Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the appeal of living like a local. The best vacations are nothing like how locals live.

No, that’s not a vacation. That’s artificial and you learn nothing.

OP here. I never really said I “live like a local.” But when I go on, ahem, “vacation” I like to go where I’m fluent in the (second) language, spend extra time, get to know people, and return and see them again. And I always take my time. There’s nothing better just doing nothing for a day or two when you’re traveling because you know there’s no rush. Or when you’re walking down the street and people see you and wave to you because they know you. And you have phone numbers and you exchange WhatsApp messages with your new and old friends when you’re back in the states.

It’s just a different, and better experience. To me when you have an “itinerary” and “must sees” and you’re in some fancy hotel and it’s all about “where are we going to eat?“ that’s not fun to me. That’s work — just of a different kind. Boring. No thank you.

You’ve strayed far from your original post and managed to get more obnoxious with every update. Enjoy your travels and we’ll enjoy ours.

Agree 100%. And this getting to know people and living like them is just do phony and pretentious. Unless you’re going to Burkina Faso or Haiti, most people around the world are living pretty much the same. Drinking a different wine and walking to a small out of the way market, for a loaf of bread, doesn’t make you enlightened.

That you really think this is true means you haven’t done it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the appeal of living like a local. The best vacations are nothing like how locals live.

No, that’s not a vacation. That’s artificial and you learn nothing.

OP here. I never really said I “live like a local.” But when I go on, ahem, “vacation” I like to go where I’m fluent in the (second) language, spend extra time, get to know people, and return and see them again. And I always take my time. There’s nothing better just doing nothing for a day or two when you’re traveling because you know there’s no rush. Or when you’re walking down the street and people see you and wave to you because they know you. And you have phone numbers and you exchange WhatsApp messages with your new and old friends when you’re back in the states.

It’s just a different, and better experience. To me when you have an “itinerary” and “must sees” and you’re in some fancy hotel and it’s all about “where are we going to eat?“ that’s not fun to me. That’s work — just of a different kind. Boring. No thank you.

How much PTO do you get in a year?

I retired young. Haven’t worked in 10+ years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the appeal of living like a local. The best vacations are nothing like how locals live.

No, that’s not a vacation. That’s artificial and you learn nothing.

OP here. I never really said I “live like a local.” But when I go on, ahem, “vacation” I like to go where I’m fluent in the (second) language, spend extra time, get to know people, and return and see them again. And I always take my time. There’s nothing better just doing nothing for a day or two when you’re traveling because you know there’s no rush. Or when you’re walking down the street and people see you and wave to you because they know you. And you have phone numbers and you exchange WhatsApp messages with your new and old friends when you’re back in the states.

It’s just a different, and better experience. To me when you have an “itinerary” and “must sees” and you’re in some fancy hotel and it’s all about “where are we going to eat?“ that’s not fun to me. That’s work — just of a different kind. Boring. No thank you.

You quoted me, op/pp, and you’ve made a lot of weird assumptions.

FTR, I don’t have an itinerary or busy agenda. I prefer to play it by ear and my daily goal is to simply have a fun day.

We do enjoy eating, but we rarely make reservations. We like finding local bakeries and fun places. We love live music and seek it out in small venues.

I have WhatsApp #s for lots of folks we’ve met abroad. So? I’m FB friends with cool drivers we hired and hung out with in Kotor and St. Kitts and guys we chartered boats with in St. Thomas and Split. I also have friends who work on cruise ships and in hotels. So?

It sounds like you like to visit the same places time and again and that’s fine. A relative owns a villa in Tuscany and goes there twice a year for extended periods. I only lasted a week before I wanted to move on. I can lounge on a beach or boat all day, but I need a change of scenery at some point.

I don’t think you realize that your bizarre definition of “travel” isn’t actually a thing. You want it to mean a higher level of authenticity but the reality is the common usage means something else.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the appeal of living like a local. The best vacations are nothing like how locals live.

No, that’s not a vacation. That’s artificial and you learn nothing.

OP here. I never really said I “live like a local.” But when I go on, ahem, “vacation” I like to go where I’m fluent in the (second) language, spend extra time, get to know people, and return and see them again. And I always take my time. There’s nothing better just doing nothing for a day or two when you’re traveling because you know there’s no rush. Or when you’re walking down the street and people see you and wave to you because they know you. And you have phone numbers and you exchange WhatsApp messages with your new and old friends when you’re back in the states.

It’s just a different, and better experience. To me when you have an “itinerary” and “must sees” and you’re in some fancy hotel and it’s all about “where are we going to eat?“ that’s not fun to me. That’s work — just of a different kind. Boring. No thank you.

You quoted me, op/pp, and you’ve made a lot of weird assumptions.

FTR, I don’t have an itinerary or busy agenda. I prefer to play it by ear and my daily goal is to simply have a fun day.

We do enjoy eating, but we rarely make reservations. We like finding local bakeries and fun places. We love live music and seek it out in small venues.

I have WhatsApp #s for lots of folks we’ve met abroad. So? I’m FB friends with cool drivers we hired and hung out with in Kotor and St. Kitts and guys we chartered boats with in St. Thomas and Split. I also have friends who work on cruise ships and in hotels. So?

It sounds like you like to visit the same places time and again and that’s fine. A relative owns a villa in Tuscany and goes there twice a year for extended periods. I only lasted a week before I wanted to move on. I can lounge on a beach or boat all day, but I need a change of scenery at some point.

I don’t think you realize that your bizarre definition of “travel” isn’t actually a thing. You want it to mean a higher level of authenticity but the reality is the common usage means something else.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the appeal of living like a local. The best vacations are nothing like how locals live.

No, that’s not a vacation. That’s artificial and you learn nothing.

OP here. I never really said I “live like a local.” But when I go on, ahem, “vacation” I like to go where I’m fluent in the (second) language, spend extra time, get to know people, and return and see them again. And I always take my time. There’s nothing better just doing nothing for a day or two when you’re traveling because you know there’s no rush. Or when you’re walking down the street and people see you and wave to you because they know you. And you have phone numbers and you exchange WhatsApp messages with your new and old friends when you’re back in the states.

It’s just a different, and better experience. To me when you have an “itinerary” and “must sees” and you’re in some fancy hotel and it’s all about “where are we going to eat?“ that’s not fun to me. That’s work — just of a different kind. Boring. No thank you.

You’ve strayed far from your original post and managed to get more obnoxious with every update. Enjoy your travels and we’ll enjoy ours.

Agree 100%. And this getting to know people and living like them is just do phony and pretentious. Unless you’re going to Burkina Faso or Haiti, most people around the world are living pretty much the same. Drinking a different wine and walking to a small out of the way market, for a loaf of bread, doesn’t make you enlightened.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the appeal of living like a local. The best vacations are nothing like how locals live.

No, that’s not a vacation. That’s artificial and you learn nothing.

OP here. I never really said I “live like a local.” But when I go on, ahem, “vacation” I like to go where I’m fluent in the (second) language, spend extra time, get to know people, and return and see them again. And I always take my time. There’s nothing better just doing nothing for a day or two when you’re traveling because you know there’s no rush. Or when you’re walking down the street and people see you and wave to you because they know you. And you have phone numbers and you exchange WhatsApp messages with your new and old friends when you’re back in the states.

It’s just a different, and better experience. To me when you have an “itinerary” and “must sees” and you’re in some fancy hotel and it’s all about “where are we going to eat?“ that’s not fun to me. That’s work — just of a different kind. Boring. No thank you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the appeal of living like a local. The best vacations are nothing like how locals live.

No, that’s not a vacation. That’s artificial and you learn nothing.

OP here. I never really said I “live like a local.” But when I go on, ahem, “vacation” I like to go where I’m fluent in the (second) language, spend extra time, get to know people, and return and see them again. And I always take my time. There’s nothing better just doing nothing for a day or two when you’re traveling because you know there’s no rush. Or when you’re walking down the street and people see you and wave to you because they know you. And you have phone numbers and you exchange WhatsApp messages with your new and old friends when you’re back in the states.

It’s just a different, and better experience. To me when you have an “itinerary” and “must sees” and you’re in some fancy hotel and it’s all about “where are we going to eat?“ that’s not fun to me. That’s work — just of a different kind. Boring. No thank you.

You’ve strayed far from your original post and managed to get more obnoxious with every update. Enjoy your travels and we’ll enjoy ours.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the appeal of living like a local. The best vacations are nothing like how locals live.

No, that’s not a vacation. That’s artificial and you learn nothing.

OP here. I never really said I “live like a local.” But when I go on, ahem, “vacation” I like to go where I’m fluent in the (second) language, spend extra time, get to know people, and return and see them again. And I always take my time. There’s nothing better just doing nothing for a day or two when you’re traveling because you know there’s no rush. Or when you’re walking down the street and people see you and wave to you because they know you. And you have phone numbers and you exchange WhatsApp messages with your new and old friends when you’re back in the states.

It’s just a different, and better experience. To me when you have an “itinerary” and “must sees” and you’re in some fancy hotel and it’s all about “where are we going to eat?“ that’s not fun to me. That’s work — just of a different kind. Boring. No thank you.

How much PTO do you get in a year?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the appeal of living like a local. The best vacations are nothing like how locals live.

No, that’s not a vacation. That’s artificial and you learn nothing.

OP here. I never really said I “live like a local.” But when I go on, ahem, “vacation” I like to go where I’m fluent in the (second) language, spend extra time, get to know people, and return and see them again. And I always take my time. There’s nothing better just doing nothing for a day or two when you’re traveling because you know there’s no rush. Or when you’re walking down the street and people see you and wave to you because they know you. And you have phone numbers and you exchange WhatsApp messages with your new and old friends when you’re back in the states.

It’s just a different, and better experience. To me when you have an “itinerary” and “must sees” and you’re in some fancy hotel and it’s all about “where are we going to eat?“ that’s not fun to me. That’s work — just of a different kind. Boring. No thank you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the appeal of living like a local. The best vacations are nothing like how locals live.

No, that’s not a vacation. That’s artificial and you learn nothing.

OP here. I never really said I “live like a local.” But when I go on, ahem, “vacation” I like to go where I’m fluent in the (second) language, spend extra time, get to know people, and return and see them again. And I always take my time. There’s nothing better just doing nothing for a day or two when you’re traveling because you know there’s no rush. Or when you’re walking down the street and people see you and wave to you because they know you. And you have phone numbers and you exchange WhatsApp messages with your new and old friends when you’re back in the states.

It’s just a different, and better experience. To me when you have an “itinerary” and “must sees” and you’re in some fancy hotel and it’s all about “where are we going to eat?“ that’s not fun to me. That’s work — just of a different kind. Boring. No thank you.

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the appeal of living like a local. The best vacations are nothing like how locals live.

Anonymous wrote:I used to be the Airbnb person and off the beaten path person. I might still have off the beaten path tendencies but a hotel is just fine and I’m okay being a tourist. I still can’t get behind tour groups or cruises but who knows what I’ll think in another 15 years.