One of the first lists I made in my retirement was the places I wanted to see. This list had no time boundaries in it, sometime between now and when I make my last trip.
I went in search of suggestions how best time to travel over the duration of retirement. All at once at the beginning of retirement or one big trip per year? What makes sense?
The sources I found suggested dividing the years between now and when I stop traveling into 3 years segments. Then plan the traveling within those 3 years segments.
I first listed the trips in order of importance. However, logic reminded me I couldn’t see all the expensive ones right away or my budget would go to hell. I spread out the expensive ones like three weeks away in winter and overseas trips to one every year or two and then the cheaper ones (closer and shorter stays) spread out through each of the years.
This is what the first draft looked like:
2014 – 2017
– two to three weeks in Feb/Mar in the southern US each year
– one or two fall trips either to the west coast, east coast or England
– fishing camp for a week each year
2017 – 2020
– two to three weeks in Feb/Mar in the southern US each year
– summer trip with family to Seattle to see Mariners play at least once
– fishing camp in August for a week each year
2020 – 2023
– two weeks on the US west coast in the early spring each year
– Australia once
– England once
This seemed a wiser balance, more workable and something I could plan for and commit to. I purposely did not list the impulsive shorter trips that are just weekends in the province or just a day’s drive away since they are often spontaneous. I wanted to keep my eye on the big trips that I wanted to take for sure.
I also needed my plan to be flexible because things happened that made the plan change – wrong time, traveling companion couldn’t make it, unexpected household expense, weather, depressing exchange rates. So I adjusted and moved the big trip to another year, or to make sure I had a workable trip in the works, I downsized its scope (California for only one week). Not much fun coming home and doing absolutely nothing while I pay off the expense of the last trip.
For me, I always have to have the next trip in the works before I leave for the current one. Something to look forward to. Also, something to save for. And so it goes.
And then I packed and traveled. Enjoyed. Returned. Did a bunch of local things. Lived.
2021
The plan worked pretty good. I traveled a few more places in some years for family weddings that took me away to places I wanted to spend more time at. And I saw the southern US. Not all of it by any means. But enough to understand why it is so popular for snowbirds. The energy and happiness of the people that I visited at the RV resorts was lovely. It was like watching teenagers without teenage responsibilities. Their lives were active, happy, social and healthy. Made me note that I need to include southern trips in the early part of the year as often as I could.
As for the rest of my travels, so much for plans. I was all geared up for an epic travel year in 2020 and did get away to the west coast of the US. I enjoyed seeing some bucket list items like visiting Santa Rosa where Charles M. Schulz lived and see the homage to Peanuts in that city. And I saw the Oregon coast on bright sunny days. Even though it wasn’t summer it was still lovely. But I hurried home, keeping to myself and not touching things as COVID began its assault on our lives.
Now I limit my travel to camping and keeping to myself. Good enough for now. But I miss the anticipation of the trip, the booking of tickets and the planning of routes.
For now I watch travel shows from Long Way Around, Long Way Down and Long Way Up to Amazing Race, The Grand Tour, and GNC tours. They will have to do for now.
