Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!columbia!rutgers!nike!cit-vax!trent From: trent@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu (Ray Trent) Newsgroups: soc.singles Subject: Re: Vacations (seeking advice) (long, sorry) Message-ID: <1042@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> Date: Mon, 13-Oct-86 21:30:26 EDT Article-I.D.: cit-vax.1042 Posted: Mon Oct 13 21:30:26 1986 Date-Received: Thu, 16-Oct-86 19:40:39 EDT References: <3074@sdcrdcf.UUCP> Reply-To: trent@cit-vax.UUCP (Ray Trent) Distribution: world Organization: California Institute of Technology Lines: 96 Summary: interesting social phenomenon In article <3074@sdcrdcf.UUCP> steve@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Steven Holtsberg) writes: > >I'm thinking about taking a vacation, alone, and I was wondering >whether any of you out there have done this, what experiences >you've had, and what recommendations you can make. >If there is anyone who has taken a Club Med vacation, I'd like >to know how one passes the average day on such a vacation. Normally, I would say that this sort of subject would belong in net.travel, but at the mention of Club Med I thought, "Now there's a social phenomenon that might be interesting to discuss," so here goes... Club Med had been a world-wide organization long before it was introduced in the U.S. about 25 years ago, (by Michael & Brigitte Seligman/U.S. Travel Bureau I think...if anyone cares) and was a smash hit almost immediately. To clear up some misunderstandings about what goes on at Club Meds I will summarize my experience at the one in Ixtapa, Mexico. First of all, most Club Meds are really beautiful vacation resorts. Second of all, leave your inhibitions, prejudices and wallet at the door. The way the places are run, you should need little or no money anyway. All meals are included and are unbelievably good. All activities (sports, crafts, and picnics, just to name a few...including first rate instruction) are included and are unbelievebly good. In fact, almost everything is included, except alcohol and the gift shop. Drink prices are abstracted away into "beads" necklaces of which you purchase at the front desk. (or for those diehards out there who like to carry cash, you can buy beads around the bar area, but the bar itself only accepts beads) If you are shopping in the gift shop while there, you're not doing it right anyway... One point...there are no single rooms (this may be different at other CMs) so if you go alone, expect to get assigned a roommate. (in my experience, this means a same-sex roommate. ;-() Similarly, all meals are eaten with a different group of people at a table for ~8. The people come from all over the world, so be prepared for an ample portion of cultural education with each course. Many of the activities are organized with the express intent of getting people to interact. (e.g. sing-alongs during the nightclub like shows put on by the staff, disco-oid dancing, group sports lessons, etc.) Other activities are more personal: listening to classical music to sunrise/set, beach-bumming, individual sports like archery, etc.) There are no "average days on such a vacation" Somehwat typical might be: have a 7-course breakfast, beach/tidepool comb for a while, (people leave their watches at the front desk too) go plunk a few dozen arrows into a target (unsuccesfully trying to pick up on the cute archery instructor :-), have an 8-course lunch, take a lesson in snorkling, snorkle for a while (admiring a myriad display of beautiful flora and fauna...some of it human), have a beer or two around the pool, (learning more about the details of French swimwear than you probably thought was knowable), have a many-course dinner, mingle a while on the deck/dancefloor, go to the show, make a fool out of yourself singing along with all the other fools, slip on down to the "disco" (as awful as that sounds). You spend whatever percentage of your time you feel is appropriate on those and many other activities. This may sound somewhat like a meat-market, but is such only if you want it to be. Hmm, this is getting longer than I had expected...quick guidelines time: DO go to CM if: 1) you like people...lots of people. 2) you like privacy, it's not hard to find if you want to, but what's the point? 3) you like food...lots of it...lots of GOOD food. 4) you like to RELAX. (whether your idea of relaxation is lying on the beach, or learning to windsurf/ski/whatever. 5) you are shy, and really want this to change. 6) you enjoy viewing scantily clad MOTAS. 7) you want to experience something new. DON'T go to CM if: 1) you can't handle leaving home without your American Express Card. 2) you are shy...and want to stay that way. 3) you dislike crowd mentalities. (just don't go to the shows) 4) you have deeply ingrained social hangups. 5) you will be dissappointed if you don't have lots of whirlwind romances. Such are quite possible, but your mileage may vary. About that last point: people are there to relax, which in many/most cases doesn't mean getting caught in romantic entanglements. Also, the general age group seems to be late twenties/early thirties...with a large percentage of married couples, incessant rumors to the contrary. Well, this has gone long enough...what I originally wanted to provoke was discussion about people's behavior in singles-bar-like environments, but my above descriptions seems self-defeating in this regard...oh well, any comments? Additional disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Club Med or any other companies whose names or trademarks I may have infringed upon. Direct all flames to me (or, preferably, /dev/null) not them.