The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: September third, with a Labor Day look at hurry-up vacations.

As life's pace quickens and the demands of the daily schedule become increasingly hectic, a clear trend in leisure travel has emerged. Where vacations were once measured in weeks, some travelers now calculate theirs in terms of hours. Call them fast- forward getaways.

Over the last decade, the number of weekend vacations jumped by 75 percent and now account for over half of all U.S. leisure travel. Spurred by e-saver airfares and a slew of other last minute specials, a surprising number of travelers are taking whirlwind trips that try to cram an entire vacation into 48 little hours. They're jetting across the country, and in some cases, even across an ocean for mind-boggingly brief interludes.

And the travel industry is responding eagerly, with a menu of all-night escapades, one-day cruises and 12 hour tours. There are quickie golf trips, mini-safaris and mad-dash dude ranches. It's possible to jet to London, tour the city, have dinner, catch a play and be back home before your neighbors realize you're gone.

Of course, it is also questionable how much relaxation is possible on such tight time- tables, especially when in-transit delays, always a possibility, can seriously disrupt the schedule. Just savoring a special moment can be a challenge when each second matters so much.

Still, tight time travelers claim their quick trips are worth the effort and aggravation. In fact, for some shoe-horning as much activity as possible into a day seems to be the point of the exercise. It doesn't sound like fun to us.

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