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Thursday, December 10, 2009

Are you a once-in-a-lifetime traveller or a creature of habit?

Are you a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ traveller? That is, every country you visit you consider it to be a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience and treat it as such? Do you go to a place thinking you may never get back there again so everything you do is a special adventure? Do you go with the idea that you won’t even dream of returning because there are simply too many other amazing places to explore in the world? Maybe it's more of a financial imperative? Or, do you travel thinking you are definitely going to return some day, so you take it easy, kick back, and don’t put too much pressure on the trip? And in doing so, you find you appreciate the place and the little experiences and everyday moments more? Indeed, if this is a place you end up liking a lot, you won’t have a problem returning the next year, and the next, and perhaps the one after that… so that by the time you’re 80 you could be leaning over to the diners at the next table one night to boast “my husband/wife and I have been coming here every summer for the last 30 years”, as a very contented woman told us one evening in Capri as her beloved husband sliced a ripe juicy peach for her after their meal – a habit that seemed so matter-of-fact, he’d probably been doing it for 30 years… So, which traveller are you? Do have one travel preference over another? Or do you mix it up with destinations you treat as once-in-a-lifetime experiences and favorite holiday spots you return to every year? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

13 comments:

Rachel Cotterill said...

I try to fit in one or two 'once in a lifetime' experiences every year, but I also take a lot of weekend breaks closer to home, when there's a high chance of going back some time.

Anonymous said...

Hey!
I'm very new in this travel thing...since I left my home only in march, and so far I have been living in Africa and in January I'm moving to Central Asia...

But so far, I treated all my adventures and trips as ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience.
And honestly, I think I will also treat central asia as such!

I guess there is no right or wrong!

Bye!

JoAnna said...

I would like to travel like I'll definitely be returning to a place, but I don't always know if that's the case, especially when I travel abroad. So I frequently treat my international travel as a once-in-a-lifetime kind of way with the hopes of returning while my weekend jaunts around the U.S. tend to me much more laid back because there's probably a higher chance that I'll be returning to them again.

AdventureRob said...

I travel slowly, so it's a bit difficult to answer.

I guess I go for once in a lifetime experiences, but come back to them quite a while later, which is spaced out enough to not seem like a habit.

jessiev said...

that's just lovely, the peach story. i like to stay in a place for a while and get the pulse of it - NOT the tourist things. that said, whenever i think i'd be back the next year, life has intruded. so, i guess mine is a mix!

Lara Dunston said...

Hi Rachel

You've inspired another post from me! What makes a travel experience a once-in-a-lifetime experience is what I'd love to know.

Thanks for dropping by!

Lara Dunston said...

Hello Fabio

I think you're right - there's definitely no right or wrong, we all travel differently.

But I'm eager to know what it is that *you* do to treat an experience as a one-in-a-lifetime one?

Thanks!

Lara Dunston said...

Hi JoAnna

I read your comment and my first reaction was to agree with you, but then I remembered my own country Australia... it's interesting that a lot of Aussies will return again and again to places like Thailand and Bali, but they might treat a trip to Uluru/Alice Springs or Kakadu National Park/Darwin, as a once-in-a-lifetime experience as they're so far away from where the vast amount of Australians live on the east coast... interesting, isn't it?

Thanks for your comments!

Lara Dunston said...

Hi Rob

But do you *always* travel slowly? And what makes that different for you?
I'm intrigued.

Thanks for stopping by!

Lara Dunston said...

Hi Jessie

Yeah, I can relate to that!

The peach scene was very touching to watch actually... I admired the longevity of that couple's relationship, their spirit, and their connection, how much they still cared for each other, and how much they still strove to please each other. It was a beautiful scene. I really wish I had a photo of a peach for this post.

Good to hear from you!

bedandbreakfastworld.com said...

It's a good point. There are plenty of places I'd love to go back to, but I always feel there's so much to see that if I have the time and money to travel (which is rare) I should use it going somewhere new.

Ironically, I have no problem revisiting the same restaurant over and over again and choosing the same items from the menu!

Matt said...

I treat almost everything as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, even local weekend trips.

I keep reminding myself that there are people that spend a lot of money to get to my stomping grounds and I would do well to appreciate it. Some of my best experiences have been finding something locally that I never knew existed.

Kitty Miller said...

I think it is very essential that we should make a trip in a year for a month because it is very good for our health. Ya many times i thought that we should stay here for life time when i go any wonderful place. i love new your a lot. I read your post it is really awesome. thanks:)