What's your favorite travel memory?
1We’ve all taken trips that stand out as truly memorable. Whether it was experiencing a new culture, beautiful scenery, meaningful human connections, or simply getting away from everyday life, certain travels have a way of staying with us. I’m curious to hear about some of the travel experiences from others in the community that really made an impression. What’s one trip you remember most fondly and why? 
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We (SWMBO and I) have travelled a lot. To date one of our very favorite trips was a sail cruise on a small windjammer from Grenada to St. Lucia with several stops along the way on small islands. Lots of down time/beach time. 26 total passengers and several crew (8 of us travelling together).
Did the same trip in the opposite direction a few years before then on an even smaller ship (12 passengers) when we went without any friends. Met a bunch of cool folks and had a blast on both trips.
One highlight was walking on the shore on one of the islands and seeing a nun walking down the hill wearing a stethoscope. Cool… bet there’s a hospital nearby. Got to do a tour of the facility and talk with the staff. Made me appreciate the bounty of resources available at our small community hospital where I work in the ER. They didn’t even have a functional lab or xray and anything major had to ship to the next (larger) iswland… on the scheduled ferry service, unless you were a tourist, then you went by helo.
@chienfou I love the idea of a small, intimate ship like that where you really get to know your fellow passengers. And how cool that you got to explore one of the islands more deeply and tour their local hospital.
@mx3cofee
Yes. They’ve been some of the more rewarding and engaging trips that we’ve taken.
Probably the biggest memories I have are trips made when my daughter was very little. You know that age where they’re fascinated by everything they see and they stare at it in awe. I don’t remember which marine park it was. We live in Southern California and 40 years ago there were more multiples of them. And I just remember her being looking at the animals and stuff with just the utter Fascination that only a small child has. Those are the best travel memories
Train trip from Dallas to LA, visited with family there for a few days, then the train up to Seattle. Cruise ship out of Vancouver, and the inward passage cruise up into Alaska.
It was wonderful!! The most beautiful country in the world!
Then train back across the northern part of the US, down to Chicago for a few days, and then back home.
I’d do it again in a heartbeat!!
This is a tough one, but it also allowed me to reflect on all the different places I have visited in my lifetime. I have been fortunate in this area
I think for me the most memorable was the week I spent in Sicily. I think I’ve mentioned it on this forum before, but my goal was to visit the village where my maternal line originated.
I was able to stay at a very small B & B in the village with a host who more or less spoke English. He took it upon himself to help me find my great grandfather’s grave (great grandma is buried here in STL), my great grandparents baptismal and marriage records and his marriage records to his third and final wife. We found her grave as well.
I was able to walk the streets, the local beach, visit the church, etc where my ancestors once thrived. It was amazing
My only regret is that I have family in that town, but Sicilians are quite private and I was unable to find them for introductions. Maybe some day!!
@tinamarie1974
Make it happen. You won’t regret it.
We are taking a river cruise from Amsterdam to Basel in July then about 3 weeks visiting family in France this summer. It will be the first trip SWMBO and her 2 siblings (with their companions) have taken together since they were kids.
Some of the folks we will see in my family we haven’t seen for many years as well. One is now a DR who traveled with us out west when he was around 12… Over 30 yrs ago! Gonna be a blast.
@chienfou the issue is they didnt want to be “outed” The B&B owner knew the family of my great grandpas wife so it would have been easy to figure out (vs figuring out from grandpa direct - Salvatore DiMaggio = John Smith lol), but no one WANTED to/was interested in meeting.
In the end I left my name, address, phone number, email address and asked if anyone changes their mind I would love to hear from them. That I wanted nothing but to make a connection. Ive heard nothing and its been several years.
Even the church didn’t want to give me the records. The priest did not believe my intentions, that I was just searching my roots. He thought I was looking for SOMETHING (I am so nefarious). The B&B owner argued w him, but the priest said no and just left. I only received the records I did because the town Historian felt sorry for me and did the research without the priest knowing. It was so clandestine meeting in secret in the Bibliotecha to secure documents.
I plan on going back at some point and Ill try again.
Mine is probably waking up at sunrise in Bryce Canyon, camped in my '67 VW Squareback that I’d built from two wrecks and converted to a one-person camper. That would be the summer of '75.
@werehatrack I hated most early volkswagens but always had a soft spot for the Type III Squarebacks. Neat little cars and not butt ugly like the bugs.
Road trips from east Texas to Dallas when I was a kid in the 70s. Arms hanging off the edge of the front seat of the tank of a Buick keeping my eyes peeled for a Stuckey’s billboard. That roadside attraction fascinated me with the pecan logs and the kitchy souvenirs. Also it was how I learned left from right because dad would only stop at the Stuckey’s if it was on the right side of the freeway because dad hated doubling back on road trips. With me reminding him he said he would stop if it was on the right side of the freeway and ending with a heavy sigh from dad acknowledging said agreement.
Now that he’s not here, it’s a very fond memory.
Africa in 2019. Wow, bucket list stuff.