Do *Travel thoughts* intrude on your *Real Life*?

Sitting in south Florida traffic, I find myself thinking about European transit systems :-)

I never go through a day without thinking about travel, especially places I’m planning to go to next.

You are not nuts. Thinking about upcoming adventures helps make everyday chores more interesting. My husband and I are going to London in December and as we were grocery shopping, we were talking about how we have to dig out our winter coats. I saw Lin Manuel Miranda in a movie trailer for Mary Poppins yesterday and went home to figure out how to get Hamilton tickets for our trip. I am sure I will have many more random thoughts.

Sandy

Sandy, and as you pass the seafood aisle, you remember you must buy your Oyster Cards when you arrive, which will cost you 5 squid each ("Quid" is to pound as "buck" is to dollar).

I travel around my hometown mainly on foot, so I have a lot of time to muse, and I am nearly always thinking about travel. I can't imagine anything more interesting to think about.

I, too, use interesting-weather days here at home to test out garments for future trips.

Can't stop looking for the perfect lightweight Camino towel or blouses. It is an addiction.

Isn't that why we come to the Forum?

I absolutely think about travel and future trips a lot, and try to keep them in mind when buying clothes. Right now I'm thinking of little else, but that's because I leave next week.

I am constantly thinking of the next trip as to how to fine tune it even more, eg, lightening the load, rearranging or leaving out certain items, being more creative in tailoring the train routes regarding flexibility, putting together an itinerary for next summer's solo trip, coordinating dates on certain events take place, etc. Since I'll be going in the summer, I have variations of a so-called summer Europe travel wardrobe when it comes to pants and shirts.

Yep. Addicted to travel.
Thinking about it most of the time. Reading about it the rest of the time.

Of course they do. When someone at work is eating a donut I think of the donuts we ate in Poland. Last Friday the office was having a pancake breakfast and I was thinking of my poffertjes I love so much in Amsterdam. While at work I think constantly of two things, my retirement around December 2019 and which fantastic trip should we do first thing in the spring and then which one for the fall. We, and by that I mean I, hubby just goes along, have a long list of new places and places we would like to revisit. In the meantime I have next year to plan.

🤣 I love that. Heck, my travel thoughts even intrude on my "travel life," as here I am perusing the forum and thinking about a detail for our trip next May... while I am in Poland, on THIS trip 🙈 Send help!

I am always thinking about travel. On the drive to work I was wishing for European U-Bahn and S-Bahn systems. I heard a bird chirping one morning walking into work and it reminded me of Rome. My travel clothes are clean and ready to pack. I have my next trip planned and have a short list for the following trip. I have weather reports from several cities on my phone daily. Yes, we are hooked.

I'm often thinking about travel whether mine or someone else's. Daydreaming, plotting, pondering, etc. happens often while commuting on the subway.

Pam - you are so silly.

I want to go back on that tour with you.It was my 2nd and 1st for hubs. We just loved that one. Not long enough tho. We also went in April.

I think about my trips when I am in bed trying to go to sleep. Needless to say I have a hard time getting to sleep. I can’t seem to shut down my brain at bed time.

Laughing!!! SO very glad I am not alone. I've loved everyone's posts! Fun, fun comments.

Chris! Laughed out loud at Oysters and Squid....yep and I'm vegan so don't even look at that counter any more!

Oh, and Tamara! I love that your travel thoughts invade your travel, hahaha. So funny and I know it's not because you are bored or going hungry!

Kim, I can't allow myself to think about trips at bedtime. I'll for sure think of something I'll have to write down or make a note of in my phone. Then I have to put on my glasses, maybe one more pit stop, drink of water...and on and on. I WAS thinking last night about how heavy/light I need for PJs, then there was that thread today about when does the heat go on....

PS Editing to add - yes, I started a new packing list for April. With notes.

I see Belgium and Holland in early April in your OP. We just got back from Belgium and Holland (aka The Netherlands), were there Sept 5 - 16, the weather was temperate and relatively dry (cloudy some days but not wet except one day). Haven't been there in early April but have a feeling it might be wetter and chillier. Have heard the Low Countries are so flat that the wind can whip right off the North Sea and penetrate far inland.

Not at all, Pam. Except for shopping for clothes and ruling items out because they wouldn't pack well or dry fast; picking up granola at the supermarket and remembering how I bought individual packs of Greek yogurt to eat with granola for breakfasts in France; saving bubble-wrap packaging in my Euro-tote in case we might want to wrap an unknown souvenir on a not-yet-scheduled trip. Hmmm -- IS there a "real life", or is it just "between trips time" ?? (Easier when one is post-retirement and pre-grandchildren.)

All day, every day! ✈️ 👜 😃

I agree with the previous poster who said real life intrudes on their travel thoughts! Travel is always on my mind as I get through my workday, and my own time.

One example of travel thoughts intruding on life is that I have a 50 minute commute and listen to audio books. They are almost always related in some way to travel (setting, storyline, etc). So many times I've had to pause them, or had to start over because I found myself planning some itinerary in my mind, or thinking about past or future travel plans.

Glad I'm not alone. I have one friend who travels as much as I do, yet she is much better at compartmentalizing it in her life. She thinks about it only when she's actively involved in some booking or planning action. Actually, I'm kind of glad I'm not like that. I like my obsession!

"Hmmm -- IS there a "real life", or is it just "between trips time" ??"

Laura B, I like the way you thing (and yes, post retirement)!

BTW was out walking in the splendid Fall weather today. Recently my walking buddies and I have been just going 3 miles but bumped it to 4 today. I immediately thought OK, I hope I can get up to 6 before winter snow/ice blocks me from outdoor walks of this distance so I can be at the level I like to be for an RS tour by April!

It WAS a great walk and saw 4 moose at the end of it as we were returning to the car. That has to be a good travel omen, right?

4 moose = return to Paris. It's obvious!
"Yikes...that's kind of nuts! I "

You are so in the club, girl!

Heading to Seattle in a few days. Considering it a dry run for Scotland and will pack accordingly. Pretty much every piece of clothing I buy other than suits and dress shirts is evaluated with travel in mind.

Pam, you've raised an interesting question and I don't know how to answer because, unfortunately, "Real Life" has a bad habit of intruding on my travels and thoughts of such.

Not right now-maybe after football season is over!

Of course, travel thoughts invade every aspect of my life. I am currently on a trip visiting friends in Denver. And what am I doing... looking over the forum and wondering what type of cold/cool weather gear I need for Scotland and Iceland. Leaving in Florida for the past 20 years, my cold weather gear is ugly. May have to shop...Yuk!
Happy Travel!

I am one month out from my total knee replacement surgery so my outings at the moment are limited to physical therapy and doctor’s appointments. Arm chair travel and thinking about the trips I have planned for next year are what keep me going and motivated to keep up with my exercises.

I check the forum more times during the day than I'm willing to admit. It's sadly become an obsession.

Yesterday I remade my packing list for the 900th time (very slight exaggeration). Then printed it off for my sister-in-law along with RS packing lists. Wrote her a long letter about odds and end of things I learned mainly from this wonderful forum. (Trust me, it's better than emailing her.) Then I boxed a bunch of things -- the too heavy Travelon travel purse, packing cubes, South Italy travel book, etc. -- to mail to her. Drat! the post office is closed today. The tour isn't until May.

I just got home from my 2 mile walk. Listened to RS Audio Europe "Pompeii" all the way. I started downloading more as soon as I got home.

My horse trainer just shook her head in disbelief when I arranged May boarding for Logan. August too for my class reunion.

It doesn't help that practically everyone occasionally asks me what trips I have planned for the future.
I have to keep up with my reputation! So, yes, far-flung destinations are always on my mind.

Sharon

You all continue to make me laugh and enjoy the fact that travel is such a bond!

Nancy, yes, you definitely NEED to shop for Iceland gear in Denver instead of FL. You KNOW all you'll find in FL is fancy ski clothes. Get some Smartwool gloves and a waterproof layer at the very least!

Horsewoofie...thanks for the reminder the PO is closed. I was heading there after I walk today so I can scratch that off my list. I'm sure SIL will appreciate your care package!

If you wear all of that for 43 degrees, what are you going to wear when it turns cold. But for Belgium in the spring I would go with waterproof shoes. Also a hat would be useful. Generally the spray fabric waterproof is of marginal value. You need to have true waterproof clothing.

Oh gee. Travel, travel, travel. Sometimes it conflicts with my other obsessions like gardening. Can’t leave the garden too long in summer or the veggie plants will die (yes, I can get someone else to water them, but…). Anyway, have developed a new obsession over the summer: the bear cams. It’s fat bear week, everyone! And the cams will close down in a week or two when the bears hibernate. Yikes, all I can think of is how to get to Brooks Falls next September. Might have to wait till 2020 since there appears to be a lottery for lodge rooms. Alaska is the opposite direction from where I usually travel – with different clothes needed. What a challenge!

Frank, Dry Camp spray waterproofing is pretty good, better than other brands. I use it on my old no-longer-waterproof horse blankets. One can per blanket. Keeps his hind end dry when he stands in his stall with his head under cover but his butt in the rain. It does an OK job on jackets/coats too.
(Yes it rains in AZ, not the unending NW drizzle, but an inch per 1/2 hour downpour. Sometimes you just can’t avoid the rain, especially at feeding time.)

My thoughts are never far from either a previous trip or where I might go on my next trip. Right now it's the wonderful time of the year when I start researching possible itineraries for next spring...will it be Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius, or Moscow and St Petersburg...both options with the necessary few days in Budapest at the end. But then, Berlin and Barcelona have been waiting their turns patiently for a while now.

Travel and sex.
One is a reality and the other fantasy.

Recently I cleaned out one of my bathroom storage bins and decided, after 12 years of keeping the bottle, that the sunscreen I bought in Italy on my first solo trip really did have to go (sentimental value and it smells nice...but very far beyond expiration). That started me down the path of looking at the photo albums from that adventure, then reading my journal, then checking this forum for posts on Italy because you know I should really plan another trip. So much for cleaning house!

So yes, I too have a travel thought problem...every single day. And if I might add, four moose = Iceland, in my book. :)

All day, every day I’m thinking, daydreaming, planning or reminiscing about travel!

In 48 hours I will be on a jet plane direct to Istanbul for the RS Best of Turkey Tour, that is if Hurricane Michael doesn’t interfere. I’m all packed and ready to go. The lightest ever, yay! I’ve been researching the weather and believe I’m prepared for a day in the 80’s, 60’s or 70’s. I’ve learned so much from being on the forum, thanks everyone.
Pam, I love this topic.

A bit off topic, but your description of how you bundled for mid 40s temps makes me wonder what you do when winter arrives and temps dive into the teens, or lower.

Yes, if perusing this forum counts, then I think about travel a lot. I have 4 trips on the books right now! 2019 is all booked up. I spend a lot of time researching and planning trips, it’s a major hobby.
Before I joined this forum, I thought I was all alone in this. I had not met anyone who thinks about travel all the time like I do. So glad I “found” my people on this forum.
@Judy B-hope you do a trip report on your RS Turkey trip. Have a great time.

I am right now working on a trip to my mom's in northern Virginia.

I'm excited for the trip because I haven't seen her in a while.

I'm SUPER excited for the trip because I can test drive the new day bag I bought for next summer's trip to Switzerland/Italy.

Shhhh..... don't tell Mom that second part......

Hahaha, Pam! You know me--probably too well! Travel thoughts ARE my real life!

🤣 I love that. Heck, my travel thoughts even intrude on my "travel life," as here I am perusing the forum and thinking about a detail for our trip next May... while I am in Poland, on THIS trip 🙈 Send help!

Ah, Tamara, me too! We are in Italy heading into the final week of a 7-week trip and I am making reservations for next spring's trip to points-in-Europe-not-yet-completely-determined!

And I cannot shop for clothes without thinking about usefulness in the travel wardrobe. Spring trip is going to require an entirely different wardrobe than this autumn one did.

Hello Pam. I think your thoughts about your clothes for you to bring to Belgium in April is not nutty. I think the air could be chilly at Amsterdam in April, especially at an early time in a morning. I started participating in "Traveler's Helpline" (it is now "Travel Forum") at this internet website (RickSteves.com) in the year 2005. That year I asked for advice for my planning my trip to islands of Greece, at Aegean Sea. I received three replies at "Traveler's Helpline". All of those replies were not helpful to me. One of the replies was from a man who flew from eastern U.S.A. to countries in Europe, 4 or 5 trips each year (vacation trips). He said his only interest in Greece is for him to sip wine while looking at the sun set when he is at the island Santorini. I thought : "I do not want to travel from the state Missouri in the U.S.A. to the island Santorini (via airports at St. Louis, and New York City, and Athens) for the sole purpose of drinking white wine while seeing the sun set at the Mediterranean Sea. Actually, people who did that saw more than the sun set at the Mediterranean Sea. While looking at that they also saw the other people there, on small balconies of hotels. And they were looked at by other people who were on other balconies of hotels or rooms. Over the years, the format of this "Travel Forum" (which was formerly "Traveler's Helpline") has changed. In the year 2007 it was divided into countries and a section entitled "General". In that section "General" people could say anything about any aspect of traveling to Europe and/or being at Europe. I remember, one of the questions was What is your favorite Gelato place in Rome (in Italy) ? And questions about how to travel, and how to not spend too much money at Europe, and philosophical questions, and there was some clever humor. Now, we have a section, in Travel Forum, for countries in Europe, and one of the "countries" is "General Europe". At that section, people can ask for information or advice for planning a trip to more than one country. And, in "Guidelines" for posting at this Travel Forum, it says this is not a "Chat Room". I think that means asking for chit chat in Travel Forum is forbidden. What does the Webmaster here think about that ?

Thanks for the continued responses! I love that everyone here is always thinking about travel, mentally planning trips, working out how to use new luggage (we're not telling, lol!) or gear.

For those that are worried about me having too many layers on, I'll add that this combo can take me down to below freezing. I wore the same items in August in Yellowstone when I was out at 6A watching geysers in 28F temps. If I am doing something active (shoveling snow or snowshoeing) I could probably manage this down to the low 20's as long as there wasn't a lot of wind.

Sorry if some feel this is too much chit-chat. If the thread doesn't meet the forum guidelines I'm sure the Webmaster will remove it.

Was 30 Fahrenheit and drizzle when I left the house this morning to walk to work (just over a mile). I wore jeans, a golf shirt, boat shoes without socks, and my Land's End squall jacket. Was super comfortable. I can't imagine wearing all the layers you mention even at freezing and not suffering from heat stroke!

Yes, travel invades my every day thoughts, well, every day. Always looking forward to my next trip. Most of my travel the past year has been for business, which is never as fun as a vacation. Hope to get back to Europe for at least 3 weeks this next year. I think France would be nice again.

Glad you were comfortable.

@joe32F To me, 40's IS winter and requires me to wear almost all of my winter clothes at the same time.
It probably won't often happen here in the daytime until January. People here are looking forward to 70's later this week, since it was 90 yesterday.

Back to travel, I take silk long underwear on almost all my trips now, except Spain or Italy in the summer. It takes up almost no space and easily layers under anything.