Traveling is supposed to be fun, a time to escape from the everyday worries of home and career. Okay, so why would anyone want to travel to a place that is cold, which means taking along extra clothing and then needing to worry about the chances of illness that come with a cold climate?
If I could answer that question, I would be able to answer a lot more questions about human nature and the wide variety of likes and dislikes of individuals. Unfortunately, I do not think I can be much help here. However, I can tell you about one or two experiences I had with travel to places that are usually a bit cooler than the beach in summertime.
When I was a few years younger, I was lucky enough to make a trip to the mountains – in January! Unbelievably, I went again in March, a few years later. I am not a skier, so I did not actually spend any time on the slopes. However, I dressed warm, prepared for temperatures in the 30s and 40s during the day and much cooler at night. While the family skied, I had a blast shopping, walking around the quaint town, and just enjoying the beautiful area.
To ensure I was comfortable, not working up a sweat on the slopes, I packed with a plan to take along layers of clothing, including some long underwear of lighter weight, two or three short-sleeved shirts, and two or three of the long-sleeve variety. In addition, I took two pairs of shoes to include good boots and a more comfortable pair of walking shoes. For socks, I packed several pairs of old-fashioned cotton.
My outerwear consisted of two pairs of gloves, one lined leather pair, and one lighter pair. I also had a jacket with me that I wear in the fall at home and a slightly heavier coat. Then to cover my head, I had an adorable stocking cap. Just remember when traveling to cold regions that you will lose the majority of your body’s heat through the head so a warm hat is essential.
During my January trip, I was fortunate enough to have a few days of warm weather, but there was plenty of snow and the winds were strong at the higher elevations. By dressing in layers, I could adjust my clothing as needed. The trip was wonderful and now, I have decided that even without skiing, I want to spend time each winter in the beautiful mountains.