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11 May 2006

Aller En France

Finally managed to pry myself away from work and hopping onto the ferry bound for the Hong Kong airport. Just when I thought I may not have enough time to pack my luggage, the good wife has everything settle swee swee for me. My vacation wardrobe shall be a surprise as I have no idea what clothes she packed for me. Hopefully nothing disastrous.

Climate temperature is expected to be between 10 to 25 deg Celsius and so I guess it's polo t-shirt for me and a track pants and running shoes for that eagerly anticipated morning run in the French countryside.

Anyway, thinking back, it's been 8 years since my last proper vacation which coincidentally was also in Europe where we spent a week in Paris and London as part of our belated honeymoon. In between, we did sneak off to nearby Bangkok or Frasier's Hill for that long weekend. Other than that, it has been work, work and more work.

Glad to finally get this much needed break before I kill myself from burning out too soon and too fast.

This has gotten me thinking as I look around. I have friend who travels every year to places like Australia and neighbouring countries like Hong Kong and the occasional Japan and Korean.

My idea of traveling is perhaps a bit different in the sense that I do not make it a point to travel often. I rather do it with a few years in between. That way, it gives me enough time to save up and amass a much bigger travel budget (or war-chest).

With 7 years of savings, I don't have to travel too cheaply (even though we still can't afford Business Class) and can afford to splurge a bit more on hotels and in my recent blog entry, car rental.

This trip was a bit unexpected for me but I just couldn't pass up a good deal with the villas and I supposed looking back seven years, it is easier to just tell yourself, "Why not?"

Besides, it will be a vacations with a bunch of good friends and I look forward to seeing my God-son Troy again.

Another question for you guys. Choose only one of the two.

Option A: Frequent but shoestring budget.

Option B: Blue moon but luxurious pampering.



Tell me your choice and why.

- Voxeros

1. sunflower left...
Friday, 12 May 2006 6:45 pm :: http://sunflower700.blogspot.com/
Me and my hubby love to travel.
We love to go for long holiday, but as working adult is it hard. And nowadays, it is hard to apply long leave to go vacation.
We have our honeymoon in NZ for 13D in 2003. Vacation in Gold coast for 7D in 2004 . Last year we went to Korea and Thailand for 7D and 4D respectively.
Biggest damage, of course, in NZ, we spent about 8K. I hope to go to Europe soon. >.<


2. Jaschocolate left...
Friday, 12 May 2006 7:44 pm
Frequent but shoestring budget.. simply because it is fun to be able to go to lots of new places at my current age..


3. JayWalk left...
Friday, 12 May 2006 7:54 pm :: 
Sunflower: I prefer Europe than the Americas simply because the prior has a deeper history.

Start saving up!

Or perhaps this would be "THAT" thing that you two should pamper yourself with?

Jaschocolate: Ahh.. this is where you and I differ. I never like shoestring budget as I hate to compromise.


4. Jaschocolate left...
Friday, 12 May 2006 10:55 pm
Pls note my words,"at my current age".. When i reached 30s, it may be different :p


5. sunflower left...
Friday, 12 May 2006 11:29 pm :: http://sunflower700.blogspot.com/
Not really travel in US, it is Biz trip for both of us. But never never been to Europe.
Hehe, we have enuff saving liao... only waiting for the right time to go (very hard to apply leave as I said earlier.)

Since both of us have to travel for the company for business. I really look forward for long long vacation!


6. zeenie left...
Saturday, 13 May 2006 10:48 am
Hah? Option A or Option B ah? I choose AB (like my blood type)! LOL I want frequent luxurious holidays! Woohoo!
Seriously, I think i'm more of an option B person, thanks to Wibblewamble (she spoils us =)) and just to combine this with your question about significant others, I dun think i holiday well without her. So the first that will go when she goes is any holiday.


7. Koreanhousewife left...
Saturday, 13 May 2006 11:22 am
I dislike short trips. Tats why I am not keen to go Malaysia, Bali, Batam or BKK, even when there are so many value airline promo. Dislike the feelin of packin and unpackin for short escape.

I wont like to spend too much money on hotel rooms cos I will hardly stay in the room.

Most of the time I roam the street and conqor the malls with my speedy legs. So room have to be kept on the budget list. But not on food and pressie.

Hardly take 1-2 days off leave. My style will be away for a full month startin from end July.

I like to spend my Birthday (28 July) overseas and so the whole of Aug I will be out of town. A gd long deserve break is wat I seek. I dont think I can call my holiday luxurious pampering, cos the max I would scretch for a month holiday, include airticket and acc and shoppingmax I am willin to fork out for is: $3500.

Option B sounds better to my likin. Once a year travellin and $3500 to spare.


8. OLLie left...
Saturday, 13 May 2006 12:43 pm
eh, what I really wanna do now is to travel. It doesn't matter how luxurious it can be 'cause luxurious ones can wait till I'm older.

psst: I might be flying this coming Sat. But then again, there might be changes again. :(


9. JayWalk left...
Saturday, 13 May 2006 3:11 pm :: 
Jaschocolate: At your age. Oops. Sorry I missed that.

Sunflower: Here's a tip, go while you still can. Wait till you have kids then 1) the budget will be siginificantly larger due to the extra air tickets and 2) you won't really enjoy as much as half the time, you are fussing over the kid.

Zeenie: I have separate different lists of holiday spots when it comes to with partner or without partner. :P

KoreanHouseWife: You are right about the worthlessness of expensive hotels to a certain extend. However, it would be more significantly important if you stay longer as you no longer need to squeeze every damn thing into the few short days.

OLLie: Changes? Why leh? I keep my fingers crossed for you.


10. Sallie left...
Sunday, 14 May 2006 3:10 am
oh definitely B... but it's good to have A sometimes. I tend to try to combine A with work - so if I'm travelling for work, I usually extend for a couple of days, and if hubby is available, he'll join me for the weekend. this year, we are combining friend's wedding in Italy with holiday in July!


11. JayWalk left...
Sunday, 14 May 2006 5:21 am ::
SALlie: Unfortunately for me, my work trip always entail the same few places. While it was fun the first couple of times staying on and visiting new places, it gets mundane after a while when you start to know the US like the back of your hand.


12. hitomi left...
Monday, 15 May 2006 12:03 am
Somewhere between both options lah. I travel more than once a year, but I won't say I'm always on "shoestring budget".


13. Sallie left...
Monday, 15 May 2006 2:30 am
yes, it gets boring when you go to the same places all the time - but then, when i go for work, i tend not to have time to jalan-jalan, so it's still a treat to extend a couple of days! :) been to Berlin countless times but still not tired of it, perhaps because they have many many villages as opposed to typical large cities. I try to swing by SG too, when I'm somewhere in Asia... :) next time in Asia might be Seoul in Nov. depends on time...


14. JayWalk left...
Monday, 15 May 2006 4:21 am ::
hitomi: Called me spoilt but I rather save up and do a good and luxurious holiday albeit less frequent.

SALlie: You will love Seoul. Skiing is relatively cheap and the food is excellent!


15. aloe left...
Monday, 15 May 2006 10:02 am
I think mine is somewhere in between. I save up for one major holiday every year. However, if I go F&E, I would chose option A as I see no point in splurging on hotels that you usually stay for the night and absent for the rest of the day. Furthermore, it would be nice to visit more countries while you still have a chance to do so.


16. akk left...
Monday, 15 May 2006 10:27 am
ho! B of cos, but depend on the term blue moon, hopefully that blue not like your 8 years, too long liao. meanwhile, get short asian trips lor. :) u know hor, we lucky to saty in asia, soooo many cheap traveling places to go and spend money on. all those ang mohs wan to travel here must pay so much! oh yah, they travel inter-state also quite ex lor.

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