Dream trip and uninterested spouse

[Anonymous]

You have many options*, as mentioned here. You are stopping yourself, not your husband. See that for what it us.

*Join a high end group tour.

Take a cheaper tour, that a friend could afford.

Treat a friend, or relative. Many people would be overjoyed to share in this adventure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I thought about this thread when having a conversation with my mother this afternoon. My mother was one of those people who always felt it was "right" that she had to travel with my father and that to go on her own, or even with a friend, wasn't "right." She couldn't explain why but that was how she approached travel for the last 50 years. So all their trips were always trips my father would do and she passed up opportunities to go with a friend to places my father didn't want to go. My father had no interest in the great national parks of the west, for example, so she's never been to the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone even if she has been to Rome half a dozen times.

And now my father has Parkinsons and cannot travel. She is effectively stuck with him 24/7 as his primary caregiver. But my sister and I are helping out. She's going to Ireland on her own to visit an old friend, and will spend five days in Iceland as part of that trip, on her own. We're signing her up on a local tour. She's excited because she's always wanted to see Iceland, another place my father wasn't interested in. And today she was saying how sorry she was to pass up all the possible trips when she was younger and still more active and to parts of the world my father refused to contemplate. And that is the biggest regret of the last 50 years of an otherwise happy marriage.

You are only going to get older. And the day will come when you won't be able to travel any more. Healthwise, you never know what will happen. No one expected my father to develop Parkinsons and become homebound. If you really want to see a wonderful African safari, go. Just do it. Tours are out there. There's no shame in traveling solo. There's no need to be fearful. And I think married couples can too quickly forget the pleasures of being on your own for a bit and going on a trip by yourself for a bit. You won't regret it.

OP, listen to this person. It's fine that your husband isn't interested in a safari. They're expensive, so be glad to save the money and spend it on a luxury tour for yourself. Look at it this way: if you don't play golf and your husband does, would you want to go play the great courses of Scotland and Ireland, golfing 36 holes a day for a week? Probably not. If someone isn't interested in something, they just aren't. It's not wrong, it just is. But to expect someone else to do it anyway is wrong. Just go. Have him go on whatever trip that interest him that does not interest you. Fly fishing in the bush of Canada. Whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think OP has ever returned to this thread. It should probably end.

I disagree. Some really great links to things I am exploring.

Would love to hear about more luxury travel groups/itinerary for single female travelers

[Anonymous]

1. He's being an ass.
2. I went on safari alone and it was AMAZING!!! I had some trepidation beforehand but I felt totally safe and loved having it to myself. It was the most relaxing, restorative, amazing experience ever. GO GO GO!!!
3. I'll go with you!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just looking to vent, but a reality check on whether I'm being reasonable would be good. My dream vacation is a safari. We have the $$ to do it in a nice and safe way. DH is adamant that he is completely uninterested and will never go on such a trip. No moral opposition, just thinks it seems boring and silly and not a way he wants to spend his time. As a woman this is not a trip that's safe to go on alone, and I wouldn't be able to convince any friends to go on such a trip. Is he being an ass or is it silly of me to try to push something he doesn't care to do?

Take the trip with a tour group like Globus. Leave your hubby home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think OP has ever returned to this thread. It should probably end.

I disagree. Some really great links to things I am exploring.

Would love to hear about more luxury travel groups/itinerary for single female travelers

National Geographic/Lindblad has amazing trips.

[Anonymous]

I spent 4 years of my childhood in Kenya while my father was posted there and my parents made sure we visited every national park and natural attraction in the area. I feel so fortunate to have had that experience. Africa is a magical continent. I can’t wait for my kids to grow up so we can start traveling there.
Go solo, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think OP has ever returned to this thread. It should probably end.

OP disappeared once it became clear that no one was going to bash the husband.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think OP has ever returned to this thread. It should probably end.

Why? Is there a rule that when OP stops responding, a thread needs to end??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think OP has ever returned to this thread. It should probably end.

I disagree. Some really great links to things I am exploring.

Would love to hear about more luxury travel groups/itinerary for single female travelers

+1!

[Anonymous]

Safaris are boring

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think OP has ever returned to this thread. It should probably end.

I disagree. Some really great links to things I am exploring.

Would love to hear about more luxury travel groups/itinerary for single female travelers

+1!

Start a new thread and ask for links

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Safaris are boring

Really? Why?

We are going over winter break…so tell.