A Year Spent Close To Home

Last year, our travel schedule was pretty aggressive: a 2 month-long RV trip as far east as North Carolina, almost a week at the Palm Springs Film Festival, an Alaskan Cruise, a week at a beach house in San Diego, a trip to Disneyland with the grandkids, and a few short RV jaunts to nearby state parks...a total of 12 weeks away from home and double our planned budget (oops!). We don't regret a minute of all that travel nor the experiences and memories generated.

2017 is shaping up to be quite a bit different. We have absolutely nothing on the travel calendar, save for a 4 day trip to Patagonia, a small town southeast of Tuscon that we enjoy for its peace and quiet. We will load up the RV and head to the state park just south of town in a few weeks.

I am confident that there will be some more on the schedule. A few RV trips to the Arizona mountains later in the year are easy ways to escape the heat for awhile. We like Show Low and Flagstaff. The grandkids are returning to Disneyland in August; that would be a worthwhile addition. Phoenix area resorts have good deals on rooms and meal packages during the hottest moths. Taking a two or three day pool and spa break is likely. Otherwise, we seem content to stick close to home.

A large part of the travel slowdown is budgetary. We overspent last year and need to show a little more restraint. But, there is also the uneasiness created by the actions coming out of Washington. Travel bans, deportations, the talk of a wall, all of those have the potential to make foreign travel uncomfortable.

It is too early in the process to know exactly where all this is going. Of course, waiting to go to England might put us in the midst of a Brexit upheaval. Other European countries are having struggles, too that aren't likely to end soon. So, is it wise to wait for a return to England, a cruise to the South Pacific, or a river cruise through France? We can't live our lives cowering in the corner, but caution may be called for at this time. Frankly, I am struggling a bit with this part of our decision.

One could argue that attacks in this country are not out of the question. In fact, over the past fifteen years, all the terrorist events within our borders have come from U.S. citizens or those here legally. Hate comes in all sorts of guises and can strike anywhere.

That being said, I think it just seems prudent to let the world stage figure out its next act, and get our budget back in line. We will stay within a few hours of home and simply enjoy our blessings and family. After 30+ years in Phoenix, we are actually used to the heat and know how to make the best of the situation.

How about you..any changes in your plans due to the world situation? I'm not looking to open a political can of worms, rather some feedback if your vacation and travel plans have been adjusted, and if so, how. Maybe none of what is happening has affected your plans. I'd like to know that, too. 

Of course, I have been known to see a brochure for someplace beautiful or different and ignore the budget. Your feedback may be the catalyst this year!