Are there just two kinds of people?

Does it really matter? We all should hike our own hikes and stop worrying about how another lives and enjoys or experiences their world. We are all different with our own connections. I'm introverted and a solo traveler...

You mean there are people that enjoy the horror of having a travel companion or that enjoys wasting their time at a beach resort?

There are also many kinds of travelers: those who love the planning part and those that hate it; those that pack a month before and those that pack the night before; those that want to go to the same place every time and those that crave a new place every trip; those who feel they could never plan a trip so they take a tour and those who would never be stifled by a tour’s schedule.

If your brother doesn’t like to travel, that’s fine. Oh well. To each their own. Maybe he’s more comfortable in his familiar environment. Travel can be intimidating. Maybe he’s had bad travel experiences. Maybe it’s just not his cup of tea. My brother likes things to be just so and doesn’t handle things well when the unexpected comes up. That doesn’t make him a great travel companion, and he would NEVER EVER plan a trip anywhere foreign. But he’ll go hunting every year to the same place and love it. Definitely not my cup of tea.

Whether or not people like to travel has a lot to do with circumstances-health, money, family(which includes pets) obligations and even energy level. It's not just a function of personality or motivation.

I think there are a lot of in between people.

I go on one cruise a year but spend an entire year planning my cruise. I may go to several places but do not spend much time except for pre cruise and post cruise.

I am considering eliminating my yearly cruise and instead going somewhere for a week or so twice a year.

Some friends go somewhere several times a year. They don't need to plan like I do but often they stay in the same place for several days or even a week.

I like traveling alone while some have to travel with someone else.

Just like everything else, lots of different folks with different tastes and needs.

I will not travel in the summer or holidays while most obviously there are hordes of others who do.

Even though it is 105 degrees every day where I live, I still can not bear the thought of traveling with the crowds. Friends on Facebook are posting their pictures from everywhere and anywhere that is hopefully cooler and not flooding.

I think the only time this variation is really relevant is within couples. I'm lucky that my DH is a fellow introvert and very compatible travel companion. I've known otherwise happy couples that are not travel compatible and it either creates resentment that one partner usually gets their way, or they trade off and one partner doesn't enjoy a trip, or trips end up in massive arguments. I've known other couples where they accept their differences and some or even most trips are taken separately.

Money is a big factor. But many people just did not acquire the curiosity or imagination that you need to take an interest in travel, especially foreign travel. Vegas, Cancun, and a week fishing at the lake are the max that some people can go for. I think a lot of that comes from how you were raised and family experiences.

I think humankind is more nuanced than a simple like/don't like travel.

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who classify people into two arbitrary categories, and those who recognize the infinite variations in human experience.

I am in the former group, obviously!

My husband never went much more than 100 miles from home before we met. I got him on a trip to the Amazon ( he was dead set against going) while we were still dating. He dragged me on a cruise that I didn’t want yo take. We had a great time on both trips. He began to suggest places to visit and the rest is history. We’ve been to far reaches of the world with a few more places to go. Sadly, he told me a few weeks ago that his interest in travel is to stay home now and for me to go on my own. I’m not sure what I’m going to do if our France trip next year is a bust for him. I’m hoping the travel bug bites him again.

I'm surprised this topic is getting a few snarky answers. It reminds me of the diversity topic posted by someone earlier this weekend. It transformed into comments about people suggesting questions such as your marital status are intrusive, which then lead to questions asking what then is a safe question.

To me, this post is a perfect, non intrusive conversation starter, whether it be to have fun on this forum, or face to face with new friends. But apparently the question isn't welcome by some.

I'm continually surprised by some friends and their travel styles or lack thereof. One close set of friends we have bought a 2nd home in the middle of nowhere and just 2 hours from their home. They go there every weekend and every vacation, and love it and are content with not going further. I'm looking forward to how this conversation starter post by the OP branches out.

Allen, thanks so much for your reply! I feel a little better, now. It has been five years since my husband and I traveled and now his mobility issues prevent him from going. I am going to renew my passport in hopes of getting to travel again. In the meantime, I enjoy reading on this website about others and their adventures!

In fact, there are three types of people. Those who are good at math and those who are not.

I'm hard pressed to see the snark.

There are also many kinds of travelers: those who love the planning part and those that hate it; those that pack...

Whether or not people like to travel has a lot to do with circumstances...It's not just a function of personality or motivation.

I think there are a lot of in between people...

I think humankind is more nuanced than a simple like/don't like travel...

Sums up my thoughts pretty well. It's not so cut and dry that there are only those who like to travel and those that don't. And why should liking to travel be the "proper" default?

But many people just did not acquire the curiosity or imagination that you need to take an interest in travel...

A person that does not care to travel lacks curiosity or imagination, but the traveler that's only checking off a check-list is full of curiosity or imagination?

Vegas, Cancun, and a week fishing at the lake are the max that some people can go for.

Is there something wrong or improper with that? Is Vegas or Cancun somehow less of a travel experience?

My dad hated to travel. My mom loved to travel.

I emulate my mom. 😊

There might be.

I love traveling internationally. I've been to 23 countries. If I had the money and could wave a wand, I would double that number in an instant. I once met a South American lady who had been to 51 countries. I wish I could say I have been to that number of countries or more.

I have noticed a couple reasons why some people don't like to travel.

They see it as a hassle. And they're right to avoid traveling because heartiness is the key characteristic. "Travel" and "travail" share the same root.

Another is that they are misinformed about the cost. Though international travel does cost more, travel that is budget minded yet comfortable isn't that much more costly than domestic travel.

Another factor is misguided fear. It's frightening for some to travel overseas.

And finally there is misguided patriotism. I have known people who regard international travel as unpatriotic or superfluous. Someone once told me, "We have everything here." I chose not to pick a battle with that person.

I think it is a temperament, sort of like extrovert vs. introvert, but obviously a different axis as there are lots of each of those that love to travel.

I moved around a lot growing up, and always get "itchy feet" if I am in one place for too long. I haven't actually moved for quite a while now, and I think travel, for business or pleasure, scratches that novelty itch. During the pandemic it felt like I had had a limb cut off, and I did fairly crazy stuff when long distance travel was impossible, like walked 20km from my house to stay in a hotel, and flew away for a weekend when restrictions were partially lifted mostly to be able to go to the airport, LOL.

Some people would much prefer to spend their free time and money improving with / puttering about their homes, or relaxing by the same lake every weekend, so to each their own.

Somewhere along this thread we have to define travel. Several posts have mentioned to the lake , or every year same place 2nd house, maybe they go every year to Disneyland.
So the can of worms is what is travel to you when you might make an answer to the two kinds of people. If I go on a Bahama cruise every year, what camp am I in?
Maybe travel is not even a physical thing that you do. I imagine (half the point) of those for whom travel is in books, on the web, etc. Perhaps the actual going is beyond their means. Maybe beyond their physicality. Yet, their eyes gleam and they lean in when you tell them where you went. A rarity amoung listeners.
They are vicarious travelers. They are never disappointed. They have no itineraries posted. They ask not for advice.
So, they are our buddies more so than anyone else. They appreciate our tales.

I love to travel but have many restrictions placed on me ranging from work and money to health and a couple cats I picked up a few years back. And a lose of my traveling companion.

I don’t get over seas even close to as often as I would like and I suspect my over seas bucket list will never get closer to completion. Probably with 12 being my ending Country count. But I have travel pretty extensively in the US over the years and I only have 11 States to go.

I get this urge to travel from my day, whom immigrated to the US at 18. He loved to travel. My mother was of mixed opinion on the subject. But would go with my Dad. I often thought it was her not being yo easily communicate in non English speaking countries that was her biggest issue as she was a “social butterfly” that loved to talk with people. But even in the US while she enjoyed travel she enjoyed coming home just as much.

I have one brother that has seen much of the world and could compete with many on this forum, but I have one that won’t fly anywhere and has never been outside the US except to Canada, while the rest of my siblings have made one trip out of the country and that was with my family when they were young. (Well other than Canada, but does Canada really count?)
I tried to get my siblings to go with us on my father last international trip when he went back to Germany to see his families homes and to see his cousin for the last time, but none of them wanted to go even though it was obvious that my dads traveling days were winding down.

So I have to agree that there seams to be a divid between those that travel and those that don’t,
Me I would be willing to pack a bag and hop a plane with no notice as long as I had someone to take care of the animals and I could aford it. Many in my family.. not so much.

Douglas, thank you for your reply! I, too, would be willing to pack a bag and hop a plane, as long as I could stay at least three or four weeks!

…Perhaps the actual going is beyond their means. Maybe beyond their physicality. Yet, their eyes gleam and they lean in when you tell them where you went. A rarity amoung listeners…

Beautifully said, treemoss.

You can break those who like to travel into groups too.

Those who plan their own travel vs. those who book through an agent vs. those who take a tour. Those whose itinerary covers multiple countries vs. those who visit one country vs. those who visit a region of one country vs. those who go to one base and stay there. Resort goers vs. Hostel stays (and everything in between).

You can also break it up by personal likes and dislikes: churches, museums, food, music, art, history, etc.

I'd say people are unique, that's what makes people so interesting.

I would like to do a lot more traveling internationally, but the cost and not having a lot of vacation time just makes it really hard. I do far more wilderness backpacking trips and road trips in my own state than I do longer plane travel. There was a time when I was much more "flush" with funds and vacation time and went abroad or cross-country much more.

We have neighbors who are retired and probably go abroad four times a year always with a bus tour. When I share some of our escapades traveling on our own, they always say that is why they go on a tour-they don’t want to deal with things going wrong.

Different strokes it seems. I like planning as much as traveling so their approach would not work for me.

It is interesting to consider how some people like to travel to new places and others not at all. Fascinating, really.

Our neighbors go to the same exact place every summer in Virginia Beach. I would be bored to tears doing the same thing all of the time but it works for them.

I just love the twists and turns this topic has taken. Forum members are passionate about travel! I wish we could "like" replies. My favorites are from Craig, douglas, and dpoweron, your math take made me snort my wine out my nose...