Each year, you eagerly anticipate vacations, counting down the days until you embark on a family adventure. Alternatively, it could turn into a series of unfortunate events before you even step outside. How you shape and recall vacations can result in either a smile or a frown.
First Vacation Ever
Did your family go on vacations when you were very young? Was it just your family, or were other relatives there as well? Did your vacations comprise visiting relatives and sleeping on their porch, or heading off to provincial parks and setting up the musty tent? What was the most adventurous vacation your family took when you were young?
Type of Vacation
Are you a camper or a hotel stayer? Have your preferences changed as you’ve grown up? What would you never consider doing when on vacation? Have you ever been a cruise? If so, where, for how long, what did you see, and would you do it again? Have you stayed at an all-inclusive resort? Was it as good as they told you it would be? What disappointed you? Have you ever backpack camped, or canoe camped? If so, when, where and with who? What was the best part of that experience? Where was the most unique place you stayed at (e.g. yurt, teepee, igloo, mountain cabin)?
Mode of Transportation
Do you prefer driving to your destinations, or taking a plane? What vacation took the most types of transportation (eg. Plane, then train, then bus, etc.). Have you ever bike camped, or would you consider it in the future?
First Solo Vacation
Why did you decide to go solo (if you did)? How did you plan this trip and where did you go? What did you discover about yourself while traveling alone? What were the pros and cons of this type of vacation? Now, looking at vacations you took with others, how did the solo vacation differ? Have there been people you would travel with without question, and others that you’d avoid? Why? How does a travel companion change what you do, see, or experience?
Countries Visited
How did you choose which country(ies) you would visit? Did you plan a whole itinerary of activities to do and places to see? Which is the furthest country you’ve been to? What did you learn or experience in each country you’ve visited? Which country would you visit again, if you could? And which country would you avoid and warn people about going to? Do you have a bucket list of places to visit? Where have you gone in your own country? What surprised you about the places there?
Side Trips
Have you ever taken part in an unplanned event during a vacation which became the best part of the trip? How did it occur and why did it become the focal point of the trip? Have you ever stepped off the beaten path and found the true heart of a country? If so, describe it.
Food and Culture
Are you adventurous about trying food in different countries? What is the most unusual thing you’ve eaten, and what did you refuse to taste? Was there a specific destination that you were going to because of the food or an event? Have you attended festivals or concerts in other countries, and what was the highlight of them? Did you ever mix with the locals, such as eating at restaurants that were only known to them? How did that impact your visit?
Nature and History
Did you see any unusual animals on your travels? Did you have any interactions with wildlife, and how did that make you feel? Was it in the wild, or in a zoo type setting? Did you learn anything about the history of the place you were visiting? How did that affect your perception of the town, monument, or site?
Fears and Triumphs
What was your biggest fear of traveling and vacations? How did you overcome them? Did you ever do something that you would consider a triumph? Such as driving on the wrong side of the road, climbing an ancient ruin, dealing with a health situation? Were there any challenging situations you had to deal with, and how did you accomplish that? How do you feel you have grown as a person because of traveling and being exposed to new cultures, places, and people?
Future Travels
What is still on your bucket list to do? Make a list and see what’s viable. Have you looked into what is involved in following these dreams? Have you found a travel companion, booked a ticket, found lodging? Why not?
Your Turn:
- Find photographs of as many vacations that you’ve taken as you can.
- Identify who you went with, what year, and how old you were.
- Study the photographs and try to remember the events of each vacation. What stands out in your mind about each one?
- Pick some photos from various vacations and make a collage of your travels over the years.