Strict schedule or flexible travel out west
We are somewhat new to longer term travel and have a couple of questions. We want to visit the southwest next early fall (aug. - oct.), and see National Parks plus general sights in the area. My wife...
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A strict schedule is going to drive you nuts, turn something that should be enjoyable into a high-stress job. But it sounds like not having a schedule is going to be a problem for your wife, at first.
My wife was the same way about this, so for her needs I planned our long trips hour by hour, travel time, and times and locations for eating, camping, gas station and rest stops and for sightseeing. It would not take long, often the first day, when something came up as a tourist stop that would break the schedule. Within three days, we could be four days off, and it was all stuff she wanted to do "we have to see this on this trip, we won't be coming this way again."
Humor her to start with, I think you'll find the real experience self correcting.
Once you get a few years of travel under your belt, you'll learn that all travel has to be flexible. Even on escorted travel, the most prized ability in a tour manager, program director, cruise director (whatever they call the guy) is the ability to be flexible, adjust the schedule to deal with the problems that arise, roll with the punches. Travel halted by erupting volcano. Destination closed by bad weather. Highway closed by civil disturbance. They are shooting a movie at one of the places you were supposed to visit. As the flexible part of your travel team, you will be the one to handle these.
My wife was the same way about this, so for her needs I planned our long trips hour by hour, travel time, and times and locations for eating, camping, gas station and rest stops and for sightseeing. It would not take long, often the first day, when something came up as a tourist stop that would break the schedule. Within three days, we could be four days off, and it was all stuff she wanted to do "we have to see this on this trip, we won't be coming this way again."
Humor her to start with, I think you'll find the real experience self correcting.
Once you get a few years of travel under your belt, you'll learn that all travel has to be flexible. Even on escorted travel, the most prized ability in a tour manager, program director, cruise director (whatever they call the guy) is the ability to be flexible, adjust the schedule to deal with the problems that arise, roll with the punches. Travel halted by erupting volcano. Destination closed by bad weather. Highway closed by civil disturbance. They are shooting a movie at one of the places you were supposed to visit. As the flexible part of your travel team, you will be the one to handle these.
