What are your travel regrets?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I studied abroad in college and really, really wished I hd taken 6-12 mos either before or after grade school to backpack through Europe. Now I am old and have two kids and blah blah blah. My next chance is as an empty nester lol

This is something I DON'T regret. When I was 24 a friend had a free flight voucher so her idea of going to Italy for a week turned into a month spent backpacking around Europe. I booked the flights without first asking for time off from work because I didn't care if they fired me. I also had little money at the time and went to into some debt for the trip, but I still never regretted it. One of the best experiences and sometime I think everyone should do while they are young.

My regret- not traveling more before having kids. We've traveled quite a bit with them, but it's not the same as carefree kid-free trips. Plus when you are younger and have lower standards so travel is much less expensive.

Now that I’m a parent I badger any college interns in my office to do freewheeling overseas travel as soon as they can, while they can. I’m the Ancient Mariner of backpacking.

[Anonymous]

I regret not traveling more when I lived in Europe. I traveled a good amount but should have done more.
I am already bugging my kids that they have to spend half of their summers during college backpacking Europe or Asia.

[Anonymous]

Any travel with kids. Not worth the $$$

[Anonymous]

Current travel regret- not booking a refundable airbnb. As I researched more I wish that instead of staying in one place for a full week we had split it between 2 places in 2 different areas. So stressed that a week in the first location will be too much/that the location won't be a great fit for our family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any travel with kids. Not worth the $$$

I’m thankful my parents took me many places growing up. I value those memories and the experiences I had on our travel adventures. I’m sure I drove my parents nuts at times and they would have had more fun alone, but those are some of my fondest memories with them, memories that will outlive them and bring me happiness once they are gone.

I now give my children the same experiences and now that they are getting older and can help plan and anticipate, they are sharing the same sentiments. I can only hope I’ve given them half the happy memories and experiences I had growing up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any travel with kids. Not worth the $$$

Really?

My kids are great travelers and I love traveling with them. Sure it's nice going without them, but I have never come back from a trip with them and thought it was a waste or money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband won (thru work) a trip for two on a South Africa safari. We had no kids at the time, but the trip was my first week of 1L of law school. I was afraid I was going to fail out if I missed the first week of school, and I didn’t go.

Damn. I’d be kicking myself too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not studying abroad in college, mainly. I think that might have been a great experience AND changed some of my early adult priorities. No regrets: I love my life now and path though.

Same here. It was partially because of cost, but mostly because my parents were not supportive/wouldn’t pay (even though they were paying my school tuition) and I couldn’t figure out how to make it happen on my own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not going to Southeast Asia before I had kids. Don't know when I will do it now. Relatedly, not taking time between college and law school to travel.

I’ve taken my kids to Thailand twice, the first time with one, at 2years old, the second when DCs were 8 and 11. It was a blast and they loved everything about it. Highly recommend.

[Anonymous]

I regret the time I missed not traveling with my kids between 2020-2022. I am still having a hard time realizing all the fun things we missed out on due to the pandemic. I need to get over it, but it still bothers me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any travel with kids. Not worth the $$$

Really?

My kids are great travelers and I love traveling with them. Sure it's nice going without them, but I have never come back from a trip with them and thought it was a waste or money.

x1000

We traveled with our kids from day 1, which I believe has helped them to become adaptable and easy going in unfamiliar surroundings/situations. They also are quite adventurous eaters as well.

[Anonymous]

Not visiting my sister while she lived in Boston. I know I can easily do it now, but it would have been fun in our 20’s before kids/husband/career.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not taking my DS to visit paternal grandparents (my ex’s parents) in Israel when he was still a child. His grandmother often asked us to visit. We would have gone alone, without his dad who was not really involved with him. So a little awkward since I had only met ex’s parents a couple of times. But it was more that there always seemed to be instability, threat of war, bombings, in Israel, that I was worried about travelling alone with a child. I am not Jewish and do not have any other family or friends in Israel. Thought I would wait until he was 12 or older to visit but life got busier, harder to take out of school, then pandemic, and now he’s 18 and could go on his own I guess.

He could probably do birth right.

Is this true even if mom is not Jewish? His dad was born in Israel. Interesting idea that I have never considered. Will look into it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I regret the time I missed not traveling with my kids between 2020-2022. I am still having a hard time realizing all the fun things we missed out on due to the pandemic. I need to get over it, but it still bothers me.

I am definitely thankful that we took a big trip overseas to see family in Dec 2019/right before the world stopped.

The only year we didn't really travel, other than a local beach trip, was 2020.

I regret not traveling more in 2021. The 2 big trips we did take were incredible. Flights were cheap and never full, and even popular paces were, much less busy. It was great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I regret the time I missed not traveling with my kids between 2020-2022. I am still having a hard time realizing all the fun things we missed out on due to the pandemic. I need to get over it, but it still bothers me.

Why didn’t you? We had two of the most chill vacations in the summers of 20/21. We masked, washed hands a lot, were vaccinated, and did everything legally.