Basic Principle of Travel/Stay Proportionality

Postulate

Let t be an amount of time spent traveling to a destination, be it a friend's house or a different city, by any means of transportation (e.g. walking, biking, driving, flying). For travel durations exceeding five minutes, the amount of time (S) spent at the ultimate destination shall be no less than three times the total time spent traveling one-way to said destination:

S ≥ 3t

Derivation

For a traveling/visiting/vacationing experience to be deemed pleasurable, we must ask ourselves if the total time spent moving from one location to another and back to the original location exceeds the total time spent at the new location, and whether this time investment has yielded satisfying returns. Considering the round-trip travel duration (r), logically assumed to be 2t, barring any route or itenerary changes for the return trip, a stay duration also equal to 2t would indicate that exactly as much time was spent seated motionless in a car, for example, as was spent enjoying the sights and sounds of the destination.

 r = 2t

For the traveler's satisfaction in the trip to be sufficiently high enough, half as much again must be spent at the destination, yielding 3/2. This number is known as the Farnhoff-Wickam-Gert Quotient, and it is commonly understood to be the threshold at which travel becomes pleasurable:

3/2r

We resubstitute 2t for r and reduce:

3/2(2t)
3t

It is also understood that any additional time spent at the destination is beneficial; therefore any number that matches or exceeds the Farnhoff-Wickam-Gert Quotient is deemed acceptable.

S ≥ 3t

Practical Applications

1. Walking to your neighbor's house to return a borrowed tool.

If it takes less than five minutes, there is no requirement for the duration of the visit. You may return the borrowed tool and depart at your leisure. But feel free to stay and chat about the weather or compliment your neighbor's lawn.

2. Driving across town to hang out with friends.

If you are driving 10-20 minutes across town, and everyone decides within five minutes of your arrival that the group will be moving to a different location, the trip has not been worth your time. A travel duration of 10 minutes requires at least half an hour of hanging out; 20 minutes of travel requires a minimum of one hour.

3. Driving across the country to visit family or vacation in a new city.

If you drive 12 hours in a car to your destination, you should not spend less than three days there. If you spend three days driving from one coast to the other, you should not spend less than nine days there.

Conclusion

The Basic Principle of Travel/Stay Proportionality is a powerful tool when planning a trip of any kind. Use it wisely, and you can begin to reap the benefits of a pleasurable lifestyle.