B & B's

B & B’s

The Evolution of Travel

Introduction

A good story should always start with ”in the day”, don't you think?

At least it helps me to recapture images and experiences and in forty+ years of travel we have certainly seen changes in travelers and accommodations. Travelers these days have larger expectations and I believe accommodations have changed to meet them. Technology has played a big part in making information available and assist in planning, getting where you want to go, when. Travel has become more accessible to more people,  modes of transport have become able to accommodate more people with a broader appetite for comfort and travel appeals to more people than “in the day”.

In the day, we would book a flight to Europe and accommodations for the first night at or near our destination and “wing it” from there. We knew where we wanted to go and experience but there was little competition for places to sleep. “Zimmers” in Germany and B&B’s elsewhere were simply rooms in private homes that could be negotiated for one or two nights; included a shared toilet down the hall, a hot water bottle or extra blanket and breakfast with the family and family pets. We occasionally had the pleasure of a family pet sleeping at the foot of our bed.

The owner’s expected that guests would go out and about during the day or move on to their next destination. They would often ask about our plans for the day and help us make arrangements for our next stop.
(to be continued...)