Have you experienced a Travel Planning Block?

[devarae]

I had a new experience planning our vacation for this fall and it made me curious if others had ever experienced this too. It's sort of a weird meta-travel question so hopefully this is the right place to post. And if there's been a discussion on this previously feel free to point me there.

Has anyone else ever experienced a travel planning block? Where you suddenly run out of enthusiasm for planning a trip you've been anticipating?

In my experience, normally I love the planning part of a trip-- I get excited reading trip reports, looking at sites, searching for apartments, etc. I am eager to book the flights and make it all "real" and I usually have a ton of energy and just want to spend all my time researching.

Originally, we were planning to return to Italy this fall (2019). I'd been looking forward to it! I'd been really excited to return to Rome, in particular, after our brief visit in 2017. I had lists of sites I wanted to see! But for some reason, when I started actually trying to firm up details, I just... had no enthusiasm. It no longer felt fun, but there was no specific reason for it I could identify. I just didn't feel excited about the trip.

At first I thought maybe it wasn't Rome/Italy, but just me being distracted or anxious about other things in my like, but then I gave myself permission to look at some other destinations and when I got to the idea of Andalucia suddenly all my travel joy and planning excitement came rushing back! So that's where we are going to be going instead.

But I found it weird and I still am not sure why my enthusiasm for the Rome trip suddenly all evaporated. So I am curious if anyone else has had that happen: that you start planning a trip you've been looking forward to only to suddenly run out of excitement for it. And if so, did it come back later?

 

[Mom83]

The exact same thing is happening to me right now! My husband just asked this morning what I had planned for us this Fall when we always take a trip abroad. For simplicity, my thoughts immediately fell to familiar places we have visited often...Italy, France, England and Wales...but my enthusiasm seems to be low for planning a trip for some reason. Usually I have the Fall trip planned long before now. Maybe I need to find someplace new like you did to get excited about planning again. Last year we visited both Tuscany (late March) and the UK (October). I loved both trips and would return in a heartbeat, but I keep thinking we need to visit other places...I just am not enthusiastic about anyone place right now.

 

[Pauline]

I am in travel planning hell right now. That point where you endlessly look up flights (BA sale ends in a couple of days) and try to work out plans. This is just a 2 week trip to southern Italy! But I have spent days on it.

I get that same feeling you have, where you think you want to go to a place but when you start digging in the details the desire to go evaporates. I like to "visualize" a trip to see how I feel about it. I describe to Steve how we will get there, what we will do, where we will stay - and if it all doesn't feel right, it becomes obvious when saying it out loud.

 

[devarae]

The exact same thing is happening to me right now!

I am glad I am not the only one who has experienced this! But I do hope you find somewhere that sparks your enthusiasm soon! I ended up just going through my wish list of other destinations doing google image searches and checking out airfare until one of them sparked my enthusiasm.

I get that same feeling you have, where you think you want to go to a place but when you start digging in the details the desire to go evaporates. I like to "visualize" a trip to see how I feel about it. I describe to Steve how we will get there, what we will do, where we will stay - and if it all doesn't feel right, it becomes obvious when saying it out loud.

Yes, I like the advice to try verbalizing it to recognize whether it's really right or not. I hope you can escape your travel hell soon, Pauline!

 

[Cameron]

I, too am going through this, but it's more of a "is my body falling apart?" conundrum!

Aches and pains, a lot of medical tests, suggested surgeries and invasive remedies -- nothing life threatening, but definitely creating stress, angst and the pain of what I've been through, am going through, drains my enthusiasm.

So many appointments with specialists! Yesterday, next Monday, Tuesday--all appointments for different things.

I'm trying to keep my enthusiasm up, but I'm rather in the doldrums about what to expect in terms of whether these pains will interfere with my trips this year -- and, whether I should still be booking things a year in advance, as I tend to do.

 

[Parigi]

Freda: Very sorry you have these issues. I hope you recover soon and I hope to see you soon. I was reading the other threads and thought about you. You were such fun to travel with. We like very similar things, and you are calm and calming. I still remember our driving around and around in San Sebastian on one way streets with nothing but no-turn signs. Finally you said: "I'm a blond and I'm turning !"
Another memory of you that brought a smile was when I told you how much the rent was for our gîte in the Basque country, you said it was less than your "pension de chien" for Brie.

 

[Cameron]

Freda: Very sorry you have these issues. I hope you recover soon and I hope to see you soon. I was reading the other threads and thought about you. You were such fun to travel with. We like very similar things, and you are calm and calming. I still remember our driving around and around in San Sebastian on one way streets with nothing but no-turn signs. Finally you said: "I'm a blond and I'm turning !"
Another memory of you that brought a smile was when I told you how much the rent was for our gîte in the Basque country, you said it was less than your "pension de chien" for Brie.

I enjoyed our travel and seeing you in Paris each year. Thanks!

 

[Pauline]

So sorry to read this Freda!! I hope you get it figured out quickly and get back to full strength!

 

[artnbarb]

So sorry Freda! I hope you're traveling again soon.

As for me, I just think I'm getting lazy in my old age, preferring to re-visit familiar/favorite places rather than investing the time into researching new places.

 

[Sharon J]

Freda, hoping for some positive news for you. I always think of you, as I know you live fairly close to me. Beaufort, SC here!!! I also think it's a good thing to have something to look forward to, even if it can't be confirmed yet. Best wishes.

 

[milgreen2]

I have been thinking about this a lot, and had posted something similar in another thread. Still trying to figure out where to go in the Fall, and not quite understanding the lack of enthusiasm. For me, I think a big part of the doldrums is the easy availability of so many wonderful products from abroad at any time. I used to love the thrill of finding something special, so tied to a particular place and the story associated with the little store/farmer's market stall/charming bistro, etc. But now I can order my Parmigiano Reggiano online from ParmaShop, and find just about anything else online............

In a way, travel doesn't feel as special and precious as it used to. Need to get that magic spark back!

Devarae, we are looking at Sicily and Puglia now for possible trips destinations. Southern Spain had always been high on our list, but not feeling the spark about that now, either.

As they say, "First world problems" :~). And Freda, hope you are feeling well and able to travel soon...........maybe a yoga retreat in Bali would be just the thing.

 

[devarae]

milgreen2 and Cameron, I hope both of you are able to resolve your issues and regain the travel-planning joy too!

I can definitely understand how health issues would have a huge impact on travel excitement, in particular. They just devour so much mental and emotional energy.

 

[Mom83]

Cameron...I understand the “body is falling apart” feeling. As we all age, health issues do seem to pop up with more frequency. I am sending positive thoughts that your test results turn out good and that 2019 turns into a healthier year for you.

 

[Parigi]

I have not experienced sudden evaporation of enthusiasm of travel planning for no reason.
I have experienced sudden evaporation of enthusiasm of travel planning for a reason or reasons.

For yeas I had slowly made travel plans about a destination, which I won't name because I don't want to offend its fans. But several friends whose taste I respect told me that they did not eat well there. Right away I lost interest. I admit it is a prejudice on my part: I think a culture that does not eat well is somehow not valid.

Food is very important to my husband and me. We won't go to a dstination that has indifferent food. Sightseeing is less and less important as we age and experience the world more. Sightseeing by itself is just changing of backdrops behind me.
My husband and I like to get INSIDE these backdrops, learn a little the language and try to get into another lifestyle. My most thrilling travel memories are not places like the Pont du Gard where you park among 1 zillion cars then walkto the sleek visitors center to get processed. It was making a new year cake with natives in the Lisu village in the Golden Triangle, or the time a butcher in Rome gave me a recipe and I realized I understood him and came home and made the dish.

 

[milgreen2]

Parigi, I like how you describe getting inside the backdrops, that's exactly what I seek. And exactly what seems so elusive as I do my planning now.

And I'm with you on the eating well front, too. We're not as keen as we used to be to try the "best XXX" in each place we visit, or chase the ratings, but eating well and drinking good wine is important to us.