Do you think of the value of your vacation-hour?

That's one thing I always tell people asking about trains - what is your time worth to you? Is it worth that extra $40 to get where you are going a few hours faster? I know hubby and I on our fisrt trip 'cheaped out' a little on trains - if it is less then a hour time saved taking a faster train, we'd go slower and cheaper. This year I changed jobs and now have 2 weeks paid instead of 3, but I'm taking the extra week without pay, because I figure I am spending so much to get there, I'm taking full advantage (and I have a year to save that extra money I won't get paid).

I fully believe in this, and try to subtly convey this idea in certain threads. People spend a lot of money to fly to Europe and spend maybe 10-14 days of vacation. Most tourists only visit Europe, at best, a few times in their lives. So every day counts, every hour. Most people are far better off spending a little more money to save themselves some time. Like why sit on a 6 hour train if you can fly in 3 hours (including transit to airport, security, etc...)? Even if it costs $100 more to fly, you save 3 hours. I do agree with Andre that there are limits, and not everyone can afford the extra expense. Some people travel to Europe on a shoestring budget, I know I did in college. But I also had more time than money then and so it was a good trade-off. I still won't pay $40 for an airport cab when I can take the metro for $2, even though it might save me 30 minutes.

I think it's a useful concept if it helps people to overcome stinginess about things (faster like trains) that really can save time, or springing for the extra 20 euros to see that extra museum. It also argues for longer vacations, since the sunk costs are spread over more days. However, if you are going to apply economic categories to travel, I'd argue that the marginal cost, and utility, per day is just as useful. People often post questions here about choices and trade-offs. What should I do? Would it be better to go to Switzerland, or just spend the extra time in Paris? These are marginal-utilty and marginal-cost questions.

I agree with this philosphy, but I have a different view on trains. I really enjoy the down-time of watching the scenery from the train window and so I do not consider train travel wasted time. A 6 hour train ride that originates and ends in the city, versus a 3 hr plane trip is a no-brainer for me since I do consider intra-Europe air travel a waste of MY travel-time.

While I agree with the general concept of not being afraid to spend a little more to get somewhere a bit faster, or spend a bit more on a museum, site, or meal to gain the experience; I think the concept needs a bit of caution. By this I mean by breaking it down to the "vacation hour cost" should I spend more hours awake? Should I not sit at the cafe for well after my minimal lunch, just watching the world go by? (I could fit in that other museum) Should I not deviate from my 5 minute increment itinerary to explore a whole world I did not anticipate for an afternoon? While I do pay much to get there, it is also my vacation, down time is important, and one can argue that even time spent doing nothing (a slow train, a nap, time sitting at a cafe) still has value. Time spent doing something totally unplanned also has value, as does doing nothing at all.

This discussion thread consists of two topics : 1) Money. 2) Use of time at Europe. Money : Before I plan a trip to Europe, I decide what is the total amount of money that I am willing to spend for this trip (including airline flight tickets). When I am at Europe, the amount of money that I spend for something (meal in a cafe, transportation in a city) might be higher than the amount of money that I spend for those things in the United States of America. I am willing to do that. I think the prices for admission to some places in England and Europe are extremely high and outrageous, but I pay for admission to some of those places. I try to not exceed my total budget (allocated expense for the entire trip). I do not spend much money for food in Europe. I would not spend Ten U.S. Dollars for a lovely glass of Coca Cola at an outdoor cafe in Paris. I would not spend 65 Great Britain Pounds for one ticket for attending a live show in a theatre in London. Use of Time : Planning my time in Europe, I do not do the mathematics for calculating the amount of money I am spending each hour. I make a schedule for the use of my time. An example of what not to do : When I was in Florence in Italy, I used very much time for searching for a Post Office where I could buy a postage stamp for mailing a Post Card from Italy to the United States of America. (I accidently walked in a direction away from the Post Office). Thus, I did not have time for seeing some art that I wished to see in Florence. I will not do that again. I will not spend more than ten Minutes of my time for walkling to a Post Office. Travelling in trains long distances in Europe, I choose a train that transports me to my destination in the shortest time. And I choose the most comfortable trains. (Now that my age is 60, comfort is important). In Germany, I chose to ride in Class 2 train cars.

@Elaine, @Paul: I think different activities would classify as "chores" or "leisure time" depending on each person. For me, any waiting line is a chore, and an annoyance if it gets past 15 minutes (but I can't get over them always). Still, a loss I try to avoid by "buying out" my way out of the lines (advanced tickets, visiting a place in less crowded weekday/time of day). For some people, taking a train might be as you said an experience on itself. So it enriches your travel experience. Some people even like trains or else for the opportunity to be "surrounded by locals". I never see use of public transportation as anything other than a chore to get from A to B, and I dislike small talk with strangers in trains and airplanes, so... I find interesting that some people can think of mundane things like going to a supermarket in a foreign country as something enjoyable to spend time on. Or "people watching". So my guess is that if you take any activity and ask 10 people to classify it, for some will put it as a valid experience by themselves, others will name it an annoyance to be dealt with.

@Andre - Good way to look at it - a chore = annoyance, especially when on vacation. Time / $ spent getting to and from airports outside city limits and the required early arrivals to check thru security, etc...it annoys me, it's
a chore. I like to jump off and land in a centralized downtown location , where most rail stations are located. As with everything, it's all a matter of personal values and tastes.

"I think different activities would classify as "chores" or "leisure time" depending on each person." Exactly. The point of the thread is the value of your time wasted doing something you don't want to do. It is not a promotion of non-stop trips squeezing in as much sightseeing as humanly possible. And everyone will have different values as to what is a chore. So relaxing in a cafe, lying on a beach or even staring out a train window at the scenery can all be things worth spending time on. Standing in line? Doing laundry? Walking all over town searching for a hotel? And for some sitting on a train with nothing to do... Some people loath those things, others find it a way to slow down from a hectic day of sightseeing. I think the more interesting aspect of this topic is how do people make decisions to balance time vs money? For me laundry is a chore, but has to be done. But I've never been willing to pay for hotel laundry service and instead spend a couple hours washing in the sink and squeezing out each item (or hitting the laundromat). I'd rather take transit to the airport than pay for a cab. But I do pay for high-speed trains. I do book hotels ahead of time. I spend time on trains reviewing guidebooks for the next destination. Spend evenings in the hotel writing in my journal and backing up photos. I will fly more for longer trips so I don't lose a whole day. And I've decided overnight trains just aren't worth it anymore.

I was making some lazy late summer afternoon thought exercise... Imagine I had reasonably large supply of travel money that it wouldn't constrain me on any normal activity, but that my time was tight limited... so I started thinking what I'd pay more to gain time, what I wouldn't... For instance, I find (like others) the price of hotel laundry exorbitant pretty much anywhere, but if I had enough money I'd pay for the magic of having clothes washed and ironed when i"m back in the evening. I would also park in closes places possible to attractions even in cities where parking is very expensive like London. Something I'd also definitively do is search for direct flights in convenient times even if they cost triple, quadruple the best offers with connections. When it comes to telecom, I'd forget about roaming charges and just use my tablet and smartphone as I were at home, not caring about roaming data charges. No more travel GSM or wi-fi signal hunting, I'd use my wireless sticker and let the web roll. Finally, the possibility of telling Booking.com to sort hotels by ratings and not prices is seriously tempting. I would not go for the most expensive hotels, but the ability to chose a hotel that fits my taste and is in a good location, not caring much about expensive rates or parking fees is really a dream.

My philosophy in general is having money is nice but in the end you can't take it with you. So when on the road I spend what I want. Things that make my day aren't a new italian leather purse, or Venetian mask, or dinner in a fancy restaurant. People watching, taking photographs, strolling thru parks, looking at architecture, laughing out loud, enjoying a pint, listening to a church choir, street food, and being away from LA are all simple pleasures of my travel. Never give a thought to "if I shopped around I'd probably find it cheaper." Time is fleeting, sure as hell not going to spend it looking for a bargain. Will I buy a Eurostar ticket 90 days out. You bet but I've also thrown in an unplanned Paris to London jaunt on the train when I could have flown. Simply felt like it. My hard earned money, and I spend it how I see fit.

The value of my vacation hour??? Priceless. For me, Million Dollar Moments are not on any checklist and have not been experienced by anyone else and cannot be repeated. I am as intrigued by the people of the places I am visiting as the historical sights. I love small talk with the locals, visiting local grocery stores, rest areas on the autobahn, sitting in cafes and wandering small streets in remote villages. The only thing I am probably 'efficient' at when it comes to travel is my packing... I do have that down pretty well for how I travel and like to dress. So, I can't say I would ever calculate all this just to figure out how not to waste time, because it is as you said ...what is a 'chore' for some people is not for another. I tend to enjoy most everything when I am traveling, especially when I think of my alternative (could be home)

I agree with this. There are some times where every spare dollar counts and so the cheaper option is really the only option. . However, most of the time this is not the case. Asmall difference in a souvenir cost? Not worth the hassle of going to a bunch of stores, unless going to stores is an enjoyable part of vacation to you. Same for the slow train. To some, the journey IS the destination, so the slow train has value beyond being cheaper. But if your main goal is to get from A to B, then your time is probably worth the cost difference. .
I apply this especially to free days at museums. Yes, they are free. They are also significantly more crowded and I just enjoy the visit less. It is worth the price of admission to deal with fewer crowds, I think. I made the mistake of saving the Orsay until my last day in Paris, which was free day (I didn't know it was free). I had the museum pass and so got to bypass the ticket line, but it was insanely crowded and I really didn't enjoy it. Probably didn't help that it was raining and everyone wanted to be somewhere inside. So the Orsay on a non-free day is priority #1 on return to Paris.

If I worked out the cost per hour I'd probably drop. I do weigh the costs of things versus the time taken. Now that I'm a carry-on traveler, laundry is a small issue. I don't hate doing it in the sink but I'm prepared to pay for someone else to do it. At a hotel in Salzburg they never charged me (must have been a mistake) and they even ironed the undies, which put us into hysterical laughter. At Le Calendal in Arles (one of Rick's recommended hotels), it is only eight euros per load. Reasonable in my opinion. I'd pay more than that too. The self serve laundromat we used in London cost a fortune, more than any service we've used in other countries. I've taken a few long train rides that upon reflection should have been a budget flight and I will look more into that in the future. Groceries can indeed be very interesting abroad. I remember shopping in Spain with my sister when we rented a villa and we were there for hours. She bought lots of souvenirs from the grocery store. My main budgeting comes with finding cheaper flights and decent accommodation. Once on the ground I won't nickle and dime myself. I always say I'll never be here again (but sometimes am!). I will always stay as long as the vacation entitlement from work permits regardless of cost (counting down to five weeks per year starting in 2015!!!!!!!!!).