Pursuing Your Hobbies When Traveling?
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,507
I used to take my portable ham radio setup with me on trips until I realized that physics plus every single hotel I'd stay at made it impossible to operate--at least not without a significant amount of research and calling/emailing prospective accommodations. Oh, and it made it more likely my carry-on would have to be hand searched by the TSA, too.
One of these days I'd like to actually operate somewhere. Maybe I'd have the best luck camping or something.
One of these days I'd like to actually operate somewhere. Maybe I'd have the best luck camping or something.
#18
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 38
I happen to love trains, so nearly all of my travel has been biased toward places with decent transit systems to ride and learn about. Coincidentally, because I like to take photos of trains, you can imagine that I lug around my DSLR with me to take as many photos as I can. As I've aged, I'm trying to avoid making every trip about riding every train possible, and more about seeing landmarks and museums as well as riding trains. Mind you, I've had a few friends ask me to come to places without trains, but I'm not ready yet to spend scarce money on places without trains...
#19
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: No more status, free agent now
Posts: 163
I like to visit museums, especially history, military, aviation and trains (Is this a hobby? I claim on FT anything can be a hobby). Have been able to visit many amazing museums during work trips, if often only for a short time in the evening. Often specialty museums are somewhere outside the common touristy areas so I get to see normal places where people live. Whenever I travel to a new destination, I make note of the location, transport options and opening hours of a few interesting museums and some other interesting places from e.g. tripadvisor's "top things to see" page and wikitravel, in case I have time to visit. Vacation travel is in reverse, about half of my vacation travel is planned around museums on my bucket list ;-)
#21
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
Running is probably the biggest "hobby" I bring with me on travels. Headed to PHX this week and looking forward to some perfect running weather. (And maybe a few of the new Generation 3 'mon...) I also like the proliferation of rental bikes everywhere: I'm not huge into cycling, but going for a casual ride is kind of fun if I want to get a little exercise but take a day off of running.
#22
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
2018 will see my first trip to South Africa...for a major competition there. Pistol shooting is a world wide sport....so its a good match for a "travel" hobby.....
#23
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 276
dvc
i also regularly join IPSC matches when in home country but will shoot internationally for the first time in pattaya this 2020.
home club takes care of paperwork and international transport of the pistols.
when abroad i mostly stick to walking and sampling the local cuisine. light cycling if bikes are available.
home club takes care of paperwork and international transport of the pistols.
when abroad i mostly stick to walking and sampling the local cuisine. light cycling if bikes are available.
#24
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 60
I like food, particularly local specialties that are common in the places I'm going but aren't necessarily as easy to find or as good where I live.
When I'm going to be travelling with someone else I usually ask them when we're planning the trip what their hobbies are or what they're interested in so we can plan for that. Often it's something I wouldn't pay much attention to if I were by myself, like fiber arts or birding. It's fun seeing a place through someone else's interests, even when it's somewhere I've been because they'll pay attention to things I might not have.
#28
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: GIG - YYC - SVO
Programs: Lost it all and don't care
Posts: 945
Like Haa posted, I am also a museum junkie.
Particularly if it's an aviation related one. Seen some really interesting stuff in my travels.
So, while I don't proactively plan to be near them, I do search to see what's available where I'm going, and find a way to work a visit into the schedule.
Particularly if it's an aviation related one. Seen some really interesting stuff in my travels.
So, while I don't proactively plan to be near them, I do search to see what's available where I'm going, and find a way to work a visit into the schedule.
Last edited by KDS777; Dec 22, 2017 at 8:55 am
#29
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,271
I'd like to know how many of you make an effort to pursue your hobbies and interests while traveling. The thread here in Travel Buzz on Motor Sports piqued my interest for that reason. I know a couple who follow the tennis circuit world wide. Many people travel to surf or scuba dive. For myself, some of my hobbies and interests are a natural fit, such as photography and dining. Other interests have been enhanced by travel, such as bird watching and hiking. I enjoy (beginner level) white water rafting and now try to add that in to my travel whenever possible, although it was never a hobby or even an interest before I started traveling. It turns out that I really like being on a river and seeing the view from below. The waterways were nearly always a magnet to civilization, so there's a good view of an area's history from the river.
One of my main hobbies, horseback riding, has been added to my travel itineraries when feasible. I've now ridden horses along the beach in Mexico, through the rice fields of Cambodia, in the Peruvian Andes, on the stud farm in Lipica (home of the Lippizaner), etc. I've considered adding horseback riding vacations to my travel, but eliminated them because there's usually so much else I'd like to see when I'm there, and riding is, well, pretty slow if you have a lot of ground to cover. I also balance that with the fact that I ride nearly daily at home, so it's part of my life and daily routine. I love to cook, but I'm finding the logistics of adding cooking classes to my travel plans to be difficult, because it's expensive and takes up a big chunk of vacation time. I have, however, added Food Tours as a way to sample new things on the menu.
How do your hobbies enhance or shape your travels?
One of my main hobbies, horseback riding, has been added to my travel itineraries when feasible. I've now ridden horses along the beach in Mexico, through the rice fields of Cambodia, in the Peruvian Andes, on the stud farm in Lipica (home of the Lippizaner), etc. I've considered adding horseback riding vacations to my travel, but eliminated them because there's usually so much else I'd like to see when I'm there, and riding is, well, pretty slow if you have a lot of ground to cover. I also balance that with the fact that I ride nearly daily at home, so it's part of my life and daily routine. I love to cook, but I'm finding the logistics of adding cooking classes to my travel plans to be difficult, because it's expensive and takes up a big chunk of vacation time. I have, however, added Food Tours as a way to sample new things on the menu.
How do your hobbies enhance or shape your travels?