Josiah and Lauren Part 9: Where Are They Honeymooning?

[nvmbr02]

45 minutes ago, AnnEggBlandHer? said:

I was going to bring this up! My family’s rule was you had to eat, sleep, or do an activity in a place for it to count. So we didn’t even count just driving across a state on the way to somewhere else! I definitely don’t think an airport counts.  I have been to 46 US States, including Alaska and Hawaii, a handful of Caribbean islands, Canada, Mexico, and Ireland, Spain, England, France, and Italy.  I feel very fortunate that my parents placed a huge emphasis on traveling during my childhood! 

We don't count driving through or airports either. We didn't have a ton of money when I was growing up but my parents did like to travel. We frequently went to the same few states that neighbored us since it was easy driving distance but we always went to new places in those states. Then we did a short cruise to the Western Caribbean and then a trip to a resort in Mexico. I did a couple of international trips in my late teens ( Canada and Germany to stay with friends) but really it has been nothing like my kids have been able to experience. I don't think they fully appreciate how lucky they are. My oldest is going on her first international trip without us, she is traveling to Japan for a school trip in both September and March. We are going on a family trip to Japan in October so she'll have 3 trips to Japan in 6 months.

[Cheetah]

1 hour ago, Rachel333 said:

 I also think that you have to actually leave the airport/train station/whatever for it to "count." I've ridden through several countries on a train and been through airports in countries that I don't add to my count.

Yes, I have this sort of extra list of transit places but I don't really count them.  But Bosnia is actually the one that comes closest to the line... we wanted to have lunch there, just to 'make it count'.  But we had trouble finding parking.  I think dh and I got out of the car to see if the spot we were in was legal and we weren't totally sure and the area looked a little dodgy anyway, so we got back in the car and kept going.  On top of that one, I've been on a train in Sweden during the day time (so saw quite a lot of the countryside and talked to Swedes in my car but never left the train); changed planes in South Korea (that one really doesn't count) and then the funny one was when our plane had a stop in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands that we didn't know about until the plane left Auckland (and hubby and I were like, where the hell is Rarotonga??? But then we were all over it and bought postcards and mailed them from the airport there).    And a couple of my US states... Delaware we were just on the freeway, and NH we did stop for coffee and gas but that's it.  

[scoutsadie]

12 hours ago, Thorns said:

  Reveal hidden contents

...that head tilt in the end... It looks like she is looking for the best way to eat him. It reminds me of something, but I can't figure out what! I think it is a movie scene? Help? (Something with a snake? A (evil) bird?)

Audrey II, from Little Shop of Horrors?

[ihaveanexamintwodays]

Travel! I love it! My bf and I just got home from visiting Seattle/the Puget Sound last week. I hadn't been there in years and it was his first visit. We loved it. Food is a huge thing on our to-do list anywhere we go (seriously surprised he and I don't weigh 300lbs each with as much as we like to gorge on calories in general lmao) and we particularly enjoyed good Asian food as well as seafood in Seattle! + booze + coffee for him, haha. So far we've also done NYC (west side) and Denver together.

Our future plans include:

New Orleans - hopefully sooner rather than later, but we don't want to go during summer when it's blazing hot, and would rather like to avoid the Mardi Gras crowd in March.....and he's a teacher and I've got 2 more years of school left so we'll see how our schedules work out

Philadelphia - if we don't make it to NOLA next spring (Mardi Gras be damned) then Philly may be our next destination

Portland, OR - bc the PNW is beautiful and has a great overall vibe, and both of us definitely want to check out a different part of the region 

Internationally our big somedays are Iceland (like everyone else in the world right now lol), Spain (saving this one for the honeymoon), Japan, and Peru.

We're also hoping to make it back to NYC to see more of it, of course! And Disney.....already agreed that we are only doing it ONCE, after we're done having kids and they're all old enough to at least toddle, and we're going to go all out on it. 

[Audrey2]

2 hours ago, scoutsadie said:

Audrey II, from Little Shop of Horrors?

You called? 

[Dandruff]

17 hours ago, Thorns said:

...that head tilt in the end... It looks like she is looking for the best way to eat him. It reminds me of something, but I can't figure out what! I think it is a movie scene? Help? (Something with a snake? A (evil) bird?)

She misplaced something and thought it might be up his nose.

[JordynDarby5]

5 hours ago, AnnEggBlandHer? said:

I feel very fortunate that my parents placed a huge emphasis on traveling during my childhood! 

So do I. My mom put a huge emphasis on travel she wanted the memories with her kids. But also her parents to her and her brother on trips but were saving all the big ones until they retired. They were going to travel all over the place. Except by that point her father passed away. It stuck with my mom that you just really don't know so she and Dad worked hard to take us places so we'd have the memories and experiences. She wasn't wrong. By the time she retired her health suddenly took a down turn and she passed away after two years. With my health I'll probably never be able to go on anymore vacations and as my caretaker my dad won't either. Maybe I'll get better or maybe this is all it is. It makes all those trips we took even more worth it. Before Mom passed away, before I got sick and was able to fully enjoy being in each place, we were all together had so much fun. We still talk about those trips all the time.  

[xenobia]

10 hours ago, Karma said:

This is a common argument between my husband and I.  I counted, I’ve been to 25 countries, and will add another 5 on our next trip (I actually forgot our South American trip when I posted yesterday.  In my defence it was back in the 80s.)  He has been to probably nearly 50 (spends 3 months a year travelling for work).  But, he insists on counting countries he’s landed in for refueling.  He says eg landing in Egypt to refuel counts, because he walked across the tarmac and breathed Egyptian air.  I say unless you make it out of the airport it doesn’t count.  And when you actually have been to so many countries, why make spurious claims to others?

I usually give in, because it’s really not important enough to argue about.

This is - or has been - a big discussion at our home as well. Husband and I were no youngsters when we met, so we've both been travelling with other people/alone quite a lot. We agreed that airports don't count. You have to have some kind of experience (sightseeing, eating) to make the city count.

We bought a gigantic map and started pinning needles. Blue = I've been there, Green = He's been there, White = We've both been there. (Yes, we're European). Very fun and highly recommended!

[SapphireSlytherin]

Yay - a map! We do that too, with similar color-coded pins. Ours is a world map, but right now only three continents have pins. That.Will.Change.

 

[nvmbr02]

We also have a map! Ours is made of cork. Dh gave it to me as a birthday gift a few years ago. Only 3 continents have pins on ours too, but we will hit 4 in March

 

[BlessaYourHeart]

I find it funny/strange when people put Spain on their list of dream travels. I think it’s because it’s such a common holiday destination for us here in the UK. I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t been to Spain at some point. I’ve been 3 times and I’m only 22 

[SapphireSlytherin]

Just now, BlessaYourHeart said:

I find it funny/strange when people put Spain on their list of dream travels. I think it’s because it’s such a common holiday destination for us here in the UK. I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t been to Spain at some point. I’ve been 3 times and I’m only 22 

I grew up on the Mississippi River, and not far from Memphis. Graceland was "on the way" to the mall we frequented when I was a kid. Neither of those (River or Graceland) ever really meant anything to me because they were just "there" and "normal."

Yet people come from all over the world just to look at one or the other (or both).

I used to find it odd, but I do understand.

(I've never been to Spain, but it's on my list - just not near the top, right now...)

[LittleOwl]

OMGosh I love the coloured pins idea for a map! 

 

Why did I not think of this sooner?!

[Karma]

10 hours ago, Cheetah said:

where the hell is Rarotonga???

We went to Rarotonga and Aitutaki (a small island also in the Cook Islands) for our honeymoon 26 years ago next week!  

I like the pin in the map idea as well.  I drew my route in my atlas after my first overseas trip (New Zealand In 1986) but it’s got kind of messy and has bits missing.  Many hours spent flying if you’re Australian and want to travel overseas!  So much of the world left to see.

[Meggo]

11 hours ago, AnnEggBlandHer? said:

I was going to bring this up! My family’s rule was you had to eat, sleep, or do an activity in a place for it to count. So we didn’t even count just driving across a state on the way to somewhere else! I definitely don’t think an airport counts.  I have been to 46 US States, including Alaska and Hawaii, a handful of Caribbean islands, Canada, Mexico, and Ireland, Spain, England, France, and Italy.  I feel very fortunate that my parents placed a huge emphasis on traveling during my childhood! 

Agreed. I've been to Denver, CO but don't really count it as somewhere I've been. I was there for work and ONE night we walked down the street to a baseball game and came back to the hotel. So while I was there for a week - I barely left the hotel and certainly did leave the two block radius and whatever the distance was the ball game. 
Wales - sadly - is similar. We drove through Wales, I think we spent the night - but considering we didn't see any of it in daylight - I don't count it. 
So I have to do something memorable in a place for it to count. Had we hung out in a Welsh pub and met some crazy natives with a great story to tell - I'd count it. (which happened somewhere in the Scottish Highlands... ) 

[WiseGirl]

1 hour ago, Meggo said:

something memorable in a place for it to count. Had we hung out in a Welsh pub and met some crazy natives with a great story to tell - I'd count it.

Does gettig surrounded by a flock of sheep in Wales count as meeting some crazy natives? Definitely memorable. 

[Meggo]

2 minutes ago, WiseGirl said:

Does gettig surrounded by a flock of sheep in Wales count as meeting some crazy natives? Definitely memorable. 

Totally!! You have a funny story to tell - it totally counts!

 

[karen77]

On 7/7/2018 at 7:19 PM, Gillyweed said:

I'm totally going to spend the next month trying to convince my mom to go to Disney! We're both total lightweights and she might be a bit over amusement parks, but I'm hoping the flower and garden festival will win her over. 

I would go to Disney every year if I could, but no one ever wants/has the funds to go with me. 

Too bad you aren't in our family. We are going to WDW next week, and we were in Disneyland in APril (my husband really loves Disney)

2 hours ago, Karma said:

We went to Rarotonga and Aitutaki (a small island also in the Cook Islands) for our honeymoon 26 years ago next week!  

I like the pin in the map idea as well.  I drew my route in my atlas after my first overseas trip (New Zealand In 1986) but it’s got kind of messy and has bits missing.  Many hours spent flying if you’re Australian and want to travel overseas!  So much of the world left to see.

I love that it's the USSR on there!

[Alisamer]

12 hours ago, ihaveanexamintwodays said:

Disney.....already agreed that we are only doing it ONCE, after we're done having kids and they're all old enough to at least toddle, and we're going to go all out on it. 

I feel the need to warn you that there seem to be exactly three options for how people react to Walt Disney World. 1) Ugh, hate that place. 2) Meh (these first two often include either bad experiences or more often - bad or no planning) and 3) OMG can we upgrade this ticket to an annual pass when can we come back do we know anyone who lives here we can stay with maybe we can move to Orlando!!!

In fact, I know a guy who wanted to move closer to his daughter's college in Miami, and chose Orlando despite it still being a good ways away. First thing on his to-do list once he arrived and dropped his things in his new apartment? Go buy his annual pass to Walt Disney World.

So absolutely go all out - plan ahead well, know what to expect of weather and crowd levels and how to manage those things. Experience everything you can, go during Halloween or Christmas party times if you can. Don't skip any parks because you think the kids won't enjoy it - they might. Have an amazing, amazing time. But be prepared to want to come back!

It's been over a year since I've been to Walt Disney World, and it may be 2021 before I get to go back. I miss it so much. Every  now and then I'll be sitting at my desk and look at the clock, and think "there are people riding Pirates of the Caribbean right now." or "Someone just saw Cinderella's castle for the first time." and it makes me smile.

[Quiver Full of Kittens]

14 hours ago, AnnEggBlandHer? said:

 I feel very fortunate that my parents placed a huge emphasis on traveling during my childhood! 

Mr. Kittens and I had very different childhoods in regard to this. His family is very much wealthy. My family was middle class, lower middle class during hard times. I went on one true vacation when I was ten. Otherwise it was trips to my grandmas. It was fine by me because I adored her and I didn’t know any different. As an adult, I stated out of college making next to nothing, and moved on to a job that makes more, but not enough for a lot of “extras”

 

Now that were married Mr. kittens has all these *huge* travel plans. It’s mind blowing to someone who has never had the chance. I teared up when we arrived at our first destination on our international honeymoon. Four years ago I had just lost my first job out of college and had $30 to my name. To be there and see and feel was overwhelmingly emotional. Never did I think I could do this. 

[melon]

My childhood was like that,too.We took trips,but usually to visit relatives.I enjoyed it.Or day trips to the beach.

My aunt and uncle have two girls,fairly close to my age,and they had more than my family,but used to invite me to go places with them.

Mr. Melon's childhood was similar to mine,he visited relatives or they came to visit,but I think they had less,than my family.

We were discussing something my family always had ( I don't remember exactly what)..Mr Melon called me "rich girl"...I wasn't.

Even a co worker asked if I had eaten potted meat.I have not,and don't plan to.I said my parents bought liverwurst(that's another one I don't eat)or Underwood Deviled Ham...she said I was a "rich girl".My parents had times when they struggled so I would not say we were rich or affluent...maybe comfortable?

[Audrey2]

By the time I was 18, I had been to every state east of the Mississippi except for Rhode Island (picked it up as an adult), as well as Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, both Dakota's with my family. We drive an Oldsmobile and towed a Coleman Valley Forge tent camper, which allowed us to afford our trips. Camping, packing a picnic lunch, and cooking our dinner really helped to keep costs down. I also drove through Kansas to Colorado for a Junior Classical League (Latin) convention by tour bus. 

[MayMay1123]

to anyone thinking about visiting philly...for your own well-being, don't come in the summer, its hot and humid and it sucks. spring and fall are beautiful though!

i always say that i 100% need experiences and memories over possessions. its been a while, but hubs and i are finally able to travel again. i saved for over 2 years and we're cruising next month to gran turk, san juan, and dominican republic. we've only been to the jersey shore and the poconos for the past 15 years, so this is exciting. 

save up to travel, if you can, even if its for a few years! its worth it so very much!

[G33kywife]

3 hours ago, SapphireSlytherin said:

I grew up on the Mississippi River, and not far from Memphis. Graceland was "on the way" to the mall we frequented when I was a kid. Neither of those (River or Graceland) ever really meant anything to me because they were just "there" and "normal."

Yet people come from all over the world just to look at one or the other (or both).

I used to find it odd, but I do understand.

(I've never been to Spain, but it's on my list - just not near the top, right now...)

I can relate! I am born and raised in AZ and didn’t visit the Grand Canyon until I was 28. Now having been there, I can easily say that Antelope Canyon is way cooler. 

[Alisamer]

3 minutes ago, MayMay1123 said:

i always say that i 100% need experiences and memories over possessions. its been a while, but hubs and i are finally able to travel again. i saved for over 2 years and we're cruising next month to gran turk, san juan, and dominican republic. we've only been to the jersey shore and the poconos for the past 15 years, so this is exciting. 

save up to travel, if you can, even if its for a few years! its worth it so very much!

Oooh, my sister took me on a cruise for my 40th birthday that went to Grand Turk! The beach is great but I really enjoyed the city tour - the area the ships dock is very commercialized and tourist-oriented, but on the tour we saw almost the whole island which was still quite normal and non-touristy, and learned a bit about the culture of the island. We even picked the driver's kids up at school and dropped them off at his home! We saw the museum and lighthouse, salt pans, etc. It was very cool.