Travel ideas that are conducive to staying sober?
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 5
Travel ideas that are conducive to staying sober?
My wife and young child and I enjoy traveling a lot however, it seems like when I think about my favorite destinations, they all have a strong focus on drinking... relaxing on the beach, cruise ships, all-inclusives, tasting local brews, etc.
I'm still very knew to sobriety and am having a hard time thinking of a places we can travel where I won't be inundated with triggers. In the past, when I'd think about getting sober, I remember fearing that I would never enjoy traveling again. I know that can't be true. Any advice?
I'm still very knew to sobriety and am having a hard time thinking of a places we can travel where I won't be inundated with triggers. In the past, when I'd think about getting sober, I remember fearing that I would never enjoy traveling again. I know that can't be true. Any advice?
I also find vacation travel to be a trigger, especially foreign travel or to the tropics where it seems so fitting. Ugh. I especially would have difficulty traveling and not drinking with someone who was drinking and enjoying themselves, at least right now. So I'm holding off on any big trips overseas or to the Caribbean, etc. I do believe that with more time under my belt and better coping skills it won't be as big of an issue.
Salt Lake City?
Vatican City?
Amish Country?
Ok, seriously
Rafting or hiking
Dude Ranch
NASA
I see you have a young child but after 2 hours at Disney I would have drank vodka out of Pluto's shoe. I have limited myself in early sobriety.....I totally get what you mean about triggers. I think easing into it with short trips is definitely the best idea. I would not recommend getting stranded anyway where you can't leave. Could you do day trips to national monuments? Not sure if you go to AA, even if you don't attend regularly there are meetings everywhere and it is a great way to get reinforcement while you are on the road.
I have given myself an out for the first year or so, I know this is probably one of the most important things I will ever do so I am putting all my energy into it. Slightly forced? Perhaps, but so is anything new. I keep thinking about all my first days on new jobs, new schools, new homes...it always feels weird to be in a strange situation. Being sober feels weird, not bad, just different, and knowing that this will be the case helps me just be in it instead of trying to hide from it.
If I come up with any more thought I will keep you posted, glad to meet you!
Vatican City?
Amish Country?
Ok, seriously
Rafting or hiking
Dude Ranch
NASA
I see you have a young child but after 2 hours at Disney I would have drank vodka out of Pluto's shoe. I have limited myself in early sobriety.....I totally get what you mean about triggers. I think easing into it with short trips is definitely the best idea. I would not recommend getting stranded anyway where you can't leave. Could you do day trips to national monuments? Not sure if you go to AA, even if you don't attend regularly there are meetings everywhere and it is a great way to get reinforcement while you are on the road.
I have given myself an out for the first year or so, I know this is probably one of the most important things I will ever do so I am putting all my energy into it. Slightly forced? Perhaps, but so is anything new. I keep thinking about all my first days on new jobs, new schools, new homes...it always feels weird to be in a strange situation. Being sober feels weird, not bad, just different, and knowing that this will be the case helps me just be in it instead of trying to hide from it.
If I come up with any more thought I will keep you posted, glad to meet you!
Perhaps instead of a long trip do something shorter first. I'm not sure how much fun it would be for the little one but this is a great time of year to head down to Brown County for a weekend getaway. You could do some hiking and take in what is left of the good weather while it's still around. The fresh air and fall colors can't be beat!
yeah, rlh, I agree with the above 2 posts. perhaps give it some time? you can have triggers no matter where you are, we tend to take our brains with us on trips so our thoughts will follow even to that dude ranch. :-) once you feel more secure in your sobriety, that won't matter so much though.
I went to England right around 6 months sober. Was a little worried that the pub culture would trigger me. it really didn't and I noticed things I wouldn't have when very newly sober or still drinking. amazing things like... non-alcoholic drink menus! it was awesome. all kinds of booze free beverages. I was like a kid in a candy store.
So I wouldn't go booking a trip to the California wine country, or passage on a booze cruise, but with an open mind and secure sobriety you can travel to just about anywhere you please.
I have a friend who is in recovery and she is having a blast in Saudi Arabia. Her drinking friends are bummed but she is loving the lack of temptation that many Muslim countries offer. Good luck!
I went to England right around 6 months sober. Was a little worried that the pub culture would trigger me. it really didn't and I noticed things I wouldn't have when very newly sober or still drinking. amazing things like... non-alcoholic drink menus! it was awesome. all kinds of booze free beverages. I was like a kid in a candy store.
So I wouldn't go booking a trip to the California wine country, or passage on a booze cruise, but with an open mind and secure sobriety you can travel to just about anywhere you please.
I have a friend who is in recovery and she is having a blast in Saudi Arabia. Her drinking friends are bummed but she is loving the lack of temptation that many Muslim countries offer. Good luck!
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 46
I went on a cruise with friends at 5 months sober (they all drank a lot, I didn't). Everything was centered around drinking, even the excursions. I would not recommend it. These are unfortunately a few activities that may never be condusive to your new lifestyle. Doesn't mean you can't ever do them, they just aren't going to be on your list of top activities. In my view, just a small price to pay for the many other activities you will enjoy better.
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: NE Wisconsin USA
Posts: 6,223
I have attended 12 step meetings overseas...a wealth of experience and great memories...England, Bahrain, Spain, Nova Scotia, Bermuda, Norway...also have been to dozens of meetings in different cities stateside.
To add: many ocean cruises have regularly scheduled meetings on board ship when underway.
To add: many ocean cruises have regularly scheduled meetings on board ship when underway.
12 years of Catholic school....I think the nuns withheld the wine at my First Communion. I was May Queen in 7th grade. Someone loaned me a white smocked turtleneck prom gown with a zipper up the back (1970's), I turned it around because I wanted to be a "hot" May Queen. :0
But I did end up having to go overseas for work two months into my sobriety and had to burn a week of vacation or lose it.
I went to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. I am not suggesting that those (especially Egypt right now) are your only options but Muslim countries do offer the convenience of it not being right up in your face 24/7, wehav2day is right on that one.
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: England
Posts: 329
Sorry but I have to disagree with most of these replies!! I will not let my AV dictate not only my life but also my partners life. We love our hols and I agree that having a few beers after the beach is one ol life's true true pleasures. BUT you know what we are planning our next holiday and I am looking forward to it even more because I know I will enjoy every part of everyday rather than missing most of mornings recovering ! I cannot wait to get up early in the mornings and get to beach before everyone else and maybe see the sun rise . It will be great. I am sure I will have urges to drink but I say bring it on. It will not dictate to me what I do or where I go. If you have time there is a similar post a few weeks ago about holidays and I loved the comments so it is well worth searching for. Hoped you liked England by the way. All the best
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: United Kingdom.
Posts: 3,007
Good advice to put off travelling until you feel stronger in your sobriety.
You will love travelling again that is for sure,but early sobriety is not the best time to be doing it.You could enjoy time planning the holidays you will be able to go on,I know I love researching my trips.
Wishing you well.
You will love travelling again that is for sure,but early sobriety is not the best time to be doing it.You could enjoy time planning the holidays you will be able to go on,I know I love researching my trips.
Wishing you well.
Keep the focus on activities like hiking (or nature walks given the little one). I know what you mean about the focus on alcohol. There is a new fancy resort in my area--they keep advertising their extensive wine list and proximity to local vineyards.
I am 3 weeks sober and this weekend the family and I are heading North for a run of hockey games. Normally that would include me decompressing with a bottle or two of wine by the pool or in the hotel room. I've been a bit anxious about this, but I really want to go see my daughter in her hockey games and it is one of my favorite destinations. Used to be it was for the local breweries and wineries. I've made a loose itinerary to keep me busy and am getting excited about the new things I'm going to experience sober and without a hangover.
Granted my kids are in their 20's now, but in my memory most activities and destinations that we went to that were aimed at the kiddo's didn't focus at all on drinking as a way to have fun.
Museums (awesome hands on kids ones), parks, zoos, aquariums, hikes, theme parks...not booze focused.
we didn't have money for foreign travel or all inclusives so our experience and expectations may have been somewhat different.
Museums (awesome hands on kids ones), parks, zoos, aquariums, hikes, theme parks...not booze focused.
we didn't have money for foreign travel or all inclusives so our experience and expectations may have been somewhat different.
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