I wish like heck someone would have offered you some web sites or suggestions for reading on what I think it was you originally asked about: the convenience of an all inclusive resort, with options away from the beach. I am sure such places exist. If the Ziners don't know about them, I'm betting that a good travel agent would.

You mentioned Cancun, and that seemed like a good idea, since there are a variety of things to do in that area, and most resorts there are equipped to offer you day trips to the surrounding points of interest. You can probably visit the ruins, the shopping areas of Cancun, snorkel or dive, and go for a tour of the mangroves, from any number of all inclusive resorts in the area that may or may not be alcohol-soaked group sports and dining meccas. In fact, I personally know people who vacation in Cancun regularly, and they have never told me any stories at all about booze-centered group activities. I have heard about nice restaurants, good shops, pretty resorts, luxurious hotels, etc. I'm sure these spring break type places exist, but I'm sure that there are other options for those who wish to visit Cancun .

You seemed to know what it was that you were looking for, and we seemed to tell you that you were actually looking for something else. I think this was arrogant, and I apologize for any part I may have played in this. Not everyone has the time or inclination to take a trip that calls for extensive planning and research. Sometimes people just want to get away to a nice spot, with a nice pool and beach, good food, shops, and a few cultural and historical options that are easy to get to on the spur of the moment. I say go on the type of trip that you want, not the type that veteran travellers, who have seen and experienced many destinations in order to form their taste and judgement, would choose for themselves.

I may never go on a trip to Cancun, and I will probably never go on a backpacking trek in Africa. But if someone asks a question on the TravelZine about trekking in Africa, I wouldn't dream of telling them that they shouldn't do what they want to do. And if someone asks about a trip to an all-incusive resort, I would rather tell them about lovely all-inclusive resorts that I know of, or that I may have heard about, than suggest that where they want to go isn't cool enough by my standards. Sheesh.......

Ziners, I put it to you: I think that sometimes some of us are snobs. We tell people not to go on tours, not to go to resorts, not to do anything that obsessive travellers like us wouldn't do. I took my first foreign journey 22 years ago on a Club Med all-incusive package. Perhaps that was when my urge to see and do more on my travels came to life. I wasn't born with this bookshelf full of guides, and these hundreds and hundreds of Internet bookmarks. They happened naturally as I followed my own inclinations. Can't we assist novice travellers in following their own inclinations? Isn't that the way we learned to love to travel?

Out on a limb again, debbie

Cathleen wrote: Hm, I'm not really sure. My husband and I were hoping that this would be a

> fun, but also romantic vacation,

> Is this common for *all* resorts or just Cancun, or just the ones you've
> been to, or what?