I thought I've give some extra clarification to my last post. Because this is such a huge trip it's going to have to be planned well in advance (obviously). So I figured we'd work it like we work every trip, by starting out with a flexible budget, picking out the things we want to do, and then firming up the actual cost as we're finalizing the itinerary.
So for now we're thinking this trip may cost $25-30K, based on the fact that all our plane travel will be one-way and the distance of flights will be fairly short from destination to destination. Of course, as time goes on we could totally blow that budget out of the water. Who knows. The African safari alone is ~$8,000 but that was with round-trip flight. Hotels in Switzerland can easily run $300 a night. I'll have to do more calculations to get a more accurate figure. But we're willing to spend up to $50K on this trip, assuming I work-full time with decent wages.
For now we've got a rough draft of our journey. The next step will be to research things we want to do in those countries. I probably didn't explain it well in my last post but we're not planning to see all of a country in 3 or 4 short days. Instead we'll pick a section of the country we want to visit and focus only on sightseeing in that area, which means choosing between Tuscany or Rome, Bavaria or Berlin. It's very different from our regular adventures where we select one country and experience everything. But I think we can adapt.
If there's a country on the list that I start researching and can't find anything I absolutely must do, then it gets replaced with another runner-up. Like Prague. A friend's high school daughter went to Prague and she loved it so it made the list, though I have absolutely no idea whether I or Brandon would enjoy anything about Prague. We'll have to wait and see when we go to research that city.
I should probably point out that we're officially done with adoption for the next 2-3 years. Our homestudy is expired and our agency is no longer showing us to birthparents. So that just freed up $26K for us to pay off bills and afterwards we'll go back to saving up. We may revisit adoption but right now I feel no need to pursue parenthood of any kind. I'm happy with the way my life is right now and that's all that matters. Maybe I'll change my mind in a couple years, when we're ready to adopt again. If not, then my answer will be clear: parenthood is not meant for me. This quote strikes at my heart during this point in my life: "We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us." -- Joseph Campbell
Aside from this big, big, big trip I'm also planning next year's annual international trip. I'm not sure if I mentioned this or not, it's been in the works for a couple months now. Brandon and I are taking my mom to England and Scotland in mid-May. It will be all her Mother's Day presents for the rest of her life rolled up into one. We're not paying for everything for her but we're footing the bill for the hotel in London and the rental car and gas. And we'll be her company and guide because I know she would never travel somewhere by herself. Neither would I, really. So here's our plan for that:
2 nights in London
1 night in Dover
2 nights in the Cotswolds (English countryside)
2 nights in the Lake District near Hadrain's Wall
2 nights in Scotland, between Edinburgh and Glasgow
Last night in London
And then perhaps in 2014/2015, depending on Brandon's deployment schedule, I'd like to take a trip into the Yukon to see the Northern Lights. Well, at least I know that's on Brandon's bucket list. That trip is really more for him than me, but I suppose I can find something appealing about spending hours outside in the snow staring up at the sky. Or maybe I can just have Brandon do the waiting and then call me when the lights come out and I can hop out of the nice warm bed to go see them :)
Someone told me once that I make plans way too far in advance. I wonder if that's a bad thing....
So for now we're thinking this trip may cost $25-30K, based on the fact that all our plane travel will be one-way and the distance of flights will be fairly short from destination to destination. Of course, as time goes on we could totally blow that budget out of the water. Who knows. The African safari alone is ~$8,000 but that was with round-trip flight. Hotels in Switzerland can easily run $300 a night. I'll have to do more calculations to get a more accurate figure. But we're willing to spend up to $50K on this trip, assuming I work-full time with decent wages.
For now we've got a rough draft of our journey. The next step will be to research things we want to do in those countries. I probably didn't explain it well in my last post but we're not planning to see all of a country in 3 or 4 short days. Instead we'll pick a section of the country we want to visit and focus only on sightseeing in that area, which means choosing between Tuscany or Rome, Bavaria or Berlin. It's very different from our regular adventures where we select one country and experience everything. But I think we can adapt.
If there's a country on the list that I start researching and can't find anything I absolutely must do, then it gets replaced with another runner-up. Like Prague. A friend's high school daughter went to Prague and she loved it so it made the list, though I have absolutely no idea whether I or Brandon would enjoy anything about Prague. We'll have to wait and see when we go to research that city.
I should probably point out that we're officially done with adoption for the next 2-3 years. Our homestudy is expired and our agency is no longer showing us to birthparents. So that just freed up $26K for us to pay off bills and afterwards we'll go back to saving up. We may revisit adoption but right now I feel no need to pursue parenthood of any kind. I'm happy with the way my life is right now and that's all that matters. Maybe I'll change my mind in a couple years, when we're ready to adopt again. If not, then my answer will be clear: parenthood is not meant for me. This quote strikes at my heart during this point in my life: "We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us." -- Joseph Campbell
Aside from this big, big, big trip I'm also planning next year's annual international trip. I'm not sure if I mentioned this or not, it's been in the works for a couple months now. Brandon and I are taking my mom to England and Scotland in mid-May. It will be all her Mother's Day presents for the rest of her life rolled up into one. We're not paying for everything for her but we're footing the bill for the hotel in London and the rental car and gas. And we'll be her company and guide because I know she would never travel somewhere by herself. Neither would I, really. So here's our plan for that:
2 nights in London
1 night in Dover
2 nights in the Cotswolds (English countryside)
2 nights in the Lake District near Hadrain's Wall
2 nights in Scotland, between Edinburgh and Glasgow
Last night in London
And then perhaps in 2014/2015, depending on Brandon's deployment schedule, I'd like to take a trip into the Yukon to see the Northern Lights. Well, at least I know that's on Brandon's bucket list. That trip is really more for him than me, but I suppose I can find something appealing about spending hours outside in the snow staring up at the sky. Or maybe I can just have Brandon do the waiting and then call me when the lights come out and I can hop out of the nice warm bed to go see them :)
Someone told me once that I make plans way too far in advance. I wonder if that's a bad thing....
I have to say, I am suuuuuuper jealous of this trip you're planning! How awesome to do something for YOU and really get out there and LIVE. It's easy to get stuck in this infertility stuff forever and let your life kind of just pass you by. That's not what I want for me and it sounds like you won't let it happen to you either!
ReplyDeleteI love Tuscany! My dad is from there and my granny still lives there. I suppose it may also depend what time of the year you'll be visiting the various places to swing your decision as to what to see. Of course this trip cannot be a last minute thing at all and planning is fun! Who cares if it's a few years away? Love the trip the UK too, and May can be very very nice!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely loved London and the Lake District when we were there last year. Some of my favorite pictures from our trip were taken in Keswick. But no York??
ReplyDeleteI know, I wish I could see more of England. But my mom doesn't want to take off more time to get to see everything, which is why Brandon and I are going to spend another 4 days in England on our trip around the world. My mom's mostly interested in the countryside and antique shopping and since she doesn't travel as much as we do I figured we would let her interests drive the majority of the itinerary
DeleteWhat a great idea at the end of a long & difficult personal journey! It will be much easier to plan for this journey.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you usually travel, but for such a long trip, I would suggest checking out youth hostels or at least guesthouses. (Hostels offer rooms for couples, as well as individuals.) Unlike hotels, these are set up so that you'll meet people from around the world who are also traveling.
Good luck with your career!