Reasons For Traveling Without Info?

I almost never use guidebooks. As long as you know the country it's in, I find there is more information at www. townname. country ext (ex www.maastrict.nl) than I can find in a guidebook.

In planning for my next trip, I found plenty of info at www.treis-karden.de, www.braunlage.de, www.goslar.de, www.wernigerode.de., etc.

I think some ask the question not because they know nothing about the region but there may be SO much that what they are trying to get is an "insider's opinion" as to what the top things would be. I know that friends ask me "What should we do in Rome" because they know I've been there, know I loved it, etc. I ask folks on this board and other boards for recommendations because I am looking for a more personalized experience even though you all are really strangers to me! It at least feels more personal when I can ask a question and Ron or Kent or Jo answers or someone else who seems to have a feel for an area because they have been there.

It is one of the reasons that I like Rick's books - he gives opinions on sites, not just a listing of everything there is to do without judgement. I may not always agree with his judgements and I know now where we tend to disagree but I still like hearing the opinions.

Of course, I don't understand some of the REALLY open ended questions, and I try to ask questions myself that are more specific or something not covered by the usual tourbooks. I've gotten good advice here and given much advice hoping that I am helping someone to narrow down the many things that they could see and do.

For various reasons, I have often foundnd myself in corners of Europe that the guidebooks almost completely ignore. In these cases, I'll ask if anyone has any information about interesting sites or good restaurants. There's tons of informatin out there on London, Paris or Rome, for example, but try finding tips about Besancon, Metz, Genk, Nancy, Hasselt, Leuven, Aachen, Maastricht, Landstuhl, Kaiserslautern, Dortmund, Katowice, Bialstok, Pskov, Reading, Klaipeda, Gnjilane, Northampton, Ipswich, etc. and you'll see what I mean.

I am guessing that this question was prompted by the rather open end question elsewhere, "I am going to be in Spain for 30, what should I do? I know nothing about the area." It was Spain, not some out of the way place in Eastern Europe. I think Lamont is asking why don't you do your homework first and then ask the question. But from another post by the same person I would appear that she may have bought a rail pass without research the costs or point to point tickets. But that is just how some people approach life. And it is fine if that suits their life style.

It seems to me that most of the questions are pretty specific and many, most in fact, are "logistical." And some people just want to go some place "different" out of a sense of adventure or curiosity. And sometimes, the writer has a good idea of what s/he wants, but doesn't quite get the question right.

I went to Italy earlier this month, simply because I wanted to go somewhere in Europe I hadn't been, and 3 of my friends said "ITALY." The generous people here gave me great tips on hotels and tourist sights, invaluable advice on trains and money, local customs, and so much else. Sure, I did research on my own too, but honestly, I didn't spend months immersed in travel resources. I did learn a great deal about the history of Italy while I was there, and I can't wait to go back to see some of what I missed due to time constraints (if only I could have made the days longer, sigh).

Now I'm planning a trip to Australia & New Zealand, because a group of my friends are taking a cruise, and I'm joining them. I booked my flights, now I'm working on an itinerary for time on my own before and after the cruise. I am also stopping for 3 days in Beijing on the way there and 3 days in Bangkok on the way home - neither destination had I considered until my travel agent suggested the route.

I don't see it as much on this board( most posters here do seem to have made some effort or have at least a basic knowledge of a place) , but on some travel forums I am amazed to see posters from the UK asking,, " I am going to Paris/Rome etc for first time, what are must sees?".

I am amazed because the total travel time between the UK and Europe is like 2or 3 hours by train, less by plane, yet many posters appear completely unaware of what very popular well know cities possess as sites.How can you live 3 hours away from a city for 30 plus years and not have a clue,, but it does seem for some posters to be true.. Maybe because it is not a huge time or expense for them they don't feel the need to do as much homework, or even think about what attracts them. I mean if they had to spend thousands on airfare alone, I think the thought process would be a bit more careful

I may be wrong, and of course it is a generalzation, but I don't really get it,, as I am the opposite type of person.

I'd rather stay away from politics, please! I have other places to go for that.

I do a lot of research on my own and then sometimes ask questions to help prioritize things. If it was up to me, I'd try to do everything...and there's not enough time for that.

I'm sorry Cate. I deleted my message because I didn't mean to hit a nerve. But Rick Steves does think that politics and travel go hand in hand. Anyone that reads his blog would know. I agree with him, but I don't want to stir anything up here.

Pat- Well, I live less than 3 hours away from Munich and know nothing about its famous Sights. Just have never had the desire to go there. I have ex-relatives that live in Bavaria and visiting there was enough to satisfy my curiosity about Bavaria. When I have vacation time, I always tried to take my kids outside of Germany. So, guess what, I have never toured Stuttgart, Dresden, Wurzburg, Dusseldorf, the Black Forest, or even the Romantic Road, etc. They just aren't a priority for me. Folks in the UK are probably the same. Europe is a huge continent and to expect everyone who lives here to have visited or know all the "famous" cities is plain daft. Lots of people travel off to Asia, Australia, Africa or America on their vacations (even Canada). Or I guess you think everyone who lives in Canada can tell you details about tourist sights in Quebec or Montreal, just cause they live in Canada. I lived here for almost 20 years before I went to either Rome or Paris. But, I have been to Morocco, Turkey, Denmark, Greece, Amsterdam, Cologne, London, Brugge, Ostende, Antwerp, Normandy, Milan, Regensburg, Berlin, Potsdam, Mittelfels, Heidelberg, Mannheim, and all the little towns around Frankfurt. Just don't expect me to know about Munich. :-)

As to why I travel? I like to meet the people of a country, talk with the guy giving camel rides on the beach, chat with the storekeepers, or the guy dressed as a gladiator. Just the everyday person doing their job, making a living. What is life like in their country? It is just interesting to me.

Well Jo, I guess our schools are different. We learn about the province we live in , so , yes I could tell you a few main sites to see in our major areas of tourism within an 8-10 travel day.. And as you know Quebec is on the other side of Canada, which is about a 3 or 4 days drive,,, so that would be like you not knowing much about a country 3 or 4 days away from you, which , I think would be reasonable. Canada as you know is very very large. And , unfortunatley a bit empty inbetween,, LOL Also we do not have a cheap or efficent train system, and no low cost airlines to fly within Canada, I pay MORE to fly to Nova Scotia from my home then I do when I fly to Europe.. supply and demand.

I did qualify it by distance, I am surprised you do not know much about a city only 3 hours away from you,, my sons school has done feildtrips ( just daytrips) to many places within a few hours of where I live.

We also learn a bit about major cities, ,like Paris and Rome, ,I mean, history is taught in school, and I think both my boys learned a bit about Versailles and the Bastille and the Concierge when they studied the Revolutions.

I do understand that one would not automatically research a place that did not interest them, but then, why would they plan to visit such a place anyways??

Now I am wondering where you think I went to school? :-) But I think you need to look at a map and see how far away the UK is from Rome for example, or Finnland or Greece, and see how long you think it takes to drive there. But I can fly to Africa in 3 hours, or Asia in 8 - 10 hours. So, why would I just stay here on this continent? Believe it or not, I do know how big Canada is, as I also know how big America is. But I wouldn't expect you to know the hot tourist spots all over Canada, so please do not expect me to know this in Europe. This is not the same as learning Geography in school or learning about your country. Your post sounds like you expect everyone who lives in Europe to know everything about it. This is so unlikely. But from reading so many posts on this board where people ask "what is the weather like in Europe" I do wonder where they went to school, since they do not realize how big and diverse this continent is. My personal favorite is when I am asked in the states, "what season is it over there, summer or winter?" since they obviously do not know what side of the equator Europe is on. Cracks me up every time, though when you think about it, it is kinda sad.

So, do you think you can drop your expectations of us over here?

Actually, having thought about it for a few hours, I have come to the conclusion that Pat, you may be right.

Have a pleasant Monday.

Lamont,

I find the questions you mentioned in your initial post to be very silly and never answer them. Also I belive that people who ask such questions are kind of "rude" because the answers would be very long and they could just do research or read guidebooks.
I perfectly agree with you, one needs to do some reading before they decide to go somewhere because this way he/she would find out if they like to see that particular place or not. I don't go to places that I wouldn't enjoy. I don't book flights to destinations I don't know anything about or how much time I need to see what ever I like to.

Pat,

2-3 hours away from a city is a long distance and believe people are less likely to know about sites in the cities "around" their residency or birth city.
For exemple, I am about 2 hours from Pittsburg, PA and I don't know much about it, but I can tell you many things about Cleveland, where I've lived for 12 years.

Ha Ha Carroll.What a great joke!
Don't be offended because you are from Pittsburg(h).

Bea, It's okay that you don't know where anything is in Pittsburgh, but please -- learn how to spell it! :)

Lamont, I think there are a fair number of people that don't want to go to the trouble of reading books about places, making decisions on what to see, etc. They know there are people out there who have already been to the places they're planning, so they are looking for a shortcut. Essentially what they're asking is "you already went to the trouble of finding out what is in city X; tell me what you saw, where you ate, where you stayed, so I can imitate your choices". Because everyone knows that all people share the same preferences and judgements :-)

One of the great pleasures to be had in planning a trip is reading as many books as you can get your hands on before you depart. I brought along 4 guidebooks even after reading a ton at home. Then the apartment we stayed in had a ton of guidebooks in it already, and I didn't use 2 of the 4 books I brought!

No offense taken, Bea. I was just trying to educate you. :)

(I give you special bonus points for spelling my name correctly.)

I agree with Dave, I read everything I can get my hands on about the trip. I ususally schedule mine a year in advance, so it helps pass the time.

I have some patience with these questions, but because I assume that they have done some looking and the context is not from "zero" point. If someone were to ask about Paris...I would not respond with the Eifel Tower or the Louvre, but I would maybe mention visiting a certain market, shopping on a little known street, or maybe visiting a certain cheese shop or bakery. Things not found in most guidebooks. NOW, those who book a hotel or buy an airline ticket...THEN ask about experiences or opinions...stump me.

I too do not understand why someone would travel to a place about which they know nothing. It's a little easier understanding the either/or questions, but the answers are the same: do your home work then be specific with your questions on this site. My reason for travel? I love the UK and I love being there. People only retain information about a place because they have a passing interest in it, even an unfavorable one. It doesn't matter if it 2 hours away or 12 hours away. I know more about London than I do San Francisco.
Many people are just plain comfortable where they are and have never been bothered about such things as "what to see in Paris" (hard to believe, but there it is). They are more to be pitied than censored. We just need to help them know what we know and send them off into the world. Eddie

For me I have had a hard time finding books that are not all about museums and monuments. I want to SEE Paris ect... so I ask the more experienced indivuduals that live or visited extensivley to the area and give me an idea of what is best for an insiders view. I don't understand not knowing the country of travel at all. I have done more research for my trip in December than I did in some semesters of college. I think that learning about a place before you go is part of the excitement and if you don't do at least a little on your own I think you miss out on a very important aspect.

I think most of us here are like me and completely obsessed with travel. Planning my next trip is one of my biggest hobbies. I've got about 3-4 in my head right now. My husband could care less about the planning part but loves traveling nonetheless, so it actually works out well, I just tell him what we're going to do and he happily goes along.

But I do need to put limits on my obsession, otherwise I'd never get anything done. There can be too much information out there. Rick's books are great for paring everything down, but if you want to venture outside of what he recommends, the information out there can be overwhelming. My first visit to Europe was to Paris, and the guidebooks I read listed EVERYTHING there was to do in Paris. It was way too much. Luckily, I was visiting a friend over there, so she helped me work out what was a "must-see" and what wasn't.

As far as why I travel, I love the experience of getting out and visiting new cultures. For me, a real vacation is a place that doesn't remind me of home, with different money, different food, different language, and not a McDonald's in sight. It can be an adventure, and we've seen (and stayed in) some real duds, but it always makes for good stories.

Maureen, I agree with everything you said. My husband sounds just like yours, and I am so thankful because I love to plan vacations.

I have known people who enjoy traveling, but hate planning trips. They get overwhelmed and hate making decisions. That part I can understand. I have had times when I've felt overwhelmed, but that was mostly when I first started to travel. It rarely happens any more, I think because experience helps you to focus more quickly, and you know where to go for information. I've also felt that agony of not being able to make up my mind. I still occasionally have trouble making decisions, but I rarely agonize over it. I now recognize that I am not going to see everything I want in the world, so I am much more inclined to just pick a place and make the best of it. Most of the time the decisions are between two good choices, and you will have a great trip no matter which one you choose.

One scenario--someone is being sent on business and doesn't have a lot of advance notice to use on research for things to do when they have down time from work. Another possibility, they have a map hanging on their wall and each year they throw a dart (while blindfolded, of course) and where the dart lands is where they are going on vacation. Then, finding the travel books completely overwhelming, pop onto a forum like this one...

Lisa, please keep your politics off this board. I dont think anyone cares what your leanings are. There are other boards for that.

These questions are not typical, but when asked there almost never include the sort of information that would be helpful in answering it. Such as, likes and dislikes, goals, style, and preferences.

There's never any shortage of advice, though, from people willing to explain what they would see on such a trip.

It can be hard work to honestly know what one truly likes and prefers. But those who post such open-ended questions are substituting the preferences of strangers for their own.

I don't know why they do this.