Travel and the workplace

I guess the culture of my workplace is that people travel. With my last boss I really resented it because I felt (1) he only seemed to recognize my claim to have time off if I was traveling (somehow if a travel agent put funds down that was non returnable that was sacred) and (2) travel costs money... and I don't have a lot of money.

During the last 10 years I have done a lot of travel. I have gone to NYC, LA, Chicago, Miami and before that I did travel to Berlin. I would like to go to London / with a day trip to Paris but that is it.

At around a certain point I realized that wasn't interested in travel anymore. To be frank I had my first harassment incident... I got to Chicago late and took a late cruise only to have some weird Russian guy start following me around on a boat. (which there is no way to get off of) and on that same trip I got diverted for hours due to a storm we couldn't land in chicago. It can be dangerous traveling on your own.

But I am just not interested in travel anymore because I have so many more domestic things I want to do. For instance I am trying to save to insure an early retirement. I also have a zillion things to do around my house to make it the home of my dreams.

As usual... some of what is pushing this is co workers who like to travel. But I have never understood how people get so excited about it. My co worker is moving to South Korea to live in September. I am horrified for her but everyone else is excited.

I just do not understand this particular thing and I will not be bullied into it anymore.

At first I thought you meant business travel, but I realize that's not what you meant. Time off is time off and it is sacred whether you are traveling or not.

I take an "imagination vacation" every year. I hang out in my backyard with my pool and pretend I'm at some exotic location. It's all I can afford.

Bottom line - it's noones business but your own what you do on vacation. Stand up for your right to take time off no matter what you do with it.

Just lie and say you've put down deposits. They don't need to know your travel plans. I don't tell my work what I'm doing when I take time off. It's none of their business.

Seesaw

Ahh I refuse to lie. Plus they will find out because they have traveled everyplace and will want details. That is the rub.. they have little boring lives and somehow my travel is like something that will make them happy.

I don't tell them what I am doing on vacation... they just presume because I don't tell them I am going anyplace.

The other day I was at a meeting and my boss comes in and goes... when was the last time you flew on a plane. I didn't even answer and goes OMG you can't even remember, and I then I said Chicago 2012 and he made fun of Chicago being not very far away.

I feel like I am going to have to say something. I don't want to but it just keeps going on and on. And if I don't say something it is like consent to keep using it as the "make fun of" line. This happened in my last job. And I have a friend that goes to visit her cousins all the time (in another state) because that is the only way she can get time off.