When do you get excited?

[Pickle]

At the airport... when I see folks other than us at the gate wearing rather tropical clothing and waiting for the flight that takes us all to VI. When a third party gets involved like that, "visually" in this case, that is the time the trip finally starts to feel real to me. Of course, the ultimate moment would be when I step out of the plane in St. Thomas.

I get really excited about the trip about a month before (while my husband is as calm as the water at Maho and rolling his eyes at how excited I am), but at that point, the trip still doesn't seem real to me.

[Carolyn]

The answer for me is TODAY!

I just booked the villa and thanks to Gromit scored great airfare for Nov/Dec trip.

Of course it will only escalate as time goes by and the ticker I don't even have yet ticks down!

[sasky]

We planned this next trip (5/24-5/31) only a couple weeks ago, so we haven't had that long drawn out wait as with past trips. It feels different. I think the excitement "curve" will be similar though, just over a shortened period of time.

Trip planning - Excited
Right after the trip is all planned - Super excited
The in between months/weeks - Calms down a bit.. I almost try to put it out of my mind so I don't drive myself crazy
The week before the trip - EEEE!!!
Flight, touchdown, getting there - Aaahh...

Sometimes excitement is best expressed in sounds.

Mind out of the gutter people!

[LMG]

Yesterday, last week, today. Pretty much all the time. For things that are planned, for things that aren't even paid for, for scenarios I've only created in my mind. Pretty much any time I think about even the faintest possibility. I have two sets of friends leaving within the month for their first STJ trip just due to my recommendations (and constant prodding). That's pretty exciting, too... vicarious as it may be.

Stepping off the plane works, too.

[Bob & Anita]

Gromit, Glad you clarified when we get excited about what; otherwise we might have had some interesting reponses.

I think Sasky laid our stages of excite fairly well...

Excitement "curve":

Trip planning - Excited
Right after the trip is all planned - Super excited
The in between months/weeks - Calms down a bit.. I almost try to put it out of my mind so I don't drive myself crazy
The week before the trip - EEEE!!!
Flight, touchdown, getting there - Aaahh...

Sasky, can you provide us with a line chart of this "excitement curve"?

[cypressgirl]

I get really excited on the ferry from STT. I've made that hard, long, trip so many times (poor me ) that it's kind of like when my friends talk about going to their lake house. They don't get excited until they are there. I'm not quite that jaded, but I do look forward to getting there after the long travel day is over, and we get checked into the villa. I'm a "nervous Nelly", so I'm waiting for plane delays, bad weather, equipment failure, etc. until the wheels hit STT. Then I start to relax. Yes, I'm a type A. I can not just sleep or read on the beach, I have to people watch, snorkel, skip rocks, walk around, drink.........come to think of it.........I do very little relaxing until about 6:30, and I'm ready for bed.

[California Girl]

Yes, I'm a type A. I can not just sleep or read on the beach, I have to people watch, snorkel, skip rocks, walk around, drink.........come to think of it.........I do very little relaxing until about 6:30, and I'm ready for bed.

I really need to get in on the SOTB one of these days... you and I were made to be busy together! (until about 6:30, that is!) LOL!

[aroobagirl]

Once the house is reserved and the plane tix purchased. I then know it is "out there".

[KPlumm]

When the "days to go" drop under thirty.

[cypressgirl]

Yes, I'm a type A. I can not just sleep or read on the beach, I have to people watch, snorkel, skip rocks, walk around, drink.........come to think of it.........I do very little relaxing until about 6:30, and I'm ready for bed.

I really need to get in on the SOTB one of these days... you and I were made to be busy together! (until about 6:30, that is!) LOL!

YES you do. We do what ever the heck we pleae and it's nice to not have to please any man.... unless you want to. You are always welcome.

[byado18]

Off and on....from first thought to toes in the sand.......along the way.....

narrowing down the dates
booking villa or timeshare
tickets purchased
making plans for sails, etc
emailing Barb and Cary for massage dates
packing

Feeling the plane start on the descent, landing and knowing that we are almost home when we land in STT.....

Love the ferry ride....nothing like the wind and water and sun hitting our faces.....

[tjwgrr]

Me excited? Naw... (see ticker)

It really hits when I get under a week- although my head is spinning getting prepped to be gone from work and home.

[ccasebolt]

The first wave hits me when I purchase the airline - and I know I have a new ticker

The second wave hits when I work out the accommodations - I love shopping for a villa/condo!

The third wave hits when I have to start tying up loosed ends before travel. It's the stressful part pre-trip, but it doesn't matter because I know that soon I'll be STJ!

The STT tropical jet fumes are the long-awaited reward

[TrvlJohn]

when it only says 'days' in the ticker...no 'months'

[brenda]

when it only says 'days' in the ticker...no 'months'

Yep, you gotta love that!