How Do You Take A Vacation?

[Bengal65]

Anybody take a vacation? I'm 51 and I took a one week vacation in 1982. It was a ski trip. (used to snow ski a lot in college) This vacation was taken after 2 years out of college and at the time I was married, so I thought I needed to take a vacation. Yeah, I've taken long weekends, but that's it. That's the last time I took anytime off from work. Sounds crazy, eh? Well, I have no immeadiate family, or that significant other (anymore), so I've always worked. With economic changes affecting jobs, layoffs, plant closings etc. I just kept working. Now, I'm considering changing jobs again and the company offering me a new position wants me to give my present employer 2 weeks notice (customary) and start the following Monday. But, I just feel weird and burnt out. I need a break. At my current job as an engineer, I've literally been doing nothing but sit at my desk all day waiting for the axe. No work for me. Everybody is busy all around me. So it seems. So, I take it day by day wondering if that bi-weekly check will be my last. So, time to leave.

Where do you guys go on vacation? I have no idea? The only time was that ski trip as I described above and the family thing over the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays.
I was thinking of Nashville this weekend, make the rounds and drive up to Kentucky to the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green. Duh, I don't know? White water rafting in Jackson Hole Wyoming? Huh? (might be getting cold now )
I need a book on how to take a vacation. I trust you guy's. You are my best therapy, crazy and all

[Newc]

Well you could go to Hawaii...no wait, it's being resurfaced the old-fashioned way.

How about Australia? I don't think it's on fire any more like it was a couple years ago?

Europe should be getting over the massive flooding they had a couple or three years ago.

Ummm, lemme think.... the Tropics? Aruba? You might get lucky and find that Holloway chick

Then there's the Far East - the Tsunami should all be cleaned up by now.

You can go to Japan! Eat raw fish, take lots of pictures, and say "Howdy Y'all" and make them all call you John Wayne

Go to China and tour The People's Guitar Factory #12 where those Ebay knockoffs are made, and give them pointers on how to make them better

[HoWheels]

Wow ... IMHO it's not healthy to go without vacation. Personally I try to take as much vacation as possible!

My last 'long' vacations ...
2 weeks in Ireland last spring.
1 week last winter to wrench on my car (replaced every oil seal on my block)
2 weeks sometime last year just to dick around all day, play video games, 'explore' my home town
2 weeks snowboarding in Colorado
2 weeks wrenching my car ... swapped engines

-a

[Newc]

When I take a few days off from work, usually around a holiday or on my "short" week so I'm off for 7+ days, I just sit around the house playin vidiot games, browsing Ebay, playing guitar, and complain that there's nowhere "interesting" to go

Then again, you see that blue line under my name, right?

[mhalsey]

Come over here. They looooooove Americans'................... dollars.

[npacheco]

Hawaii is awesome. Yellowstone is cool. Grand Canyon is neat. Just the fact that you'll be getting away will do wonders for you. Pick anything and do it. Oh, and try not to schedule a vacation where you are running around trying to get from one attraction to the next...I seem to come back from my vacation needing a vacation...

I agree with HoWheels - you NEED a vacation every now and then.

[StukaJU87]

For the last 3 years, my only vacation has been the summer NAMM show, which turns quickly into a 4 day drinking bender.

[Wayniac]

Wow ... IMHO it's not healthy to go without vacation. Personally I try to take as much vacation as possible!

My last 'long' vacations ...
2 weeks in Ireland last spring.
1 week last winter to wrench on my car (replaced every oil seal on my block)
2 weeks sometime last year just to dick around all day, play video games, 'explore' my home town
2 weeks snowboarding in Colorado
2 weeks wrenching my car ... swapped engines

-a

How do you get a job that gives you 9 weeks vacation?

[Top Jimmy B]

I'd like to know that, too. I thought I was doing well with four weeks per year.

To answer your question, we try to take two weeks early in the year. We've been going to Jamaica or St Maarten for a few years to escape the cold. In the summer we take a week in the east, rent a cabin and just relax. I always take a week to myself in the late fall...just me, no wife or kids. Last year I went to Montreal and this year I'm saving my solo week to go to NAMM. Two years ago I went to Cuba for a week - that was cool.

You need a vacation and are entitled. Take off and have fun.

[QuantumRider]

My last three "long" vacations have been

1 week in Amsterdam, December 2004
1 week in Thailand, November 2005
1 week in Spain, May 2006.

I have friends all over the world, so I drop in on them for a day or so if I'm in their country. For things to do other than on that day, I send my wife to the bookstore and have her buy a couple of guidebooks.

We are probably going to head to New Zealand next October for a friend's wedding. I will try to find a nice digeridoo afterwards.

[UFORocks]

The US Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas are both very very nice. March - May is a great time to go there.

[Soap]

Go where theres alots of activities and such going on...
Gambling, theater shows/plays, live bands, nice scenery, outdoor stuff to do (archery shooting 3D targets or indoor shooting, hiking, golf, batting cages) suite rooms to stay in, essential while on vacation one to be catered to and pampered. Good eating is a necessity so seek out the places with good meals to indulge in. Whats a vacation without good sex, so sex is a must at some point in the overall vacation experience.
No shop/job talk while on vacation, anybody that does remind them your on vacation.
Vacation do have to be planned, but remeber to relax and have FUN with whatever and wherever you decide. Its okay to do or to try stuff that you normally wouldn't otherwise on vacation.
Its a vacation, have fun.

[HoWheels]

How do you get a job that gives you 9 weeks vacation?

Sorry, I should have been more clear. This was over the last 2 years. I get 4-5 weeks vacation every year

-a

[shreddermon]

Sun, beach, drinks. It's usually that simple. And there are a LOT of places that can fit that kind of bill.

I say "usually" because it ain't that simple when you have young kids like I do now.

[UFORocks]

You know the Corona commercial, where they keep walking down the beach until the cell phone gets no signal? Thats vacation to me...