You know your a travel addict when

you watch RIck Steves shows from 15 years ago and still see them as relevant

This kills me. LOL

Since I am relatively new to the RS forums, I didn't know about this thread so I followed the link to see how many were 'so me' ... here we go:

1) you start planning your next trip before your current trip is over
2) your idea of "fun" is browsing Tom Bihn, REI, Eagle Creek, and Lady Light travel websites looking at gear and packing strategies (after your daily check of the RS Packing forum, of course!)
3) you constantly figure out where you want to go next and determine whether that will fit in your next 1-3 year's worth of vacation
4) You have 1 drawer in your dresser called the "travel drawer" and you know that by opening that drawer (passport, foreign currency, travel accessories, etc.) and adding about 10 items from your closet you could be out the door and headed to Europe in about 15 minutes
5) you have a "travel wardrobe"
6) when I read something on this forum and add it to my downloads, bookmarks, or my file system - in case I may need it for a future trip "there"
7) you show your husband (wife) your tentative plan...for next May travel...today...and he (she) looks at you, shakes his (her) head and says - you are really weird
8) You put money aside every month in a savings account for travel
9) you answer questions on this board because you think it's fun to look up travel details
10) you watch Rick Steves shows from 15 years ago and still see them as relevant
11) when you have to watch yourself in conversation among people who couldn't care less about your travels as not to blurt out your latest trip details or that your plans for the next Europe trip are under way
12) You just ordered an osprey rolling backpack (hoping it's the perfect bag) even though you already have an osprey back pack
13) when you have 2-3 different file folders going at the same time with upcoming trips ... (2022 update - computer file folders not paper)
14) when you have a separate travel email address and have folders for each trip dating back almost seven years
15) when you save foreign currency from your last trip for next time
16) when you make elaborate spreadsheets to compare tours, destinations, prices, etc

When you were a total bookworm growing up, but now only read travel books (RS of course) and travel blogs and watch travel videos and books related to your "next" trip.

What a great “trip” down memory lane! That thread was one of the best ever. Thanks for bringing it up, Tammy. Gosh, how I miss Zoe!

Thanks, Tammy! This was a great re-read and makes me smile. Reminded me of Allan’s recent question “Why are you here?” - well, here are the answers! Ha!

When you go to buy new shoes and think : "Will these do for travel...if not, I'll find something else that will."

I'm not throwing out or recycling that tiny container or plastic bag.....it'll do for travel.

When all my casual clothing purchases are designed with 'travel' in mind....

I call my casual clothes my retirement uniform.

When you fully remember the original thread, even though you didn't post. (Because all my replies were taken!)

When you time your haircut, mani, pedi, dental cleaning, annual medical checkups and the like around your travel dates, whether you have your travel reservations already or not?

Oh, I miss Zoe’s posts & wisdom she shared with us! I’m going to several smaller towns in Italy soon and was just thinking about her yesterday while I was researching Mantova, “I wonder if Zoe stayed in these towns, and what did she like?” Found this from her during a search:

“ I love Mantova and I would stay two nights, more if you wan to visit some of the other beautiful cities nearby. Verona is a little over an hour away by train, and Peschiera del Garda is a little beyond that. Sabbioneta is also a lovely small town to visit.”

And back to the topic, oh yes, reading through the link and saying “yes” to almost all of the replies! LOL! My coffee table & office “may” be covered in travel planning papers & maps right now. And the wall in the office has eight canvas photos of mostly “back door” lovely memories. ; )

Goanywhere, yes, and not only personal appointments!

I was given kudos one year at work for having all of my engineers I coached successfully completing their year-long projects “months ahead of time”. When the director asked me how I accomplished it, I said, “I was going to Europe in September, so I told them in March they all needed to be completed by the end of August.”

*When you time your haircut, mani, pedi, dental cleaning, annual medical checkups and the like"

Yep. And when you time the dog grooming appointments with your travel dates so she'll be nice for her visit with Grandma!

Thank you for this lovely journey to the past. I, too, miss Zoe. There isn’t one reply here that doesn’t in some way relate to me!

When your employer-issued laptop and only computer dies (as happened to me last week) and your first thought is, “Oh no, I hope I didn’t lose all of my trip notes” instead of “I hope I didn’t lose all my work files.”

I've been thinking of dear Zoe and her missing terribly as I plan my upcoming trip to Italy. I've found some of her old posts that have been useful but most of all I've been using a book she recommended to me Cento Citta, A guide to the "Hundred Cities & Towns" of Italy by Paul Hofmann. The copyright is 1988, but as Zoe assured me and I am finding out it is still relevant today. Face it - we go to see the past and that doesn't change. I found my copy on a used book website.

Tammy, thanks for the post. I hope you get to travel real soon.

For what it's worth, I was born and raised in Cleveland, OH around the corner from Toledo. I'm sure I saw some of Zoe's posts over the years.

And, you know your a travel addict when... We bring our own night light. Blue light Clock App for the tablet and phone. I take a telescopic shoe horn. We have travel bags for our winter boots. Walking stick and weather proof umbrellas. Rucksack with some mountain survival gear (fire steel, knife, panel marker etc). Bought a hiking GPS we don't use. We like to use an older TomTom we are familiar with. Used to have a pocket purse with coins for the parking meters (It's still in the car). I shop for travel deals. I'm here!

20 years ago my parents were big Rick Steve's fans and that brought me in. Can't say I was so happy with the German overnight accommodation suggestions then.

My tribe, my people. That’s how I felt when I found this forum.
Loved these from Laurel:
you watch RIck Steves shows from 15 years ago and still see them as relevant
...you have an army of friends lined up to cat sit
...your children are noticing you spend more on this "habit" than on their college tuition cost

@Jean-love that response about the engineers getting their projects done!
@Chani-going to Paris & France in April!

When you stay up all night finding European flights from one of 3 close airports that are just too cheap to pass up.

When you know the streets of Munich, London and Rome better than your hometown where you've lived 10 years.

When you return and see that Visa bill in the mailbox that beat you home.