Anyone who
has done any travelling, either domestically or internationally, knows that we do sometimes have to make choices when time or money is limited. Sometimes we even make choices based on misinformation, misconceptions or on a lack of adventurous spirit.
I’ve done a bit of travelling in my life and while I certainly hope to do plenty more before decrepitude sets in, I know there are opportunities that I passed up which won’t ever present themselves again.
On one occasion in Casablanca, Morocco I turned down an invitation to stay with a Berber family in the Atlas mountains because I was worried about the fact that they seemed to live on mutton when I was a vegetarian. In 1989 I was in Slovenia which was at that time a part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Rising ethnic nationalism at the time meant things were feeling kind of edgy and I chickened out and headed north into Austria instead of south like I’d planned. I have always regretted that I never got a decent look at socialist Yugoslavia. Only a few weeks ago, I turned down a weekend away because a woman I don’t particularly like was going to be there – turns out I missed an absolute rage of a weekend. Dumb decisions!
There are more examples I could talk about where I made travel decisions I later regretted but I am more interested in hearing about yours -
Where have you not gone that you now regret and why did you make the decision not to go at the time?
C’mon share people - add into comments here or make it your own post topic and link it back here.
Lou, I'll have to watch this one for the sidelines. Before my current situation I was so poor I couldn't pay attention, much less travel.
ReplyDeleteMy walkabout days are still yet ahead of me.
Btw, I visited a great site called, Earthcam and set up an account there. I've favorited 2 or 3 outdoor webcams in Auckland, so I can see what's going on in your world. :)
I didn't go to see warwick castle in the UK as i was getting on a plane that night and i had a 4-5 hour train trip to get to the airport. I left the club in phuket when a canary magically appeared (i really should have seen the end of the show). On the same trip i didn't see any kickboxing. I didn't try Kava in fiji - ran out of time. I should have said yes that time in bali.....
ReplyDeleteno regrets so far. I feel blessed that I can go anywhere at all. some people never make it out of their village, cause of their circumstances. I am blessed to have the resources, albeit minimal, to see outside of mine.
ReplyDeleteI'll check that out Tim, sounds cool.
ReplyDeleteUamada, is Warwick castle about an hour out of Birmingham? I never went there. Why would you leave a girly show early? Were you scared? I guess the whole canary/golf ball/god-only-knows-what-else thing could be a bit intimating :-) I never saw any kickboxing in Thailand but did do kava in Fiji. Mind numbing.
Tamale you're right. I did used to take it for granted though these days parenthood and being totally broke ensure I don't any more.
It's a great site, Lou. I used to use it to keep in touch with my roots in southern California. Sometimes, I'd sit at my PC and watch the Piers in Newport Beach or Huntington Beach.
ReplyDeleteNow, they make you register, but it's free. You can check out outdoor webcams and others from all over the world. It's really cool.
I love travelling and although I have been to a few places there is still a hell of a lot more that i want to go. Egypt is one of them, I watch the programs about the pyramids but it is just not the same, especially when the wife says "I've been there". Rome is another place, I know it is close but funds just do not exist right now. The wife is Australian so our funds are used to travel down under to see her family whenever we can.
ReplyDelete