and there wouldn't be any tourists. I may be biased, but I think it makes more sense for locals from Hawaii to come to California for vacation than the other way around.

Um, because I can go in the water on the big island without a wetsuit?!? That isn't enough?

Just one example, the Hapuna Beach. Beautiful white sand beach and great snorkeling. There's reason enough.

I am a big fan of the California coast, but Hawaii is special.

[Non Sequitur]

Um, because I can go in the water on the big island without a wetsuit?!? That isn't enough?

Just one example, the Hapuna Beach. Beautiful white sand beach and great snorkeling. There's reason enough.

I am a big fan of the California coast, but Hawaii is special.

Went to Hapuna but couldn't snorkel because the water was rough. It was a decent beach but nothing special. The golfing, on the other hand, was great. We stayed at a place in Waikoloa village and golfed the beach and lake course there. Also golfed Mauna Kea and another course 20 miles inland. The best thing about that round was that on the eighth hole a herd of about 30 wild goats wandered into the fairway and just hung out. That's something that doesn't happen here on the mainland.