The vacation equation

Anticipation plays a large role in a vacation experience. I once read in a travel industry publication that a typical vacation is divided into 50-percent anticipation of the event, 25-percent the actual experience and 25-percent on reflection.

Think about it. Do you have a vacation planned in the near future? Do you tend to daydream at times of the warm, sunny weather and hot, sandy beaches you have already booked? Are you thinking about 18 holes of golf on lush green grass as you shovel your way out of the driveway? Do you diet or exercise more in anticipation of wearing last year's swimsuit?

So at the time when you purchase a seven-day package to Hawaii, you are actually beginning to enjoy your vacation even though it is many weeks away.

The pleasure you get from anticipating your vacation is actually part of what you are paying for.

You may be the envy of your office when word spreads of your reservation. And, you take joy in it!

I don't know if it was a psychologist or a travel agent who came up with the formula, but it sure makes sense. What about the reflection part? After you get home from your vacation, do you analyze the accommodations, beaches, rental car and restaurants? You talk about your vacation experience with family and co-workers. You share photos of the sights and activities you enjoyed. You analyze your credit card bill and determine if it was worth the extra expense. But, you especially reflect upon the weather.

Alan Fredericks, CTC and editor for Travel Weekly writes, "We Americans are fixated on the weather … People often measure the success of a trip on the basis of the weather. When you ask them how they liked their vacation, they say, 'It was good, but it was so hot,' or 'It was great, but it rained a lot.'"

I would have to add to his statement, "especially if you are from Alaska." Because one of the main reasons for traveling in the winter is to get away from our extreme weather.

Weather can also cause delays and cancellations. Just recently the weather in the Pacific Northwest wreaked havoc on flights up and down the west coast causing long delays. Some travelers reacted very put out by the situation while others took advantage of the extra time to explore the destination they were unable to leave.

About 15 years ago I was on a flight from Seattle to Bend, Oregon with a connection in Portland. The flight to Bend was cancelled due to a snowstorm and the gate agents could not confirm when the flight would leave. I met three other women on their way to Bend in the same situation and we decided to pitch in on renting a car and hitting the road.

I got to my destination several hours later than scheduled but I met some new friends and enjoyed the ride.

Fredericks also wrote, "Americans' obsession with weather is not shared everywhere - Europeans don't worry as much.

Axel Dessau, who ran the Danish tourist office in North America years ago, used to say Europeans took bad weather in stride.

"If we wake up in the morning and it's a beautiful day, we're pleasantly surprised," he said.