Is there something that you normally consider a splurge but you will not do without it if at all possible?
I have two: 1) Economy Comfort seat (I'd rather be a sardine than an anchovy),
2) Car service for the return trip from the airport. Costs the same as a taxi for my route, and I don't have to ask friends to deal with flight delays, etc. And to be honest, I'm not always in the best mood on the way back.
Other than that, I have a budget travel plan.
Does taking the train instead of the plane count?
I'm seriously considering to stop flying. Somehow they manage each year to reach a new level of nastiness. The train can take much longer, sometimes even involve a stop-over, and can be more expensive, but it's so much more comfortable and pleasant.
I don't consider it an extravagance or splurge, but others might. I won't do without air conditioning in my lodging if traveling someplace in the summer. I've stayed in some places without a/c in the past during summer and it can be a miserable experience trying to get some sleep if you end up in a heat wave. Now there are a few places where I will not care so much about a/c in my room (ex. in my many years of traveling around Ireland in the summer, I have yet to encounter a time where there is a stretch of unbearably warm/humid weather), but in other places (France, Italy, etc.) I would not book a room from June through September unless it has a/c. Getting a good night's sleep sets the tone for how much energy you will have for sightseeing the next day, so to me it is worth the additional money spent on lodging to have the a/c in case it's needed.
We're absolutely on the same page with regard to Economy Comfort seating. With regard to a car service, we are also on the same page with one addition. We often use a car service from the airport to the hotel upon arrival in Europe. Nothing like having a private car & driver when you are tired, jet lagged, and just don't want the hassle of using public transit.
Amen to that, Ceiledh!
If the hotel breakfast is bad, or even just OK, I'd rather spend money and go elsewhere. Better a leisurely cup of coffee in a nice cafe than mediocre food in a dreary breakfast room. Even if it's free.
In the past, when I had less spending money, I often skipped sites or museums due to cost. I don't do that anymore. If I want to see it, I go. That's what I'm there for.
Economy comfort on the outbound or overnight leg, and a cab to the airport on fly-home morning. I'm not my usual calm and rational self on departure days and am done messing with luggage, tubes, busses, subways and RERs. A huge extravagance in our world but one from which there is now no turning back. But the biggest splurge of all was years ago in London when I determined never to drag my suitcase again, and when we got home, bought those newfangled wheeled suitcases even though our 20 year old, $25 suitcases from Service Merchandise were still in excellent condition. What I did with ALL the money I had saved in the interim while dragging bags is beyond me. Fun topic!
Our travel extravegences don't quite rank up there with upgraded seats and private car hires. What we have absolutely stopped feeling guilty about is buying perhaps an overpriced drink or meal just to sit in exactly the scenic spot where we want to relax and enjoy the ambience. I can think of indulgently overpriced food and drink on several piazzas in Rome and Venice, balconies in Budapest, rooftops in Istanbul, town squares in Kraków, river fronts in London, darling museum cafes, ah the list just goes on and on with out guilt...
Love it! Definitely Enconomy Comfort whenever possible. Haven't found a similar product on European carriers, who seems to have a whole different notion of the Comfort class (BA, Virgin). Too expensive for me. Car service to airport. Don't have to worry about driving or car sitting unattended in a lot for 2 or 3 weeks. Air Con if the weather calls for it. A decent breakfast, which for me can be anything from a good cup of coffee/tea and cold buffet or eggs, etc, but I want good - not gourmet - food.. If it slides off the plate, it's not a good sign. And now that I am in my early Senior adulthood (sounds better than getting old?), I want a comfortable, clean, quiet room with ensuite bathroom. I don't need gilded mirrors or 800 count linens, but I am beyond checking with a blue light before I put my head on the pillow. I need a good night's rest to take on a full schedule with lots of walking and stair climbing. Thought I was low maintenance, but guess I am slightly fussy.
Nancy, I think one of the perks of "Early Senior Adulthood" is allowing ourselves a few extras - like paying for en suite bathrooms - without guilt or fretting.
Our travel treat, not really much of a a splurge, is having wine or beer with lunch, something we almost never do at home. And we've been converted to Economy Comfort on trans-Atlantic flights, as well.
I agree with the Economy Comfort seat. My husband and I fly BA, just so we can have more comfort. I am a short person, just over 5 ft, but I dislike having some stranger land in my lap whenever they recline. I also pay extra to reserve my seat, I don't want to be stuck, in middle row, between people. We have taken taxis to and from airport ever since our first trip. On that first trip we had arranged for Super Shuttle to pick us up. Thankfully, we had allowed for plenty of time as we wound up driving ourselves. To my knowledge, they never showed up!! We now live so far from the airport we arrange for private car, it is cheaper than off site parking and it is much nicer. Upon reaching our destination, we now take taxis or private car instead of public transit. We even do this on our way home.
I think I've said this before, so I apologize. My splurge is only watching the price change on one particularly flight. I don't sleep on an overnight flight, so I avoid them. I only take the BA day flight from Boston to London, I stay overnight at the Heathrow Sofitel, and then I get the internal European flight to my destination in the late morning or noon area of the next day. Thus, the entire excursion is so much more relaxing. Oh, I also check my bag and reserve my forward economy seat when I buy the tickets. This way I don't have to wait for everyone to collect their baggage and get off as most are behind me. This still comes in costing less than economy comfort on an overnight flight, and it is so much more enjoyable not to be on an overnight flight or to rush to a connection, etc..
I will agree with some of the previous posters...I liked the economy comfort seats that we used the last time we went to Europe. In fact, my husband just chose them for an up-coming trip to Mexico. I would love to be able to afford first class seats but not unless I win the Powerball millions.
I also like clean rooms and bathrooms. I like bathrooms with nice soaps and enough room so I can turn around and not hit the wall. I love the European custom of looking at the rooms before checking into them. Of course here, most of the hotels are somewhat generic so it doesn't really make any difference. However, I can remember one business trip when I changed rooms twice. Once for the cleanliness of the room and other other time for the room's location. My colleagues thought I was "picky". My husband likes corner rooms on upper floors with the walls thick enough not to hear the neighbors.
I like good food, it doesn't have to be expensive.
In terms of car service, etc., we have used shuttles and taxis and found them to be fine.
OK, we must be super-cheap -- because we live close to transit we take a bus to BART to the airport (both ways, although we DO take a cab for the last uphill 2 miles to home), we haven't yet upgraded to Economy Plus, and we sometimes ask for shared bathrooms in hotels. Our splurge is sleeping at an airport hotel before the flight home so we can eliminate transit stress.
Always stick a 50€ bill in my wallet so I can take a taxi home when I get back to Frankfurt. Yes, I know how the trains work, but I don't care. I just want to get home after a trans-Atlantic flight with no sleep.
A/C for sure in the summer. Ensuite bathrooms are a must and I do like a breakfast room where I can get some coffee right away, have breakfast, maybe take another cup back to my room and then brush my teeth before going out and about.
In the Alps, I always try to get a hotel with an in-house wellness area. Saunas, pool, hot tubs, etc. Why? Whether it's hiking in the summer or skiing in the winter, these activities use muscle groups that normally don't get nearly such a workout. I've found that after spending an hour or two in the wellness center apres-ski, I wake up the next morning refreshed, limber, and ready for the next day of physical exertion. The extra money spent is well worth the re-invigoration if it means that I can ski all day again without getting overly fatigued.
I also spring for Economy Comfort as well as taking a flight route that has the fewest changes. I always have to do one flight to get to a hub but since I've got a few choices from SEA or SLC now I like heading directly in to LHR, CDG or AMS. I would love to try Wray's daytime flight to London!
I don't mind taking the Tube from Heathrow but a friend and I decided in 2014 that we would always spring for a cab from CDG to the hotel in Paris...and back to the airport.
No public transportation in my neck of the woods but I will do flights out of the nearby airport that has free parking over the nearby airport that charges for parking!
I only have one thing and I'm not sure it's even an extravagance or a splurge - must have ensuite bathroom! I used to be ok with shared bathrooms or hall bathrooms but due to age related 'issues' it's now a necessity to have the bathroom in my room, no ifs ands or buts.
I can still deal with some discomfort on flights so haven't graduated to economy comfort yet and I don't normally utilize hotel breakfasts even if they are included. I also use the cheapest option getting to and from airports, hotels, or home. That's where I save on my trips, I don't economize on sightseeing, ever.
I love taking baths, even on vacation. A good soak relaxes me and helps with muscle soreness, so I'm committed to hotels with bathtubs. I also get a massage at least once while traveling.
As I get older, my "rules" change.
I try to avoid coach/economy on planes over 5 minutes. Sometimes there is no choice.
My hotels not only have to be ensuite, but there has to be decent wifi, a/c and heat with individual controls, (while a/c may not be needed in some areas, I don't want to be kept awake by outside noise with the windows open), a kettle or coffee maker, they must take credit cards (i'm racking up those points), and of course, be clean. I want a mixture of close to things but also a quiet area. (I am not now nor have I ever been, a hostel type person.).
I think I'm done with taking the tube from Heathrow into London as I'm tired of the nearly one hour journey and then having to walk to my hotel after a long flight. Next time, I think it's the Heathrow Express and a cab. It will cost more, but I'm worth it. Especially since my arrival will be late at night. The same goes for other cities. If a cab is really expensive, I'll look for alternatives for door to door service.(This is mostly after long flights and not necessarily short hops in Europe.)
Basically, I try to a make my travel as comfortable as I can to take off some of the stress of travel and
enjoy more. And that is why my biggest extravagance is taking my time. I no longer rush to see things and if I need a day to recharge, I take it.
I wait until I have enough AA miles for 2 business class roundtrip tickets before we take a trip to Europe. It works for us - we live frugally at home; but like to be a tiny bit pampered when we take a trip across the pond.
Not secret but I will pay for:
Jen, you took my post!!!! Don't forget the pate and the wine!
If I need to spurge unexpectedly, there are a few things the money will be spent on: : a taxi (it almost has to be an emergency before blowing the money on a taxi, just being tired or fatigued after the 10+hour flight isn't good enough), a 3star hotel costing over 100 Euro for a single (usually when I give up looking, to save time and energy, in an unexpected situation), a nice restaurant meal depending on the uniqueness of the restaurant, its cuisine, etc. Whether I'm traveling in Germany or somewhere else makes a difference: in Germany, no problem with the WC/shower down the hall in a Pension, which is also cheaper, Other places I would be willing to pay for en suite room....still depends. I don't need the other amenities, the elevator, Wifi connection, AC, 24 hr reception, won't pay extra to upgrade the level of comfort of the flight. I can put up with 10 hrs or so being squished, since I'll sleep anyway. In Europe normally public transportation to the airport unless I'm with the family, then it might be a taxi.
What a fun question, Zoe, and such interesting answers from everyone!
When I traveled to Europe at the tender age of 19, a splurge was eating in a restaurant where we sat down and had service. Lots of bread, cheese, and cheap wine was consumed ala picnic-style.
Like you, when we have to fly, Economy Plus helps. We also travel in 1st Class on the trains in Europe whenever possible as we so much enjoy having the detached window seats facing each other. We keep the expense down where possible by buying well in advance for discounts.
We also like to take a taxi on arrival, especially in a big city, even if we've been there before. Makes for a less stressful and less tiring end to the travel day.
The budget really kicks in as we cook more and more when on the road these days.
Taxis to/from the trains. I don't want to wander around with my luggage looking for my hotel in an unfamiliar place.
Taxi to the airport for the return flight, or any early AM flights within the trip. My return flights are almost always before 8AM, which means getting there by 6, which means leaving by 5 or 5:30. Taxi! I'll also take one if the route to the airport is complex (lots of changes, stairs), or if I need to be on public transit with luggage at rush hour.
Hotel breakfast. If my hotel offers it, I will pay for it. I need to eat very soon upon waking, and don't feel like finding a cafe first thing, then returning to the room to brush teeth, finish make-up, etc.
My local airport has several parking lots. In spring, summer, and fall I will park at the cheapest, outdoor lot and get a longer shuttle to the terminal. In the winter I will park in the closer, more expensive garage - because it's a garage, it's covered, and I won't have to brush snow or scrape ice immediately after an international flight.
Wow - I'm thinking and thinking and the only thing I can come up with is having a Coke or buying dessert with a meal every once in awhile...lol. Pop is sooo expensive in Europe with meals (especially with our exchange rate!) that we mostly drink water. But I will spring for gelato anywhere and everywhere!
I know a few times in cities (New York was one) that we were too 'cheap' to buy subway tickets so we'd walk and walk and walk (I think we did a little of that in Paris as well)...we even did that in London. We were over by Big Ben and had to get to Victoria Stn, pick up our bags, catch the Gatwick express (GE) to the airport to catch a flight (we were giving my mom a quick walking tour)...and didn't want to pay the 4-5 GBP each to get a tube ticket (well, I did, the hubby didn't...we didn't have an oyster as we were only there for the morning/afternoon before flying to Italy)....so we walked...I was so damn mad. It felt like it took forever and we just missed the GE and had to wait another 30 min. Then the GE had delays because of rail work.
Thinking, I guess we used to 'splurge' on a hotel near Heathrow before coming home as I thought it was necessary. If you can call the Sheraton or Holiday Inn Express a splurge...lol. We always stay with friends in Chiswick when visiting London. But the night before we'd always go to the hotel. Last year, we stayed with them, booked a taxi for 7:30am to take us to the airport. The taxi cost 20 GBP. Very little traffic, got to the airport super fast, and we saved $80-90 on a hotel and whatever we would have paid to take the airport shuttle (about $15)...plus, we got to chat with our friends instead of hanging out in a boring old hotel!
I do all my money saving during the planning stage. I carefully research lodging, transportation, and activities. I make choices about what is really important to me. Once I am actually traveling, I spend what I need to without guilt. I don't hesitate to "splurge" on a daily basis and enjoy the trip.
On reflection, there are things other than wine with lunch that we splurge on when travelling. We've started adding in little extras the last couple of years: a food tour in Rome, for example; more restaurant meals (instead of hotel room picnics); and this year we're planning to see "A Mid-Summer Night's Dream" at Shakespeare's Globe. It's part of the Early Senior Adulthood phase. We still scrimp and save, but it's time to allow ourselves a few extras.
Well cut clothing that moves well when traveling and looks good in photos. This might seem vain, but feeling good on the inside means I can brush off negative experiences (such as the wrong kind of coffee, a meal that wasn't good, long lines, or rude people). Also shoes. I LOVE good shoes!
I don't consider taxis an extravagance, but I do know when it's time to stop trying to figure out how I might feel after a 12 hour flight on little sleep and if I might be up to navigating public transport in a foreign country--London and Vienna were a piece of cake, other cities seemed full of a confusing labyrinth of options so into a taxi I went. Leaving on the 6 am flight like I always do means a taxi no matter what, shuttles seem too variable and I get anxious.
I like to stay in a good hotel, and I do a lot of research to ensure I'm choosing a place that is well-located, highly rated on more than one website (not kidding, I will read 100 reviews to narrow down my choices), with free Wi-Fi, A/C, bath tub, 24 hour desk and looks to have charming décor. Doesn't have to be super-fancy but I generally tend to choose on the high end of my budget range. Staying in a flop house and saving lots of money is not as appealing as staying somewhere that is esthetically pleasing. I economize in other ways--travelling solo makes that quite easy.
I agree with Julie... Not only well cut clothing, but cute as well. I want clothes that I love and that sometimes means expensive. I wear the same clothes for travel as I do at home, but usually get new pieces for my trips. I guess that means I'm vain too!!! I don't want to look like a frump:)
I don't spend a lot on meals, taxis, or expensive hotels, but if there is a beautiful scarf or something for my home I will buy it. I am a relatively frugal traveler. But, I love to travel and would rather have a lunch from the grocery store in Pais than an expensive dinner in NYC...
I will spend a riduclious amount of money on extraordinary clothes for the grandkids.... I even bought a beautiful little skirt in Paris when I had only 4 grandsons... But little Ella finally came along and now she has it. Someday I will take her to Paris. She is only 6 but is dreaming of it.
My one extravagance on our last trip to France was a beautiful linen tablecloth. I can't say I've ever spent that much on a tablecloth before - it was about 60euro (which is about 90 in Canadian $ - I've maybe spent $15-20 on a cloth before). I was eyeballing one in Vence, then said - no, I can't have beautiful white tablecloth, it'll get filthy (my hubby makes a lot of crumbs and spaghetti sauce splatters when he eats...lol). We went to Gourdon and they had the same one there, so I broke down and bought it. And it's on my table - under plastic cover unfortunately but being used! I had won $340 a week before our vacation in a radio contest, so I decided that would be my splurge :)
Even though we're on the East Coast, so the flight to Europe is shorter than for West Coasters, I use FF miles to get business class at least on the way to Europe; coming back, it's usually Economy which I then pay to upgrade to Economy Plus. I'm 5'10" and not as flexible as I was in my 20s, so having that extra room really helps.
One splurge I plan more often in the future is tours and classes. In 2013, in Provence with my college-age daughter, we took a 1-day tour with Provence Panorama to see a bunch of sights I would never have been able to fit in on our own - St Remy, Glanum, Les Baux, Orange's theater and triumphal arch, Pont du Gard, and Chateauneuf du Pape, plus a chocolate and wine tasting at the end of the day. It was wonderful, and totally worth the cost in my view. And I've loved reading about others' experiences with walking tours and cooking classes; I'm hoping to fit more of those in on future trips.
Also chocolate.
Definitely Economy Comfort. I don't think I could bring myself to spend the huge bucks for Business Class even if I had lots of money, but Economy Comfort is on my list of "affordable luxuries". Taxis to and from the airport- even though we try to minimize the amount of luggage we're tired after the flight or weeks of sightseeing . Hotels with elevators-I'm saving my knees for sightseeing-like the 300 steps at Neuschwanstein Castle. And as Rick suggests, lots of different guidebooks for pre-trip planning(one of my favorite parts of a trip)-I've recently discovered the Day Trip series by Earl Steinbicker.
What about the rose petals on the bed, the flat-bed airplane seats, the stretch limos, personal chefs, executive lounges, exotic dinners, all that 1%-er stuff? This group's idea of "splurging" is pretty mundane.
When I first went to France at age 19, my idea of a splurge was a hotel room with hot running water for the sink. (The toilet and bath were down the hall.) Sometimes I had to pay as much as $2 for such luxury!
Now it's economy comfort for the 9-10-hour flight, taxis to and from European airports unless we're very familiar and comfortable with the alternatives, and ensuite rooms. We switch off with friends driving to and from SeaTac on most of our trips. We like to spend pre-flight nights in airport hotels, even though they cost more, unless the departure's late in the day.
Pretty small potatoes for all us First Worlders, really. Wonder what the Conde Nast Travel and Forbes message boards have on this topic? Or is it a case of "if you can afford it, don't tell about it"? ;-)
Yes, its small potatoes, but I'll pay for hotel laundry service now, whenever its convenient.
Zoe this is a fun post, thanks!
Chani, you took my post!
Taxis to/from the trains. I don't want to wander around with my
luggage looking for my hotel in an unfamiliar place.
Yes... In the past, I've wandered around with my luggage looking for our hotel... stopping to check the map(more than one), and saying, we're almost there.
I've also splurged on a taxi to the airport for our outbound flight.
Edit: I've splurged on a beautiful scarf for my mom.
Also for an expensive meal at a restaurant in Granada with the most amazing view of the Alhambra!
My/our major splurge is private guided day tours. We have gladly done day tours with larger groups, but sometimes the canned itinerary just doesn't fit what we want to see.
DIck, yes, it does seem that we are a pretty frugal group for the most part. It is interesting to see what people consider a splurge/luxury/extravagance. I think I see more private day tours in my future..
I travel cheaply, try to stay under 100 euros/night, but MUST have a private bathroom! I am just not comfortable sharing with strangers :)
I would like to amend my post. I have enjoyed following this topic. It has us reminiscing and recalling our past trips. We started going to Europe in 1972, right out of college. We had Europe on $5 A Day, and we meant it. Riding a bus for 25 cents was a debatable topic; paying $1 for a Coke on Syntagma Square was beyond the pale of consideration, and we only went to the first level of the Eiffel Tower because it cost another dollar to go higher. And the list went on and on. Now I consider comfort plus and taxis as part and parcel. We even stop in the middle of the day to have a glass of wine in a pretty square for no reason whatsoever. Many others can share similar experiences I'm sure. I'm a little ashamed of myself for not remembering that the greatest extravagance of all is that we even go. Since retirement, the goal is a trip to Europe per year, maybe two sometimes. We love it, hope to continue as long as we can, and remember how lucky we are. Safe travels to all!
Denny, you nailed it. Thank you.
I'm with the other posters who pay more for a room with a private bathroom. I stayed in a couple hostels when I was younger and hated the shared bathrooms. And as another poster said, I'll splurge on expensive museum tickets and other things. I go to Europe to see stuff!
I also started buying a lot of books. On my most recent trip, I bought 4 good-sized books. My favorite, Lost London, cost $60. I bought it on a whim after skimming it for five minutes, which I'd never do at home. Besides my pictures, books make the best souvenirs.
Denny, thanks for bringing up the luxury of travel in itself, we are all fortunate who can do this.
Denny,
How right you are!!!!
As someone who had never even been on an airplane until I was about 28 years old (could not afford it) when a business crisis caused that flight, and as one who remembers 42 years ago popping out of the car and price-checking motels in Gatlinburg as we arrived about midnight for our weekend honeymoon (I think we finally paid $19 for that modest room)....................yes, being able to travel is such a blessing in and of itself. And, if someone told me back then that the travel opportunities we've been able to enjoy were in our future, I would never have believed them.
And, for each of us who can still travel, it is a blessing physically and mentally that we can still do it. One never knows what is just around the corner in this journey called life. And, as the world continues to change, some of the places we'd like to visit may be radically changed in the future...some for the better, some for the worse.
Carpe diem!
Safe travels as you create memories.
I find that I'm less likely now to skip a sight because of an admission fee that I might not consider a good value. I've had too many times later when I wish I had gone.
My all-time best splurge was booking an entire English-speaking tour at Versailles (off-season in 1969, so after waiting around to see if any other English speakers would show up, we just paid for a 10-person tour for the two of us) -- the rest of trip was student-Europe-on-$5 cheap, and great, but the memory of that splurge tour is still with me.
Personally, I don't care about my airline seat so I just go with regular economy on the cheapest ticket I can find!
Other than that though, I do have a few things I am willing to part with my money to make sure I have.
- Attached bathroom that is just mine when staying at hotels or B&Bs.
- At least one very nice meal in an iconic or culturally authentic restaurant with wine and coffee/dessert in every city/country I visit.
- Private car service to/from the airport on both ends - I want to eliminate that stress unless I know the public transport route/system well.
- I want either an audio tour or guided tour of the sights I visit...what's the point of visiting a place if I don't know what I'm looking at?
- Experiences...renting bikes to ride around the grounds at Versailles, riding a boat out to a remote island to see a bird sanctuary, booking onto a catamaran to sail wherever, riding that expensive gondola up a Swiss mountain...these things are, to me, what trips are made of and what make them memorable.
I always budget for these things because they make me happy. I feel like I've had a quality trip if I can have them!
First world problems, right? :)
I never think of getting a room with an ensuite bathroom as a splurge, but I will do that every time. I do consider it a worthwhile splurge to get a taxi to the airport on departure day. I am in no mood that day to deal with the stress of public transportation, especially since the flight is always early. I will also splurge on a few nice meals, especially in nice locations with a good view. I also will pay more to stay in a hotel that is in a location close to what I want to see, which often means paying more to stay in or near city centers.
Room at our favorite Venice hotel with a terrace (even have the specific room number).
Opera seats NOT in the peanut gallery.
First class train tickets, IF they are only 5 euro more than 2nd cl with seat reservation fee.
Regular economy seats in an A-330 are fine with me.
More thoughts . . .
I have minimum hotel requirements (AC, ensuite, clean, central). For me it's not a splurge and I won't pay more than I must for a bed. Food and wine aren't splurges for me either. I won't skimp, but I won't go out of my way to pay more for a "gourmet" experience. If I find I'm spending too much over my budget, I'll pick up a few meals in the supermarket (lunches on the fly, suppers in my room) to balance it out.
I am paying about twice what I'd usually pay for hotels in Valencia and Sevilla in March, because I'm going during big festivals. For me that's a splurge. For me, organized tours are a splurge (especially the single supplement). I take them when I think I can't do it solo, so I've been on RS Turkey and RS MyWay Alpine, and with a local company to Ireland and Armenia/Georgia. All were great, and I couldn't have done any of them on my own.
I always thought I was a miser, but it seems I have to correct myself. I do remember a hotel somewhere in Portugal with a shared bathroom, but I consider a private bathroom a normal basic.
Denny, you said it perfectly. For me, I am now willing to spend extra for the flights that fly non stop from my home airport to somewhere in Europe and make any necessary connections there. Also, now I will have a bathroom in my room, take a taxi or shuttle rather than public transportation to and from the destination airport (unless I know a city and it's options well... or have lots of time!) and I'll sit with a sometimes rather pricey glass of wine just observing the street scene. What I haven't done so far (considering for my next trip, tho) is upgrade to the next class for the longer flights. Because I'm short, I fit ok into the "anchovy" class---for now!
I don't know if this is an "extravagance" or splurge, but we fly to Germany (usually Munich) for our vacations. While the overnight flight there is no trouble, we will NOT get up at 4 or 5am or need to stay anywhere near the airport to fly home in the early morning. Last 4 trips we have had 3:30pm flights home. Oh, and non stop is the other rule. That last one may have to be broken this year with Iceland Air. Thank goodness they have a 2pm flight from Munich to NJ.
For some people I wish it was soap and deodorant.
Sometimes our "splurges" work out and sometimes they don't - late night taxi, after arriving from U.S. 12 hours late, dropped us at the wrong Premier Inn. Oh well... But, one place we splurge is not fussing if we're over-charged for something ( cab ride from Lisbon airport, group meal in Rome) that is due to our ignoring the cardinal travel rule to check the price first.
Great Topic!
I like to take a taxi to and from the airport, especially if I am on my own. A few of the VRBO rentals have suggested a car service, which ended up being less expensive than just calling a cab. If I have had an overnight flight, where I usually cannot sleep, I do not feel comfortable taking the train (for instance, from CDG into Paris), as I am aware that there are many pickpockets on that train.
I do not scrimp on food either. I do eat in a variety of types of bistros and restaurants and do enjoy a picnic too. Having a good breakfast is important; I usually do not choose the hotel breakfast as I prefer to venture out and try different cafes around town. I have rented apartments too; I usually have breakfast in but splurge on a coffee when I am out and about. Sometimes the coffee is very inexpensive, other times, quite expensive. It is all part of my travel experience. I have a huge collection of photos of my coffees; I have plans of putting them into a big collage. I love going to open air markets when I travel, so buying picnic good there is a great experience. I usually snack on fruit at home, so purchasing it from a market is now a regular part of my trip.
One of mine hardly even qualifies as a "splurge," but I developed a new attitude about it on a domestic trip a couple of years ago. I'm speaking of the prepaid fuel option with rental cars. I've always religiously followed the precept that you are giving the rental companies a gift (which they usually don't deserve) of the leftover fuel, since it's near impossible to use up all of it. My moment of epiphany came when we were driving to PDX from Eugene, 100 miles, almost all interstate highway. It took 4 hours; and then we needed to find a service station. Our gps took us to not just one, but two out-of-business stations. This experience made me realize my focus was wrong. It didn't matter that the rental company made a little extra on the fuel. What's important is reducing stress on myself.
We finally got refueled; and I learned a second, related lesson. Our rental car company was off-site. We returned the car and had to wait for the shuttle, which then had to navigate, very slowly, through the same horrendous traffic jam. We made our flight - - - barely.
New policies for me: Always take the prepaid fuel option, and always rent from on-site companies. The few extra dollars are a cheap price to pay for less stress.
I splurge on private tours with well researched tour guides. I love the guides who just have to stop at places en route because it's a favourite or a must see. I like being able to spend more time in certain places and I like being able to ask a lot of questions. I like not having to listen to people who may not be as serious about history or culture as I am.
And, recently, I've been splurging on zero deductible/liability car rentals. Enough of worrying about scratching the cars in tight parking spaces, worrying about tire damage and driving on narrow village lanes where I have to push the rear-view mirrors in, in order to fit.
