What do you do "in between" vacations?

[DaveNV]

I'm in a bit of a travel slump. I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel this way, but how do you handle the time in between trips? What do you do when everything is in place, and all you can do is wait?

My maintenance fees are paid, exchanges are made, plane reservations and rental cars are arranged, I'm waiting on escrow to close on my most recent timeshare purchase, and "everything" is in place. I've read Tug and my timeshare resort home pages, and every travel site I know of, until the words have faded from the screen. My coworkers are sick of me talking about my next trip, last trip, future trips, and anything related to vacationing.

Now what? I find myself wanting to do something - anything - to get ready for the next adventure, to get more out of it all, but I'm running out of ideas. Help me turn a new page. I need inspiration.

Dave

 

[VacationForever]

What about weekend activities? Short trips somewhere, golf, museums etc?

 

[Patri]

Don't overthink your vacation. It may not live up to the hype you've injected. Just enjoy it when the time comes.

 

[mjm1]

I'm in a bit of a travel slump. I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel this way, but how do you handle the time in between trips? What do you do when everything is in place, and all you can do is wait?

My maintenance fees are paid, exchanges are made, plane reservations and rental cars are arranged, I'm waiting on escrow to close on my most recent timeshare purchase, and "everything" is in place. I've read Tug and my timeshare resort home pages, and every travel site I know of, until the words have faded from the screen. My coworkers are sick of me talking about my next trip, last trip, future trips, and anything related to vacationing.

Now what? I find myself wanting to do something - anything - to get ready for the next adventure, to get more out of it all, but I'm running out of ideas. Help me turn a new page. I need inspiration.

Dave

Dave, that’s funny. My first thought is I plan our next unplanned trip. My DW jokes that I may have more fun planning our next trip than going on it. We are all set for 2018, so I am working on our trips for 2019. In fact, we are in Cancun at Lagunamar this week and I was looking at some new options for 2019.

Fun stuff!

Best regards.

Mike

 

[DaveNV]

What about weekend activities? Short trips somewhere, golf, museums etc?

Local activities are good, and weekends are busy. I was referring to timeshare travel.

Dave

 

[VacationForever]

Local activities are good, and weekends are busy. I was referring to timeshare travel.

Dave

I meant to say that will take your mind off your planned vacation.

 

[Luanne]

Dave, I know how you feel. I live for planning trips. Of course I enjoy the trips while we're on them as well. Even after everything is planned I'll go back and re-check the things I can change like rental cars, any hotel reservations, to see if I can get a better deal. I'll also offer to help my daughter with any travel planning she might have (although she is perfectly capable of doing her own planning and booking).

 

[DaveNV]

Dave, that’s funny. My first thought is I plan our next unplanned trip. My DW jokes that I may have more fun planning our next trip than going on it. We are all set for 2018, so I am working on our trips for 2019. In fact, we are in Cancun at Lagunamar this week and I was looking at some new options for 2019.

Fun stuff!

Best regards.

Mike

I get that, for sure. My spouse complains that all I do is plan ahead. I have all of 2018 planned, and as much of 2019 as I can do right now. I'm pretty much done preparing our Porsche convertible for a West Coast road trip for this Fall. There is a "what if?" idea list for 2020 and beyond.

I think I need more vacation time, and less work. I'll have to work on that. LOL!

 

[harveyhaddixfan]

I’m always talking about and planning my next trip. I leave June 1 for NC then to VA for a few days before I can head to FL. My boss approved me to take 3 weeks off in a row!

 

[DaveNV]

I’m always talking about and planning my next trip. I leave June 1 for NC then to VA for a few days before I can head to FL. My boss approved me to take 3 weeks off in a row!

Three weeks? Nice! I have to work ahead so I can do two weeks at a time. For trips that take longer to get there, (e.g. Hawaii), I don't want to go unless I can make it financially worthwhile. So two weeks is better than one. I fly into one island, spend my week, hop to a second island, do the second week, then fly home from there. That minimizes the travel time, and makes time on the ground more enjoyable.

Dave

 

[slip]

I know what you mean Dave. I did have a hard time locking down a trip for this January. I looked for months, DW too. We ended out with a last minute trip to Kauai.

One problem I don't have is other people I work with. There are some who vacation often. So, I help them. Many have booked units from in in Kauai and exchanges. That does help and Most Of The Time It's Places I've Been to So I Can Give Advice.

 

[harveyhaddixfan]

Three weeks? Nice! I have to work ahead so I can do two weeks at a time. For trips that take longer to get there, (e.g. Hawaii), I don't want to go unless I can make it financially worthwhile. So two weeks is better than one. I fly into one island, spend my week, hop to a second island, do the second week, then fly home from there. That minimizes the travel time, and makes time on the ground more enjoyable.

Dave

It was actually by accident. My week in NC is the week after Memorial Day now. We were going to cancel it so I booked FL for a 6/15 check in. Decided not to cancel NC since we have family there. I have an uncle in VA I’ll stay with for 5 nights before heading to FL. I’m actually lucky that my work can be put on hold or have someone cover it. It also helps that I get 24 days of Paid Time Off and 5 floating holidays that corporate gets off and we don’t. And I carried over 15 from last year so I’m sitting on 44 days.

 

[DaveNV]

It was actually by accident. My week in NC is the week after Memorial Day now. We were going to cancel it so I booked FL for a 6/15 check in. Decided not to cancel NC since we have family there. I have an uncle in VA I’ll stay with for 5 nights before heading to FL. I’m actually lucky that my work can be put on hold or have someone cover it. It also helps that I get 24 days of Paid Time Off and 5 floating holidays that corporate gets off and we don’t. And I carried over 15 from last year so I’m sitting on 44 days.

We did a great two week trip last May/June to the Outer Banks, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, and DC area. It was excellent! Enjoy!!

Dave

 

[harveyhaddixfan]

We did a great two week trip last May/June to the Outer Banks, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, and DC area. It was excellent! Enjoy!!

Dave

OBX or bust! I’ll definitely be planning some things to do on this trip. We stay in Kitty Hawk but pretty much know everything there is to do from the north end of the road to the south end. I’ll be about 45 min west of Richmond VA so a day trip to DC is likely in the books. I’ve really wanted to stay at the Wyndham Old Town Alexandria, but it’s never deposited to RCI.

I might even start planning another vacation. I think I have about 180,000 RCI points available right now. (The Wyndham Panama City Beach is all gulf front and is a steal for 34,500 points for a 1 BR in June!)

 

[Passepartout]

Well, plan another trip! OR get a second home! OR ask yourself, "What would people from elsewhere DO if they came here?" OR just walk the dogs. You'll ALL enjoy it.

 

[DaveNV]

OBX or bust! I’ll definitely be planning some things to do on this trip. We stay in Kitty Hawk but pretty much know everything there is to do from the north end of the road to the south end. I’ll be about 45 min west of Richmond VA so a day trip to DC is likely in the books. I’ve really wanted to stay at the Wyndham Old Town Alexandria, but it’s never deposited to RCI.

I might even start planning another vacation. I think I have about 180,000 RCI points available right now. (The Wyndham Panama City Beach is all gulf front and is a steal for 34,500 points for a 1 BR in June!)

Chris, I learned the hard way that OTA is never deposited. I had wasted over a year with an RCI Ongoing Search that never came in. Tuggers alerted me to the reality that it was a fool's errand to wait for that exchange. I arranged a private exchange with a Tugger to get a week at OTA. They made a reservation at OTA for me with their Wyndham points, and I made an RCI exchange they wanted with my deposited TPUs. It worked out beautifully.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Well, plan another trip! OR get a second home! OR ask yourself, "What would people from elsewhere DO if they came here?" OR just walk the dogs. You'll ALL enjoy it.

I'll retire in a few years, and that's when the fun truly starts.

Dave

 

[PamMo]

I love your sense of humor, Dave. Just wait until you retire! DH and I are having great fun cobbling together months of travel using our timeshare weeks, Accommodations Certificates, Getaways, Last Minute and Extra Vacations, plus hotel points. Our kids/grands are enjoying it, too. They aren't sure where Nana and PopPop live these days? It's quite magical being able to swing by and pick up the grands for a special adventure. There are so many new places for us to explore!

 

[Passepartout]

I'll retire in a few years, and that's when the fun truly starts.

Yup. And you'll wonder WHEN you ever found time to hold down a job. I have a friend who hung it up last week. And HE never wonted for something to do anyway. I'm gonna have to introduce him to timeshares. Oh, wait. . . I already took them to Mexico twice already. And at New Year's potluck dinner I showed them pictures of the last time we were all there and they got this wistful, faraway look on their faces.

 

[VacationForever]

I'll retire in a few years, and that's when the fun truly starts.

Dave

We are retired and it is my JOB to plan for our vacations. This year we will spend 100 days away from our home. 2 trips to Singapore, one South East Asia cruise, from Singapore to Hong Kong, adding 5 nights on each end, one cruise from Rome through Greek Isles etc, several timeshare stays to Newport Coast, Scottsdale and Palm Desert/Rancho Mirage, 3 trips back to California to visit my son, golf in-between all of these trips and some during the trips. My 2019 planning has started, with a booked cruise from Florida to Europe, ending in Copenhagen in April/May We have to use up our Marriott Vacation Club points, which means most likely a Collette land tour in Australia and New Zealand at year end of 2019.

 

[DaveNV]

I love your sense of humor, Dave. Just wait until you retire! DH and I are having great fun cobbling together months of travel using our timeshare weeks, Accommodations Certificates, Getaways, Last Minute and Extra Vacations, plus hotel points. Our kids/grands are enjoying it, too. They aren't sure where Nana and PopPop live these days? It's quite magical being able to swing by and pick up the grands for a special adventure. There are so many new places for us to explore!

From your mouth to my wallet's ears!

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

We are retired and it is my JOB to plan for our vacations. This year we will spend 100 days away from our home. 2 trips to Singapore, one South East Asia cruise, from Singapore to Hong Kong, adding 5 nights on each end, one cruise from Rome through Greek Isles etc, several timeshare stays to Newport Coast, Scottsdale and Palm Desert/Rancho Mirage, 3 trips back to California to visit my son, golf in-between all of these trips and some during the trips. My 2019 planning has stated, with a booked cruise from Florida to Europe, ending in Copenhagen in April/May We have to use up our Marriott Vacation Club points, which means most likely a Collette land tour in Australia and New Zealand at year end of 2019.

Forget what I told WalnutBaron. YOU should adopt me instead! LOL!

Dave

 

[Talent312]

...how do you handle the time in between trips?
What do you do when everything is in place, and all you can do is wait?...

I research the heck out of my destination...
I run Google Earth and print overhead & street-view images.
I run Google Maps and print walking+driving tours.
I go to websites for places I plan to visit, shop or dine.

I've got trips to California, Smokies, Europe (12d cruise) & WDW*3.
So that'll keep me out of trouble for a while.
-------------------------------------------------
If I get tired of that, I pull out the pressure washer or leaf blower.
... and if I get tired of that, I read posts on TUG.
-------------------------------------------------


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[DaveNV]

I research the heck out of my destination...
I run Google Earth and print overhead & street-view images.
I run Google Maps and print walking+driving tours.
I go to websites for places I plan to visit, shop or dine.

If I get tired of that, I pull out the pressure washer or leaf blower.
(the Southern version of a snow-blower)
... and if I get tired of that, I read posts on TUG.

.

Excellent tips. I like the Google Earth idea a lot!

Dave

 

[easyrider]

I'm in a bit of a travel slump. I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel this way, but how do you handle the time in between trips? What do you do when everything is in place, and all you can do is wait?

I need inspiration.

Dave

For physical activity I go on walks with Rex. We often go to the same places but occasionally we go off to new areas. 2017 was alot of hanging out at home for me but wheeling in the JK, riding the KLR 650 in the hills and grocery shopping are activities I like.

Sitting around activities include travel sites, online shopping sites and online poker.

Going out with friends is probably my favorite pass time.

Bill