Travel Conundrum

Richard, I love England too, and I am flat out green envious (I confess) over the idea of a whole month in London. I feel so at home there and only knowing that I'd miss my family and friends here, keeps me from seriously thinking about living there - well, that and the cost. And my dog. And after a trip around East Anglia several years ago with an English friend, I second that recommendation. Loved it. I keep going back to London instead of mainland Europe. By now it's been 2.5 years since I was in London. (Spent all my $$ earlier this year on a Hawaii cruise, it was a family thing - and ultimately a very very very expensive and crappy way to spend time with much-loved cousins and see some islands. Never. again.) So, now. Although I'm hanging around online discussion forums, chatting with peeps at our Denver RS travel group, and reading up on various tours to France, Italy, Germany, etc.? I find what I'm eager to do - vs. just interested - is a 1 to 2 week trip by (mostly) rail within the UK. I know I'm missing out by not going to mainland Europe. But OTOH this rail trip would take me to places I've never been before within the UK. With, I admit it, a revisit for a few days to London. Can't just fly in and out again without a few days there. No. way. in. hell. I can't offer advice. In fact I'm lined up right behind you, very interested to read what people are going to say about this. I really am not uninterested in some European (mainland) travel, just more truly enthusiastic about seeing more in the UK that I still haven't ever seen.

I know how you feel Richard! I love Paris and would love to live there, or somewhere close so I could go whenever I wanted. The difference between us is that when I do go to Paris it is in addition to other places. And I don't go there every trip to Europe. As much as you love London and all things England, there are many fantastic places in Europe to go. You don't say if you have traveled outside of English speaking Europe. Maybe you are intimidated by other languages and feel more comfortable without that language barrier? I encourage you to branch out and see some new places. England isn't going anywhere and you can always return there another time.

Andrea and I posted almost simultaneously and she asks a very good question - about languages. I'll answer for myself, since I'm sort of hijacking Richard's thread - though I'd prefer to say I'm only coat-tailing. I've now traveled in Asia, S. America, and even a few days in Fiji, and can honestly say that although I'd love to be fluent in every language I encounter, I know it's not necessary in order to enjoy a trip to another country. I am cautious enough about it that I'd probably take some RS type of tour at least my first trip across the Channel. But for me, language isn't the barrier it would have been several years ago. When I was younger, more inhibited, and less traveled.

For me it's Italy. I keep going back, revisiting places I've been to and adding new ones. Next year I'm flying into Berlin and out of Amsterdam in an effort to expand my European horizons - but I've tried it before and just gotten the first train to Italy, so who knows? If you have a lot of time you might split some time in England with some time in one of the other cities that interests you (flying is quick and cheaper than you might think). In Italy, I go to Sicily and the south where I encounter fewer tourists (as you do in England). The only must-sees are the places you feel you must see, so travel and be happy wherever you go.

I too love London and keep returning to it when I visit Europe. Here's how I do it. I don't fly open jaw. I fly in and out of Heathrow so I can spend sometime in London before I travel elsewhere and some time there at the end of the trip before I return to the Land of La. I know in my heart there is no way I'd fly LAX to Europe for any reason and not spend at least 3 days in London. Simply my personal preference. With the likes of Ryan Air, Easy Jet, and the train systems it's was very easy to see Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence, Paris, Vienna, Copenhagen, Dublin, Belfast, Istanbul, Amsterdam, Munich, Zurich, Geneva, and points in between over the years. Still have Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Wales, Sweden, Norway, Ukraine, Poland, etc. etc. etc. to explore. The great thing about European travel is you can have breakfast in one great city and dinner in another. Just commented on this to a friend who lives in England and who has been to Portugal, Italy and Spain over the past few months for a week or two in each. I fly from Burbank to the Bay Area and back frequently. An hour flight portal to portal. Love San Francisco, truly do, but it's nothing like being able to board a plane or a train and be able see Paris or Rome or Istanbul in a matter of hours.

To be clear, I have been to Paris,Milan,Prague,Berlin, Bacharach as well as Latin America and Thailand. Its not like I've never been outside the UK. On this trip I hadn't planned to go to London, but friends wanted to go so I went with them.

Richard, I know the feeling. ; ) I've traveled all over the US (still missing Alaska, North Dakota and Hawaii), to Canada, to Mexico and to Europe. But for the last 15 years or so the UK has been my main destination, particularly Scotland. When I was in college I spent six months in Germany with a lot of European travel. Now, I have friends in Scotland and also work for a UK firm and so have business reasons that take me to England. I feel extraordinarily comfortable there and even am starting to get a handle on politics and football, but not Cricket. I fear the latter is a lost cause! And yet I know that there are still lots of places to explore. But, I definitely am worried that I am in a rut and need to explore other places. At first, I did a couple of trips just to other placesa two week trip to France and a Rick Steves tour of Berlin, Prague and Vienna. More recently, I comboed my trip to Scotland with a visit to Belgium and the Netherlands. I was glad I did these trips as they reminded me that I do like to up the level of exploring the new and need to push myself into learning about really different places. So, I say keep going back to London and the UK and enjoy the familiar, but every once in a while break out of your rut to explore somewhere new. Pam

There are no bad choices here. Pick the one that you think you will enjoy the most. I really like England too and could have a great time going there over and over and seeing every region of the country. But I want to see more of Europe, so I have chosen to go other places instead of returning to England. Only you can decide what is best for you. It's hard to see how either wouldn't make a great trip. Unless you are talking about summer - I wouldn't go to Rome in the summer. Too hot for me.

If I recall correctly, aren't you the person who planned a long, elaborate trip to several places in Europe, then felt overwhelmed once you got there and ended up going to England well in advance of when you originally intended to meet your friends? It sounds like staying put in England really worked out for you - great!! I have been to Ireland four times in recent years because there is always more to see there, and I would happily go back tomorrow. This year I took my second consecutive trip to Spain (and next year will be number three). So I think I would agree with the others who say there is nothing wrong with concentrating on a particular area because you love it, and perhaps branching out a bit once in awhile. I don't think any of us ever get to go everywhere on our "lists".

I too have been to Ireland 3 times since 06. Going back again in 2 days!!!! This time with a little different twist. Will be landing in DUB, bus to Belfast, spend a big half day doing the black taxi and titanic exp, then rail/sail to Scotland for a week, back to Rep of Ireland flying EDI to Knock, then clockwise through Northern Ireland ending up back at Dublin for the flight out. Sounds complicated, but that is the way it worked out, for us to see both Scotland and Northern Ireland. In 06 we spent 2 1/2 days in London first, then 10 days in Ireland. While we enjoyed London, it was not enough time and wished that we had spent the entire 2 weeks in Ireland instead, and then visited London on a subsequent trip, along with the rest of England/Wales. My other European experience, was spent on a 3 week whirlwind tour of Europe between my junior/senior year in highschool. Geneva, Venice, 2 weeks on a Greek Cruise Ship touring the Med. ending in Paris. I found it exhausting (probably do to our rehearsing/performing schedule with a high school honor Band & Choir) so would never do Europe in that manner again. The take-it-slow-in-one-country method is much better in my estimation. I would like to tackle Italy after we get done with England/Wales....but the language barrier is my biggest fear going outside the UK! Would want to rent a car and drive, and am concerned about being able to read and understand road signs...would just have to do my homework. That is what is so appealing to me about Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales...they speak our language....sort of....for the most part!!!! just my 2 cents worth. D

The more places I go to, the more places I want to go back to. And because I enjoy most of the new destinations so much, I keep wanting to try more. So if you stick to one destination, you will have fewer longings and a simpler life :-)

Hello Richard. I think many people who traveled to Europe more than once, are thinking they prefer to go to a country that they were at before and they liked it. Some people choose to go to England repeatedly, because they liked being at England, and they want to visit more places in England, and meet more people in England, and they want to feel that they know England better. I am at that point in my thinking about my future trips. When I returned from my trip to London last year, I thought : now that I am familiar with London's Heathrow airport, and I know where to get on the Hoppa shuttle bus at that airport,and I easily went in a train from the airport to London, and I used an Oyster pass for riding in the London Underground trains, and I have favorite hotels and restaurants in London, I think I would rather go to London again, rather than go to an other big city (on the Europe continent) where I would feel confused and bewildered. You said you went to four other countries in Europe. If you decide to go to England, I think that would not be a foolish choice.

It's your life and your vacation and if you want to go to England, and only England, why shouldn't you? Travel wherever YOU want to. I haven't been to the UK yet because I can't seem to get past an addiction to Vienna and the surrounding area. . A week there seems to be the conerstone of every trip I plan. Plan for Vienna, then whatever else can I work in my remining 10 days. Not the best travel philosophy if one wants to see ALL of Europe, and I really do,someday, but at this moment of my life I find I have only a so-so interest in Paris and zero interest in Italy or Rome. In 2013 I'm combining Vienna and Russia, and in 2014 will combine Vienna with Budapest, SLovenia and Croatia.
You have to go where you want to go. YOU will know in your heart when it's time to move on to someplace else. Of course this is JMHO. Enjoy your trip.

I think you need to be careful not to choose a 'should' but rather a 'want'. Or, another strategy, if this turned out to be your last trip, where would you be the most sorry you hadn't gone...a rather negative approach, but it can adjust your frame of reference appropriately.

Totally in agreement with Vienna. In my trips I have been back six times, still it's on the agenda for the next trip, a fantastic place even if I find it haunting and depressing, still a great feeling being there.

We are rather like Claudia. We've been to Europe more than 40 times and almost every trip included at least a little time in London. Most included time in other parts of the UK too- especially Scotland. Often we'd then go to Austria or Norway. Yes- there is lots of Europe we haven't seen yet. I can't seem to interest hubby in Italy or Spain. We had a very small taste of Paris- and didn't like it (in fact I've never been interested in France). But that doesn't mean other shouldn't try it. And just because we LOVE London doesn't mean others HAVE to go there. Because there is a driect flight from Charlotte to London, we often spend 2 or 3 days there at the beginning of a trip- and often 1 or 2 at the end. We STILL LOVE LONDON! And I would gladly go for a week or 2 right now if I could. I really miss it. London makes a great base for day trips if you want to 'settle down' for a while, too. So do Inverness or Aviemore Scotland. I'm sure there are other places in the UK that make good bases, but those are the ones we've used.
Why not do a combo trip? If you fly out of Charlotte, you could still do an open jaws trip, if that is what you want - into London, out of Rome or Paris or Frankfurt. Other cities offer other options. Plan just a few days to a week in the 'new' place if you want to(pick one YOU are really interested in- not where you THINK OTHERS want/expect you to go). OR just spend the whole trip exploring the UK. While it may be small geographically, it is very 'diverse' culturally. We LOVE Scotland, and parts of Wales, York.... well, you understand. We can't pick this for you- really shouldn't try. Go with YOUR heart.

I have the same issue (though not as much time!) When I discover a place I really like, I want to keep going back...Paris, Provence, Berlin, Vienna...while planning my big trip for this year I was tempted to just go spend a week in Provence, but decided instead to do something completely different and go places I had not only never seen, but never had been that interested in seeing (lol long story how that decision was made, but beer was involved!) Anyway I couldn't be happier with my choice. London will always be there, but it's a known quantity to you now. Try something new, and even if you love it less than London, that's OK - you will go back to London, in the meantime you've experienced a new place, and you'll have more vivid memories and experiences for it. Traveling to places I hadn't been before reminded me of how much I need to see in Europe and really infected me with the bug of wanting to see EVERYTHING - while also making me want to return to the new places I'd seen! The conundrum continues...

I tend to keep planning for places I haven't been. I'm not sure I'll run out of places to see, and be ready for return visits, during this lifetime.

Well, that is indeed the conundrum. Someplace new or someplace well-loved and familiar. My wife and I always err on the side of someplace new. We often talk about the places we'd like to go back to (and, indeed, are repeat offenders when it comes to Paris and Berlin) but generally the answer is that life is short and there are still a lot of places to see.

To be clear, I wasn't talking about just going back to places I've been before. I also meant going to a country I've been to many times and exploring further. For example going to regions I've never been before, but withing a country I feel at home in. But I did mean going to new places, but in England. BTW, I never suggested that I only planned on returning to places I've been before, of course I plan to travel to new places in Europe and beyond. Its really a question of never enough time or money.