Taking up the (malu) travel challenge! (Why (not) travel?)

Member Name: 2Quizzy

Product:	Why (not) travel?
Date:	03/12/03 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: **

Disadvantages: **

q: how many times a year do you travel?

a: Normally I don't travel at all. Would love to though!
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q: for how long do you go away?

a: My longest holiday was in 2002 and that was a whopping 40 days. The shortest was in 1991 and was two days.
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q: do you stay in your home country or do you go abroad?

a: Tricky to answer since at the moment I'm between home countries having just moved to the UK from South Africa this year. As a kid we'd holiday away from "home", Rhodesia, by going to South Africa. Otherwise I've only been abroad once.
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Q: Do you organise your holidays yourself or do you go to a travel agency?

A: Both. Short family holidays were always organised by family. My trip to Scotland last year I did go via a good travel agency and they helped a lot. They were worth it!
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Q: Do you prepare your holidays in advance by reading guide books and studying maps?

A: Well, I've only been on one holiday myself otherwise it was holidays as a kid and then my dad was fond of maps. I'd take a map, but otherwise I personally prefer surprises. I don't like pre-planning things too much.
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Q: Do you travel alone/with family or friends/with an organised group?

A. As a kid I travelled with a disorganised group otherwise known as "family. My parents and pretty much anyone who wanted to come with. We've had as many as six people squished in the car for the three day drive from Rhodesia to South African seaside resorts. Being in a land-locked country going to the sea was a BIG deal. Usually the trip was as much fun as the holiday.
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Q: Do you prefer the sea / mountains / plains / cities as destinations?

A:
I prefer mountains and countryside and medium sized cities. The beach gets boring, in my opinion. All sand looks like... sand. Plus swimming in South African seas I tend to feel nervous. I keep imagining my legs looking like those sticks in cocktail snacks to a shark. Eating sandy food and getting burnt red isn't my idea of fun. Give me mountains and streams and trees any day.
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Q: Do you mainly relax or are you an active holidayer?

A: Active. Just read my Port Elizabeth review and you'll see what I mean! ;) I like seeing all the sites, museums, old ruins, parks, zoos, shops and restaurants.
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Q: If you go abroad do you learn at least some words of the foreign language?

A: Well, I've never been anywhere that foreign, but if I did I'd certainly want to know a few basics. I nearly ended up in Chile on holiday once (long story involving Chilean boyfriend) and as a result can say "how much does that cost?" and a few other things. The guide book from the library was ancient and it's idea of useful sentences was a scream. My friends and I fell about laughing at some of them. We all agreed that "No, I do not wish to go down there" was the weirdest.
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Q: Are you interested in the cuisine of a foreign country?

A: Yes. What's the point in travel if you don't get to experience the culture in every way? First thing I did last year here was start my nibbling way through Scottish food. All that shortbread.. *sigh* I also have to confess that I tried and discovered that I actually like haggis.
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Q: Which means of transportation do you prefer?

A: To have your own car is the best. To have the freedom to go where you want to when you want to beats everything else. I also prefer driving to the destination if pos
sible. Some of the best moments of travelling is the strange unknown places you find along the route. Travelling through South Africa as a kid we'd get up before dawn to escape the worst heat and stop for breakfast in all sorts of weird little towns. I always remember going through the mountain passes in the Drakensberg with the morning mist parting to show deep green valleys. Pure magic!
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Q: What kind of luggage do you take with you? Have you got problems packing? Do you tend to take too many / too few things with you?

A: Well. Obviously as a kid I never packed - my mother never trusted me after the first time she let me pack and found I had a suitcase full of teddy bears and underwear and no clothing! As an adult I've been on two holidays and two weekend breaks. In the short ones I did great with just one small bag taking everything I needed. It's a marvellous bag I bought on sale that can be extended by unzipping and extending it like some weird concertina with handles. The first time I used it I found a fantastic old book shop and staggered onto the plan with it fully unzipped and packed full of old books. For the longer trips I didn't do as good. I worried about going for longer and ended up taking too much stuff. Ok, too much clothing, but not enough shoes. Would you believe both times my favourite shoes broke? I've come to the conclusion you can never have too many comfortable shoes on stand by!

The worst packing was this year packing to leave South Africa. I still was only allowed the usual baggage weight, but this time I was packing up my entire life and wardrobe. Stuff had to be sent via ship and that meant deciding what I needed desperately and what could wait. It took the ship three to four months to get here and by then I was so sick of the clothes I had packed. My denims were beginning to whimper.

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Q: Do you send pi
cture postcards to your family and friends?

A: No. I'm dreadful. I buy postcards and then forget them until I get home. I also am useless at taking photos. I'd rather be doing and experiencing than standing on the side taking the pictures so I never remember the camera.

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