www.banfflakelouise.com/

This place got me thinking about travel. Is that all it is? Go see touristy stuff? It's all anchored like Mania Weekend, they're here... so build it and they will come. Any major landmark is gonna have stuff to do and see? Is that all vacationing is? Seeing stuff, buying stuff, eating stuff in a new place? Cuz like any time off I get I get asked if I go anywhere. It's never crossed my mind. Always "stay in hometown uncultured swine" type of nothing personality. But I saw some stills and it's like wow. Might need to combine time off and let them sink or swim, but if not for hotel bedbugs... traveling seems like a human experience you should experience.

Like when people travel where are they going? What are they doing? Like all this sitcom stuff, renting a cabin... LAS VEGAS... etc. is that all it is? Touristy stuff, but ALL DA WORLD? If I understood I'd be more human. What is people doing?

Also Maple Backs do you know of this place?

I once likened not travelling to writing a book, penning the first few chapters then skipping to the end. And having nothing of significance to fill the inbetween.

I’ve said it before but I absolutely love travelling and even the actual act of travelling to an extent, I took a 4 hour train trip just go to the cinema a few weeks ago.

It’s when I’m at my happiest when I’m at places that aren’t my hometown, it’s the combination of seeing new places for the first time and just being a traveller passing through. I’ve never encountered hotel bugs in all of the hotels I’ve stayed at, from budget to luxury.

I think travelling outside the US may change your perspective on a lot of things, whenever you go you can still got on PW so you’ll feel right at home.

Travel has become a bit of a meme of late with people putting "Adventures" as one of their passions, when normally it entails getting pissed with other travellers in a Westernised bar somewhere or a steady stream of Instagram worth locations with captions like #blessed or #adventure. You don't experience anything through a viewfinder.

Most of these people aren't gaining anything from the experience that they wouldn't have gotten off a documentary. The point, well for me anyway, is to expand your mind and challenge your thinking.

You don't have to be going to exotic places, but it needs to be somewhere different to where you are. The point is to experience what other people experience to understand how their life choices and reality is shaped by this. What it teaches you about your reality and choices, real or imagined.

I have found travelling consistently removed ideas and barriers I had about how my life was to be lived. Learning what false assumptions your decisions are made on.

I'm not saying I have this super amazing life, but it's not ordinary. A big part of that is the travel I have done and the people and cultures I met along the way. As your empathy grows so does your mind.
I have met almost billionaires and people living in abject poverty, there are lessons and truths in everything and everyone.

If you haven't immersed yourself in another culture, you can't speak about your own objectively.

The single greatest lesson I took, was that though travel makes the world a small place, it is enormous and there is plenty of room for you to make your mark and do things your way.

I live 4 hours away from there @ness. Despite being fairly close, I usually only get there once every 2-4 years or so. Honestly, when someone says 'go to your Happy Place' I picture that view of Lake Louise in the picture with the canoeists. It is magnificent and breath taking every time and every time I go I say 'why don't I come here more?' Because it's fucking expensive that's why! Plus I like to diversify my experiences. I like taking people there though, so if you come here, we'll go.

I love to travel in that there's just so much in the world to see and do. So many cultures and history to explore. I find when I explore these things, it gives me an insight into other people and myself. I'm a go, go, go; see, see, see; do, do ,do type of tourist in that I never know if I'll ever be back to that place again so I want to see everything I can, experience as much as possible. There's many times I speak to locals and I've seen and done more than they have in their own backyards, but this way I have no regrets. I'm in the US usually twice a year and have only been to a couple of places there more than once: Los Angeles, Orlando, Vegas, San Antonio. It is my dream to travel around Europe. So far I have only been to the UK and still have much of it to explore.

I disagree with NATH45's take that one's life is empty if one hasn't travelled. You can have a perfectly fulfilling life without leaving your home country, or even your home city. In the end what makes us go around is other people. Even if I had never left England I still would have met many people from many different countries and cultures. Every human is a collection of stories, each one more captivating than any book.

However I agree there is no better way to experience a different culture than to travel. By that I don't mean booking a three-day trip in your favourite foreign city, hitting all the top tourist hotspots and calling it a day. That's a tourist experience, not a cultural experience. There's definitely nothing wrong with that but for me personally it's a shallow reason to travel. I wouldn't visit a city with the sole purpose of ticking all the tourist checkboxes. I am well-travelled but most of my trips have been to places where my friends live. I see a lot of value in visiting a city and experiencing it from the point of view of a citizen. If there are some touristy places there that interest me I'd definitely check them out, but it's not a requirement.

What I really don't understand is people who travel just to go to a big ol' party in the same way they would at home. "Hey let's spend two weeks in Ibiza, party all day and all night!" What a waste. But I guess if that's how people like to enjoy themselves, can I really blame them?

Most travel shit is just a commie conspiracy to get red blooded Americans to subsidized socialist countries.

Travelling is one of life's great pleasures in my opinion, when you get to do it for leisure. I imagine travel for work is tedious at best.

@ness you should definitely go be a tourist at Lake Louise. Shut your brain off from your regular day to day life. Go be a tourist. Absorb the majestic scenery. Relax. Meditate. Read. Eat. Walk. Just do some mindless activities and enjoy the brief freedom.

And to answer your question, everyone in Canada knows about Banff + Lake Louise. Major cities not withstanding, it's one of two major tourist destinations in Canada, with Niagara Falls being the other.

I don’t necessarily enjoy the act of travelling, I enjoy the destination it gets me to and the experiences I receive.

I hate long train rides for example, but I love the concerts I get to enjoy/the shops I get to go to at the end of it.
I do enjoy long car rides to an extent, but it’s mainly about where I’m going.

I’m planning a holiday to New Zealand atm and I am beyond excited for it. I’m sure System is ready to murder me.
I’m dreading the airport wait, especially if there are any delays. I dread waiting for people to move/getting bags etc.
but I am overjoyed at everything that I have planned and want to do.
The holiday isn’t planned until June, but I have the itinerary already written out. Things booked and paid for. Trying to fit in as much as possible.

I am excited for the things in between. The beautiful scenery we get to see and experience. I am getting a hire car so I’ll be driving the entire time with the exception of one day, but the plane ride I'm dreading going in and especially coming back. Because once we are back, it’s then a long train ride, and then a car ride to get home 😭

New Zealand is great. Make sure you're doing both Islands as they are completely different worlds.. and pack for both warm and cold weather.

We were in NZ in June 2016, hot towards the top of the North Island - swimming, canoeing, snorkelling, etc then beyond freezing cold in the South.

And there's almost too much to do outdoors. You won't be bored.

That, and it's a short flight.

May 4, 2023 19:38:43 GMT NATH45 said:

New Zealand is great. Make sure you're doing both Islands as they are completely different worlds.. and pack for both warm and cold weather.

We were in NZ in June 2016, hot towards the top of the North Island - swimming, canoeing, snorkelling, etc then beyond freezing cold in the South.

And there's almost too much to do outdoors. You won't be bored.

That, and it's a short flight.

I’m only going for a week, I’m casual and don’t get paid holiday leave sadly. So just concentrating on the North Island this time 😊 I plan to go back in the summer season and do the South.
There is so much to do just looking at the north, I’ve jammed back so many things into the week. I’m extremely excited, but worried I’ll have to cut something out.

I love that it’s a short flight! Also going in June it’s so cheap which was nice. 😁😁

Be warned, New Zealand is trying to kill you. Every outdoor activity is extreme.

These guys will let you on a quad bike with nothing more than showing them you can cut a lap around a little track, and then they'll let you rip the shit out of that thing up and down a mountain with zero disregard. Amazing country. We've banned the bikes here in Oz, but NZ is loose.

That, and if anyone asks you if you want to sit at the front when white water rafting in Rotorua.. the answer is, No. I have the scars to prove it.

I'm more of a weekend warrior with several small trips or events closer to home vs the big vacation get away. Don't get me wrong I enjoy a big trip every now and then but I can not do it every year. Plus flying does not really agree me.

I am over travelling for making my own memories. I am like a monk on top of the hill waiting to be inspired to come down. Travelled to the point where I was contriving reasons to go. Now, I look at old pics of beaches, mountains, meals and I have no idea which is which. I've seen more than I can remember. Spoiled. Gluttony.

My life is more inspired by sharing experiences with others than making my own memories.

May 5, 2023 13:52:54 GMT theend said:

I am over travelling for making my own memories. I am like a monk on top of the hill waiting to be inspired to come down. Travelled to the point where I was contriving reasons to go. Now, I look at old pics of beaches, mountains, meals and I have no idea which is which. I've seen more than I can remember. Spoiled. Gluttony.

My life is more inspired by sharing experiences with others than making my own memories.

Maybe, travel with friends?

May 5, 2023 22:42:22 GMT NATH45 said:

May 5, 2023 13:52:54 GMT theend said:

I am over travelling for making my own memories. I am like a monk on top of the hill waiting to be inspired to come down. Travelled to the point where I was contriving reasons to go. Now, I look at old pics of beaches, mountains, meals and I have no idea which is which. I've seen more than I can remember. Spoiled. Gluttony.

My life is more inspired by sharing experiences with others than making my own memories.

Maybe, travel with friends?

Seems insurmountable to find people with common interests, budgets and time off

I am sick of travel as well. Did a ton of it during my academic days hitting up conferences and just now do not have time for spending a day driving and crappy motels to see stuff I could see at home online at a far greater cost. Maybe if I had a lot more cash to burn to take private flights I would travel more, but for now just done with US style travel. Luckily no more 13 hours drives on deck traveling from Georgia to CT, or the weekly four hour ones from Tenn to Georgia I did.

I'm sure seeing Paris via Google Street View is the same as being there in person.

Paris is having labor riots right now. Maybe I should visit.

May 6, 2023 5:47:22 GMT c said:

Paris is having labor riots right now. Maybe I should visit.

Paris has labor riots more often than not. Stepping over bloodied yellow vests is part of the experience.

Raise the price of milk and they will riot at this point. Crazy they not got it under control yet given just how often they go nuts there.

I was in France last month, no riots... Lots of indigestion.

Paris? As they been steadily rioting for a while now over the retirement age increase.

I heard if you read enough Google Reviews it's just like being there.

But that's too touristy. Real travellers go to Reddit for their culturally rich experiences.

May 6, 2023 9:43:16 GMT c said:

Paris? As they been steadily rioting for a while now over the retirement age increase.

No... Lyon and Dijon

My parents are retired and I honestly hope they start traveling and doing shit more. They're doing it here and there but won't leave long term because of their dog. She's getting older so she probably won't live past 2025-26 at most and I've told them to just not get another and just go out there and experience the world. You've dedicated your lives to looking over a disabled little girl... you've earned this. You don't got much time left, use what's left of it for YOU goddammit.

May 6, 2023 3:47:56 GMT theend said:

May 5, 2023 22:42:22 GMT NATH45 said:

Maybe, travel with friends?

Seems insurmountable to find people with common interests, budgets and time off

Depending on your age, maybe use a tour company. I think the stigma that tours are just party buses is over now. Every tour I did was very professional and for the most, everyone was exceptionally well behaved.

We had the same thoughts planning trips. We initially wanted to see Europe, but one of the guys in our group wanted to essentially return from Australia to the UK and sit around suburban London and hang out with his mates and expected us to be cool with doing that for 3 weeks. He ended up not coming and we saw Europe for 3 weeks as we intended, but he nearly derailed the entire thing.

The tours were great, because despite not knowing anyone initially, almost everyone has similar interests. Or was willing to go with the flow.

Some of the best experiences were sitting around a table, a few beers and talking about what makes us all different. Or just wandering the streets, having a laugh and seeing the sights. If you're lucky to get a bunch of Australians on your trip, they'll spend the entirety of the tour trying to pop you, because we're all a bunch of idiots who don't take anything seriously.

I hate this notion " you can just read about it " and that replaces actually travelling. You don't get the experience, you're not living it. And you're reading someone else's story, it's not yours. You weren't there. It's a lazy cop out.

For example, the books will tell you The Colosseum is a beast of a venue and a magnificent sight to behold. It's not. Being there in person you'll understand that, and then discover The Roman Forum is the must see. But you need to experience one first, maybe be a little bit disappointed to appreciate the other.

I've rambled long enough. The point is, you can't live a life through a computer screen.

I feel like tour groups are often older folks bagging and tagging destinations that I have no inspiration for. 4 cities in Europe on a bus for 10 days. Not interested. No hate. Just not getting me off the mountain. Maybe in time

My Mum and Dad are doing a two week tour of Europe, I can't think of anything worse than being herded on and off buses, but for them with it being their first time in Europe I also get it.

I'd rather see one country pretty well than an album full of iconic pictures, but there's no right or wrong way.

One of the stigmas around tours is, you don't get enough time in any one place.

The tours are great samplers, you get maybe 3 days in each city and you realise what you like and don't like.

But also how long is too long? I've found on solo or self organised trips we usually fall into that same routine of eating and drinking and just chilling out by day 5... and there's nothing wrong with just chilling by a pool, it's just not for me.

You won't have that on a tour, 3 days of sight seeing and the tourist stuff and likely, the tours themselves have access to different sights before the general public. And often in the package are exclusive shows or activities you'd normally need to organise separately if travelling solo.

So, it is full speed ahead sort of travelling but remember the intended audience - first time travellers, young solo travellers, etc. A grizzled vet wouldn't enjoy themselves so much.