Travel Planning

We didn't do anything or go anywhere this weekend.
So disappointing.
I did how ever spend some time planning for the next few months.

It is a tradition in our house to take our children for their 10th birthday to the destination of their choice without their siblings. Of course their choice must be within a days drive of Flagstaff.

Three years ago Isaak chose Las Vegas and spent the weekend driving go-carts at Circus Circus and shooting weapons at one of the fancy Vegas ranges. Meanwhile I spent some quality time shopping at Caesars.

Otis turned 10 back in August but it was so close to our gigantic summer road trip that he got shafted on the dates and hasn't had his trip yet. He has finally decided he wants to go to Legoland and we have chosen a date and booked a hotel. He wants to spend the weekend riding rides and building Legos. He has also developed a love of beignets from Ruby's Diner which is conveniently located across the freeway from Legoland.

Next on the agenda is  a trip to Vegas for Carl and I to see NIN in November. This will be a childless weekend. I always wonder whether to take the children with us on weekends or leave them at home. Of course we always have a fabulous time without them, but we feel bad leaving them out of fun experiences. Do we spend too much time away from them? Do we go out too much? It's standard parental guilt, but it still stings every time we go somewhere without them.

Ideally I would like to take the following trips in the upcoming year:

New Orleans for Carl and I in May of 2014 for our 15th anniversary. Cost of hotel and flights: $2000

Hawaii with the kids in June of 2014. Cost of hotel and flights: $6000

Summer Road Trip 2014 West Coast Highway 1 all the way to Seattle. Cost: $4000

If we keep saving and keep Christmas on the down-low I think we can make New Orleans and the road trip, but Hawaii is pushing it.
The road trips are priority #1 for travel for the next few years. Anything else is just gravy.

What I have learned most in the past year is that if you want to travel you have to book it. Book it months in advance and then plan around it. If you don't pay for the tickets and hotels in advance you will have no incentive to make it work out. We work hard all year long and our business makes it hard to take time off. I had dreamed for years to take a trip to Europe and didn't think it was possible, but it was and I still can't believe that we did it. Buy those non-refundable tickets and make it happen.

Next year New Orleans, the year after Machu Picchu, then maybe back to Europe. We will do it all.