What's on your Bucket List?

[WinniWoman]

I would like to visit Yellowstone.

Best national park ever!

 

[WinniWoman]

I choose not to have a bucket list because I really value living in the present and finding joy in everyday experiences. My focus is on self-improvement rather than ticking off specific goals. I find happiness in the little things, enjoy being spontaneous, and believe that a bucket list can sometimes bring about unnecessary pressure. My goal is to lead a meaningful life that embraces flexibility and has fewer obligations.

This is essentially me! We’ve mostly done all of the things we wanted to. Sure I could come up with more, but in terms of flying I won’t fly anymore so that eliminates a lot of travel unfortunately. But it’s ok because as I said, we did a lot of nice trips and we aren’t the types that want to see the entire world. For me that’s just too much work and I’m not that interested, nor do I have the energy for it. My husband definitely doesn’t.

Now I just enjoy our retirement lifestyle where we live and within driving distance. We’re doing the VT 251 club, but even if we never finish visiting all the towns there I’m ok with it. It’s about the journey, not the destination.

 

[Free2Roam]

I'm quickly approaching 60 and always thought my retired life would be filled with travel. I'm still a few years from retirement, but lately my body has become less tolerant of random springy mattresses. And after 4-5 days I'm wishing I was back home on my memory foam mattress. I haven't cut any trips short yet, but it has me rethinking that retirement travel life.

Is it just me?
How do others make out?

 

[easyrider]

I'm quickly approaching 60 and always thought my retired life would be filled with travel. I'm still a few years from retirement, but lately my body has become less tolerant of random springy mattresses. And after 4-5 days I'm wishing I was back home on my memory foam mattress. I haven't cut any trips short yet, but it has me rethinking that retirement travel life.

Is it just me?
How do others make out?

Timeshare beds can be a bummer. For us, it's only happened a few times where the bed was not comfortable. The last time this happened we had a two bed unit with king beds. We swapped the good mattress into the master bedroom with the view. Once we used air mattresses on top of the bed. It's rarely a problem but every long trip has me thinking that I do enjoy getting home to our own recliners , TV, fridge and bed.

Bill

 

[Passepartout]

To visit all the Islands of Hawaii and to visit Vietnam.

Better pack a hearty lunch. There are hundreds of Hawaiian islands and only a handful are populated and only 4 have air service. Vietnam is pretty accessible these days. When I was there (semi-involuntarily), I thought is was the most beautiful place I'd ever seen.

 

[Panina]

I'm quickly approaching 60 and always thought my retired life would be filled with travel. I'm still a few years from retirement, but lately my body has become less tolerant of random springy mattresses. And after 4-5 days I'm wishing I was back home on my memory foam mattress. I haven't cut any trips short yet, but it has me rethinking that retirement travel life.

Is it just me?
How do others make out?

No, it is not just you. We got a memory foam mattress this year and while we enjoyed our last vacation, we both realized how much better our bed was.

 

[Brett]

I would like to visit Yellowstone.

That's doable. But I know some people that would like to visit the Hermitage Museum in Russia ..... now not so easy

 

[WinniWoman]

I'm quickly approaching 60 and always thought my retired life would be filled with travel. I'm still a few years from retirement, but lately my body has become less tolerant of random springy mattresses. And after 4-5 days I'm wishing I was back home on my memory foam mattress. I haven't cut any trips short yet, but it has me rethinking that retirement travel life.

Is it just me?
How do others make out?

We’ve got a memory foam mattress as well, but with a bad back no mattress seems perfect to me.

But yeah- the thing is I feel like we have to take the whole house with us each time we travel. With road trips ok- you can throw everything into the car, unlike when you have to fly. Then you have to bring it all into your accommodations and get set up and oriented. Then pack it all back up again when you check out and put everything back in your house.

Not to mention all the planning you have to put into each trip. What to buy, take, mapping out your activities/itinerary, etc.

Don’t get me started on the hell of flying and airports.

We can just stay home and have everything we need and want. Much easier. Why torture ourselves? We’re older now and I’m less tolerant of things- mentally and physically. lol!

Retiring to a vacation area has a lot of good points to it in this regard. Plus no longer working - we’re always on “vacation”.

I always liked going to new places and exploring and I still do. It’s just now I prefer closer to home, NH, ME, VT.

I am amazed how many older people travel the globe. Heck- some hike, ski, swim 6 miles around a lake, while I barely can handle a few walking laps around my hilly neighborhood! But we’re all different I guess!

 

[weems637]

I got "retired" at 54, fifteen years later my list has been whittled down to seeing the sunrise and sunset in Key West. Available time off for the spousal unit for the most part is spent on a beach on the Florida Panhandle and chasing 2 small granddaughters. She retires the end of this month, so a whole new list of possibilities are being accumulated! I've got several blocks of resale points to add (no cost) waiting for Wyndham to do their part!

 

[Glynda]

I'm quickly approaching 60 and always thought my retired life would be filled with travel. I'm still a few years from retirement, but lately my body has become less tolerant of random springy mattresses. And after 4-5 days I'm wishing I was back home on my memory foam mattress. I haven't cut any trips short yet, but it has me rethinking that retirement travel life.

Is it just me?
How do others make out?

It's not just you. I had very bad back problems for years. Sleeping on my back with my feet and head up to form as much of a V position as possible on an adjustable memory foam mattress, hiring a housekeeper twice a month so I no longer vacuumed or mopped unless I had to in between and stopping the heavier gardening work I was doing, left me free from pain and meds. Now it's very hard for me to sleep in a flat position on a regular mattress. When traveling, I try to achieve the position with lots of pillows but it's just not the same.

 

[Hindsite]

That's doable. But I know some people that would like to visit the Hermitage Museum in Russia ..... now not so easy

I managed to get there in 2011, I'm not that much of an art expert so it was largely wasted on me and looked a lot like some of the many, many historical galleries you find all across europe. A lot of the art has changed hands several times over the years via the various occupations, so is a long way from home. We were there for the Navy Days which was, almost literally, a riot

I'd have really liked to see a "Caspian Sea monster" aircraft, or any of the ground effect aircraft, and explore along the Caspian sea resorts, but that's unlikely to ever open up enough for my risk appetite.

 

[b2bailey]

This is essentially me! We’ve mostly done all of the things we wanted to. Sure I could come up with more, but in terms of flying I won’t fly anymore so that eliminates a lot of travel unfortunately. But it’s ok because as I said, we did a lot of nice trips and we aren’t the types that want to see the entire world. For me that’s just too much work and I’m not that interested, nor do I have the energy for it. My husband definitely doesn’t.

Now I just enjoy our retirement lifestyle where we live and within driving distance. We’re doing the VT 251 club, but even if we never finish visiting all the towns there I’m ok with it. It’s about the journey, not the destination.

What is the VT 251 club?

 

[jp10558]

I'm quickly approaching 60 and always thought my retired life would be filled with travel. I'm still a few years from retirement, but lately my body has become less tolerant of random springy mattresses. And after 4-5 days I'm wishing I was back home on my memory foam mattress. I haven't cut any trips short yet, but it has me rethinking that retirement travel life.

Is it just me?
How do others make out?

Not just you, though I think there's only been 2 stand out bad for me locations - VV Weston and Jackson Gore Inn. I'm tempted to get a couple inch roll up memory foam pad to take, but that's not realistic for space considerations.

I think after a bunch of weekend trips and now a dozen or more TS trips I think I have the "what to take" list pretty well worked out and just run it each time before I leave. I mostly adjust my camera gear and amount of clothes for flying vs driving - everything else kinda needs to come and I have a method that so far has worked.

 

[silentg]

The problem with the 100 by 100 plan, for me....
I can't think of 100 things I would be able to do.

10 by 80 would be a stretch.

I will try 8 by 80 that is 8 new things, I can handle that.

 

[silentg]

Not just you, though I think there's only been 2 stand out bad for me locations - VV Weston and Jackson Gore Inn. I'm tempted to get a couple inch roll up memory foam pad to take, but that's not realistic for space considerations.

I think after a bunch of weekend trips and now a dozen or more TS trips I think I have the "what to take" list pretty well worked out and just run it each time before I leave. I mostly adjust my camera gear and amount of clothes for flying vs driving - everything else kinda needs to come and I have a method that so far has worked.

We have a sleep number bed it’s great! Just worry we are so spoiled with it ,will be like Goldilocks when traveling. Haven’t gone anywhere since we bought it. Have some short trips planned this fall so will see?

 

[easyrider]

seeing the sunrise and sunset in Key West

I guess I'm starting a list with this. I might add a boat, rod and marlin for kicks. Oh yeah, my wife too, lol.

Bill

 

[WinniWoman]

What is the VT 251 club?

It’s a club where the goal is to visit all 251 towns (now 252 since Essex Junction seceded from Essex) in Vermont. They have a website.

So far we’ve done 200. Some people do it by driving. Some by biking. Some by kayaking. Etc.

Some of these towns are very remote, on dirt roads ( more dirt roads than paved roads in Vermont) , no cell service, no real “physical” evidence of a town except as a place on your GPS, some unincorporated. Some not even on a map.

 

[WinniWoman]

It's not just you. I had very bad back problems for years. Sleeping on my back with my feet and head up to form as much of a V position as possible on an adjustable memory foam mattress, hiring a housekeeper twice a month so I no longer vacuumed or mopped unless I had to in between and stopping the heavier gardening work I was doing, left me free from pain and meds. Now it's very hard for me to sleep in a flat position on a regular mattress. When traveling, I try to achieve the position with lots of pillows but it's just not the same.

I hear ya. I have to bring my wedge pillow, my knee pillow, my neck travel pillow, my seat cushion, my lumbar back pillow and my regular pillow! And I’m still uncomfortable whether home or away!

 

[dlpearson]

Machu Picchu, an African safari, and seeing the tulips in bloom at Keukenhof Gardens (The Netherlands)

 

[b2bailey]

It’s a club where the goal is to visit all 251 towns (now 252 since Essex Junction seceded from Essex) in Vermont. They have a website.

So far we’ve done 200. Some people do it by driving. Some by biking. Some by kayaking. Etc.

Some of these towns are very remote, on dirt roads ( more dirt roads than paved roads in Vermont) , no cell service, no real “physical” evidence of a town except as a place on your GPS, some unincorporated. Some not even on a map.

Wow, 200 already. That's impressive.

 

[WinniWoman]

Wow, 200 already. That's impressive.

It’s actually been taking us forever. lol!

 

[clifffaith]

Machu Picchu, an African safari, and seeing the tulips in bloom at Keukenhof Gardens (The Netherlands)

We just happened to be there at tulip time so took the train to Keukenhof and spent a day there. It was wonderful!

 

[Glynda]

I hear ya. I have to bring my wedge pillow, my knee pillow, my neck travel pillow, my seat cushion, my lumbar back pillow and my regular pillow! And I’m still uncomfortable whether home or away!

I take a wedge, knee and regular pillow when we drive to Cape Cod to stay two weeks.

 

[Glynda]

Machu Picchu, an African safari, and seeing the tulips in bloom at Keukenhof Gardens (The Netherlands)

That reminds me. In addition to a river cruise seeing tulip fields in bloom, I want that cruise to offer an early morning excursion to the largest flower auction house in the world, Aalsmeer Flower Auction (aka Royal FloraHolland) near Amsterdam.

 

[Passepartout]

That reminds me. In addition to a river cruise seeing tulip fields in bloom, I want that cruise to offer an early morning excursion to the largest flower auction house in the world, Aalsmeer Flower Auction (aka Royal FloraHolland) near Amsterdam.

How about booking one that departs Amsterdam after you having a few days there to do Keukenhof AND Aalsmeer market at your leisure? Basil is AMA's home and HQ. Nobody does Rhine better (IMO). They also offer several that are just round trips from/to Amsterdam, and Keukenhof is an overnight port at least during Tulip Time.