Journ Travel Survey
Holiday Travel- Results
This, the first survey, was pretty mundane (my questions, at least), but
some contributors got in the spirit to share their plans and humor. Overall, the results were fairly balanced. Of the 14 who responded, Thanksgiving and Christmas were equally traveled (6 each, with two saying they more often head out on New Year's).
For the Millennium, relatively few will be hooping it up in an unusual way. Only two said they would be ringing in the new year at a large sponsored event. Others will be at private parties or staying home. (DVora will be working that night at a hospital and Alice says she may be holed up in a cave, bunker, or the like).
Holiday travel, at least among our respondants, still seems to be a family affair. Most travels were centered around family and all but one person
was writing from home the week of Thanksgiving.
Here are some excerpts from the survey:
Driftersonline, known among many Yahoo! travelers for his site of the same name and smarmy humor, says he'll be traveling for Thanksgiving to Vegas by way of Newfoundland in a taxi. His purpose for the trip? "Get drunk. Get lost." He also writes his current location is a cave, bunker, or the like.
Marsha, in Phoenix, Arizona, is not traveling during the holidays, but has a good reason to stay home. She writes, "This year will be a first because there will be a new someone special, and we will do things together and the plans already sound great! I hope this will be the start of something good and lasting. Sounds like we will experience some longtime wishes and desires together, and a lot of fun with mutual family and friends."
One 'John Q. Public' didn't have much to write, but says he will be going by truck to Palestine, Texas for Christmas. New Year's he will be at a private party, and at the time of response he was at a relative's house.
'Wine', in Florida, will be driving up to Massachusetts at Christmas to be with family. She writes that she will 'see family members haven't seen in years, meet special friend, go to NYC, see Rockefeller Center with sister,' then 'come back to Florida and go on cruise with 55 co-workers.'
A hilarious response comes from Michelle in Canada, saying, "...I'll be home for Christmas... home being small town Saskatchewan. Not everyone's cup of tea for the ultimate travel destination, but I only get to see my family once or twice a year." Her mode of transportation? Go Greyhound.
"I just hope I don't have to sit by some greasy freak on the bus who wants to know if I want to become a part of the mile long club...Otherwise I just want to spend plenty of quality time with my family and become familiar with my mom's new home and eat as much Ukrainian food as humanly possible.
Alice, in Hong Kong, seems as a general rule not to travel during the holidays: "No holiday crowds, thanks, I travel off-peak." She seems uncertain about New Year's, though. "Preferably, for the year 2000- ideal destination USA... Great plans and expectations, but won't know if any would be realized."
Ian, from Walden, NY, is home for all holidays from school. Though he chose the vacation type from the survey menu as 'family obligation' there seems to be no negative connotation coming from him. The purpose of the vacation is 'being able to get home in one piece and share the holiday experience with family and friends."
DVora, who lives in southern California, is taking a vacation in the Pacific Northwest near Christmas to visit friends and family. She will be working at the hospital as the millennium turns, saying "Somebody has got to be there to stitch up all of the crazy revelers!
'Lilith1968', in Switzerland, has chosen a 'once in a lifetime' event for the New Year. She will be traveling by way of planes and trains in England and Scotland. In her words, her purpose for the trip is "being in Scotland for the big day and attending a ceilidh in small town- well I hope to learn the traditional dances (read: another failed attempt); other big hope- to sample as many different brands of whiskey as I can handle. On a more serious note: visiting a few industrial cities of the north of England on my way to Scotland and hoping there's something worth seeing- maybe even hooking up with a few chat friends for a pint or two..."
Her ending response almost seems to recant her admission this will be a once in a lifetime event: "Thinking about it now, I don't really intend to accomplish or experience anything special, other than the usual travel-related stuff..."
Cathy, from Frederick, Maryland, is celebrating New Year's in Jamaica. "Well, we spent 3 New Years Eve's on that crazy island and said, 'what the f*ck, why not spend the millennium there'...lol... I plan on drinking a few rum punches as soon as I arrive, meeting new friends, and most of all spending time with my family. I wanted to be on a Caribbean island for the Y2K, away from the pessimists who think I won't be coming back to America...ha ha."
An American who uses the name 'loveslifeOO' is vacationing in Amsterdam at the holidays and has this to say for the reason: "Number one: just being with my family. I have four sons overseas, so it is great to have just one of my international sons home at any time of the year, but especially a holiday!