Vacations Are a Race Against Time

My travels aren't just a vacation - they're a race against time.

From the time I step on the airplane, virtually everything is an effort to beat the clock. The meager two weeks my wife and I can squirrel away to travel are precious, and we can't leave any stone unturned.

But the fact is ... we do. And in every single place we visit. Consider our trip to New Zealand: Sixteen days, eight different destinations. In Iceland, we had about 12 days. We spent a night in seven different places.

Something feels wrong about complaining that I don't do enough on my vacations. Every single trip generates memories that inspire and motivate me.

But I'd really love to slow down.

That's really only possible, though, with about a month of vacation. But forget about why it's not possible for me. Here's why I want it to be possible.

There's More to Every Place

When we plan our itinerary, our priority is to hit some major attraction that appeals to us - a glacier hike, a cave tour, a backpacking route. And we unfailingly find that attraction, explore it, photograph it, love it.

Here's the problem - each of these destinations has more to offer. Perfect example - Iceland's Skaftafell National Park. A spectacular place - we hiked the glacier and visited the iceberg-filled glacier lagoon. We ever did a nice little hike.

On that hike, we had to turn back to catch the bus to our next destination. But I knew the trail continued toward an otherworldly volcanic peak. And I wanted to go there.

The clock, however, was ticking. And we had to go.

Connect with the Place - and the People

Travel's not just about seeing and doing things. It's about meeting people.

And not just other travelers, but the people who call your destinations their home. It would be great to spend enough time somewhere to really get to know a few people. Does the place that seems so idyllic to me seem dull and provincial to them? Who are the people that give a place its character? Where are the fun places that never appear in a guidebook?

You can't find this out in 48 hours.

Nelson and Queenstown in the South Island of New Zealand comes to mind. Both are small enough to be friendly and laid-back, but big enough to require some time to get away from Trafalgar Street. They're a perfect base for several days - and taking some time to drive and walk around the towns and nearby countryside.

I don't foresee this happening to me without a sabbatical or a major change in vacation policy philosophy in America. The first is a distant possibility, and the second is slightly less likely than contact with an extraterrestrial civilization - before the end of 2010.

Let me leave you with something important, though: Just because it's difficult if not impossible to get everything out traveling that you could possible want, you should still do it. Two days each sampling places on the other side of the world will make your life better.