What do you do to make the time fly by?

Try August of 2017! Ugh! I just know I am going to explode before then!

In the mean time - planning, spending way too much time here and other travel forums. I watch shows about travel and movies set in the places I'm going. If I am really lucky I will have other smaller trips planned in the interim to help pass the time.

You don't want the time to fly by. The longer the anticipation lasts, the better!

I agree with Christi. Hang out on travel forums and web sites and learn more about the places you're visiting. In particular, I think it's very valuable to learn about the history and culture. You'll gain valuable insights that will enhance your enjoyment. (There's nothing duller than seeing a monument to a famous person you've never heard of. But if you know about that person's legacy and why he or she is important to the residents, it becomes much more interesting.)

I also like to read novels that are set in the places I'm visiting. If you go to the "Explore Europe" section of this web site, select a place you're visiting, and look under "Plan," you'll find Recommended Books and Movies.

But don't do these things to make the time fly. Do them to enjoy the time and increase your potential to enjoy the trip.

You don't need to do anything - time will fly by at the same speed no matter what. Unfortunately, it will seem to fly faster when you're on vacation. I would try to savor both the non-vacation time and the vacation time for what it is. Surely you can make the most of your days prior to your vacation with hobbies and other interests.

I agree with Lane. We arranged our trip to Europe eleven months before we flew. During that time I did a lot of map studying so I felt familiar with street, activity, and restaurant locations and that really helped me feel more comfortable. I guess that confidence showed as I had other tourists approach me asking for directions and I was able to help.
I washed and did test dry times of the clothes I was taking - good thing as the washer and dryer we had access to were not of this world and we ended up doing everything by hand and hanging to dry.
I researched and planned our days, leaving plenty of time for impromptu exploring.
I test packed.
I read and read this forum along with others.
I read and watched videos as much as I could about museums I wanted to see, how to use the transportation, etc.
I asked questions and got great advice here.
Enjoy the time you have left. Trip time will be here before you know it!

I agree with all the above except Agnes' observation that time flies too quickly on trips. My experience is the opposite -- travel lengthens our days and weeks by filling them with new experiences. Each day is a new adventure. The ideal trip ends just when you're tired and ready to go home -- about three weeks for us, sometimes four. Unfortunately, the perception of longer time also applies to flights, which drag on interminably, but they're a necessary evil.

Read about where you're going, not just guidebooks but histories and historical novels. Watch movies from your destinations. Spend a little time each day learning and practicing the languages you'll want -- just basic words and phrases, or maybe more if you have time and youthful neuro connections like I used to. Practice packing and hauling your luggage around your home town, then discard the heavy non-essentials. Drive your friends crazy with descriptions of your plans, but don't let them tell you what you "must see" or "must avoid" based on their reading or experiences, unless they're very experienced travelers. (That can also apply to forums like this one.)

The ideal trip ends just when you're tired and ready to go home -- about three weeks for us, sometimes four.

You're really lucky to have that much time on a trip but most folks in the workforce have less than 3-4 weeks to travel at once, so time can indeed fly fast on a two-week trip when you're packing in sites that would ideally be spread over a much longer period (that would be ideal). I've yet to have a relaxing trip where time really slows down except maybe in Mexico on the beach (but it's so fleeting).

All the comments here are spot on.

When I wish the time would fly by is during the ten plus hour flight from SFO to Europe. I keep my watch set to west coast time until arriving, look at it every so often to see if another hour passed, that is if I 'm not asleep. I make every effort minus any pills to fall asleep, stay that way so that time does seem to fly by prior to arriving , either CDG or FRA or even London.

Well, I started packing today, lol....for my trip that begins the end of August!! Yep, topped up my toiletries in my 3-1-1 bag, reorganized everything into a new toiletries kit I was given to see if I liked how that worked, partially packed my packing cube I use for the back of the seat on the plane and made notes on my packing list spreadsheet on what I need to pick up. I also checked off what I had refilled and where things got stashed because yep, I might forget between now and then. And I threw out any expired meds I just take on vacation and don't normally use.

I held myself back from actually packing clothes!! I am sure they would be wrinkled mess being packed for 4 months.

So true - a week or 10 days zooms by, two weeks still fly by, about week 3 it starts slowing down and 4 weeks you really feel like time slows down! Our last trip was 42 days - we sat there on our last day saying "already? we're not ready to go yet!" Next trip will be about 75 days - 60 days on the ground and 15 night cruise home.

Now the waiting til then will be brutal! But I will have logged many hours in front of the maps of our destinations, planning our visits, researching restaurants & learning the history - all enjoyable time passers!

Great topic! October 6 is the day I jet off to Milan for 2 nights before the Italy in 17 days tour that begins Oct 9th.

To make the time before then productive, I am doing several things that others have suggested, especially reading books and going to movies. Also, using RS Italian phrase book to become more familiar with common words and phrases.
I am going to start a travel group here in Atlanta based on recommendations from others on this forum who have successful groups. This will be a fun way to talk with others who share my travel passion. I have to stop boring my friends!!
Where are you going? I love reading trip reports and itineraries, so please share! Living vicariously is really fun.

Happy travels,
Judy B

Pam: Well, I started packing today, lol....for my trip that begins the end of August!! <-----Haha! Wonderful!

Lane: Thanks for the link! I would have never known.

Wow, everyone - thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking of looking into some history books and studying maps but I was thinking that would take up too MUCH time! Now, I think I will haha!

Keep the suggestions coming!

Judy B and everyone else who might be wondering:

June 28: Leave! Overnight flight into London-Gatwick.

June 29: Arrive at Gatwick. Then flying from there to Nice, France (It was our least expensive option).
June 30: Monaco! We are planning to go to the casinos. My friend likes to gamble so she'll gamble and I'll just follow her around looking at everything, eating and crowd-watching. Only going during the day since we didn't want to pack "fancy" clothing for the gambling crowds in the evening.
July 1: See the sights in Nice!
July 2: Travel to Chamonix.
July 3: Go up Mont Blanc!
July 4: Travel to Paris.
July 5: Versailles! I'm excited about this!
July 6-8: Louvre, Notre Dame and Eiffel Tower. Sightsee in Paris.
July 9: Travel to London.
July 10-11: Sightsee in London. I really wanted to see Hampton Court Palace (big King Henry VIII fan) but just not enough time to go. Since we already see Versailles, I was thinking ole Henry could wait!
July 12: Mad Max Tour in Bath
July 13: Fly Home :(

Anyone who wants to share their itinerary too? I would want some ideas for my next trip - yes, already thinking about my next trip. Plus what other travel forums are out there? I would be interested in a travel forum the focuses on Asia.

Thank you everyone!

Hi,

Just wanted to also say that you don't want time to fly by. It's like anticipating Christmas as a kid. Believe me, the 2 weeks in Europe will fly by and then a few days after coming home the trip will seem like a year ago. Savor and enjoy every day leading up to the trip and really be aware to be in the moment while in Europe.

Paul

Just for fun, I like to use the app- vacation countdown

It will tell you how many days, hours, and minutes until your vacation. It is really fun to check it every few days and see the time ticking down. Unfortunately, it will also keep counting and once you've come back and checking it months later it reminds you of how long ago your vacation was! I deleted it...too depressing to see how long ago our trip was!

I'm spending some of my time taking long walks wearing the shoes I plan to bring for my trip to Italy.

In exactly 3 weeks I will be on the plane for Paris, so time is flying fast for me just now--today I will make decisions about my Budapest itinerary, the second half of my trip--did the Paris part last weekend. Checked my toiletries, have started a pile of things to be packed, know I have the right clothes and shoes just need to decide which ones get to go, so mostly from here on out it's all about reading my Paris and Budapest books in earnest--mostly Paris since Budapest is a return trip and I just need a refresher. More focus on French phrases I'll need and I learned a bit of Hungarian, too; en beszelek kicsit a magyar.

I booked my trip last October so while I do a bit of preliminary planning at the time, in between I usually read books and watch movies pertaining to the places I'll visit.

It's better for me to put the trip out of my mind for a bit. I'll come up with a project and throw myself into it. Ideally, something that absorbs me completely.

To me Versailles and Hampton Court are nothing alike. Versailles is over-the-top opulent. Hampton Court is not. There are some furnished rooms but there is a lot of area that is not filled. Hampton Court seems more livable, lolol.... However, I don't want to add stress because I know there is never enough time to see everything. Just put it on the list for next time.

I was just looking at some previous wish lists for UK and realized I meant to make time to do Bletchley Park on the next visit, but forgot about that when I did my plane reservations and now, you guessed it, I don't have enough time!!

Thanks for inviting us to post current trip plans! Here is what I am doing in August:

Aug 19-24 - Paris (3rd time in 3 years, and not enough time here either!)
Aug 25 - Train to Trier, meet up with a RS GAS tour in 2 days
Sept 9 - GAS ends in Vienna, fly to London
Sept 14 - Train to Salisbury to meet up with a Road Scholar Walking tour (would rather do a RS Southern England tour but all booked!)
Sept 27 - Road Scholar tour ends, back to London for a couple of days
Sept 29 - Fly home realizing I did not spend enough time in Paris or London or....

JudyB, I've done a couple of Rick tours to Italy and have had a wonderful time. I do want to do the 17 day one, just to see Otzi the Iceman!

A thought:

I often will follow Rick's self-guided walks at stops on my itinerary. I've noticed that his directions aren't as perfect as I might like and the maps are fanciful rather than "factful". I find myself often missing a turn or for some reason having to stop and spend time consulting the guidebook to get back on track.

Now, I "pre-walk" the walk using Google street view. I start with Google maps enlarge it down to my starting point, put the little yellow guy in the square or other landmark and move him through the walking tour. It takes time to sort out what Rick is referring to in the book but saves time while I'm actually on the trip.

Brad, I studied street view before my trip to Dublin. I was worried that it would subtract from the "surprise and wonder" of being there, but it worked out great! I was so comfortable in the city and I knew where everything was, it really enhanced my trip.

I am a notorious planner (am on the plan the next 20 years plan). I booked my trip to Ireland 14 months ahead and now am planning a trip to Scandinavia for June, 2017. My plan is to visit all of my genetic homelands and I am part Viking. In addition to reading historical information I like to view travelers photos on TripAdvisor. My favorite preparation comes in watching cop shows from the countries I will visit. There are tons of shows from Sweden, Denmark and Norway. You can hear the language and see the sites and get to know some of the culture. And I also read fiction by local authors and/or that take place there. I have sites picked out that are important in these shows and books. (Ystad, Malmo, Oresund bridge, police headquarters in Copenhagen).

For me, all of the planning and immersion is just as important as the trip itself.

I always use street view to find my lodging too. Not so much to pick lodging as to sort out how to find them when I get there.

I mostly travel without reservations but make a list of places and call ahead in the morning to book before I get to a new town. These are generally small, family-run places and can be hard to spot. A street view before the trip helps me find them and know where the entrance is located.