Kind of why I hate trip planning is well, sometimes it's hard and I still get nowhere. Sometimes, it's fun to work out the puzzle. But sometimes I spend so much time planning that by the time it's time to go on the trip, I'm already tired.
I've been trying to find my way to a destination for at least the last 2 full days. I mean, I looked up and it was 3p on Friday after looking at places until 3a the night before.
It seemed urgent. Then fun. Then frustrating. Then confusing.
Where are all the sites people use to find these cheap getaways and spontaneous trips! Have I been hood-winked yet again by incomplete stories?! It sucks that you have to constantly question what's real.
In present day, it seems like maybe the $600 carribean cruise or getaway is either a figment of my imagination; never existed; no longer exists; or was always a per person deal with min 2 people.
It seems to cost about $600 just to fly anywhere these days. I never realized that booking in advance was that much of a price difference.
Is this still COVID remnants?
Or maybe my airport is just not a hot enough destination.
I'm not at a place yet where I can book that far in advance because...feelings. And also work. I prefer to do focused work in my home office with all my equipment and gear.
Well my most recent project is on track to end Tuesday and there isn't another one currently scheduled. I do have some reg responses but not until after the 1st week in March, and no confirmed project deadlines.
So I wanted to take this time to at least do a tropical getaway or a cheap weekend away somewhere.
I had a budget in mind of $600 for like a 4 day weekend. This weekend was supposed to be a staycation 4 day weekend. But turned into a 3 day weekend (with minor distress on Friday) because of a team member. But luckily the issues on Thursday were resolved through email not more work!!
Anyway, I was fine with this weekend being a much desired 4 day weekend at home. The weather is nice.
But after just a Friday with nothing to do, I was jonesing for a new adventure.
I love having nothing to do, but 7 years in... it's getting hard to figure out what to do with my time.
So I know for sure I have the rest of February off with just regular departmental non-project work. I can do that remotely!
So I wanted to get out from this weird winter hibernation and enjoy this time off. Stay cation is the norm. I want to get out and do something!
I started with Nashville for reasons I can't remember.
I think I saw it on a list of places on one of my short term rental companies. It seemed close enough, and seemingly undesirable enough that it would be cheap. It was not.
I almost plunked down $1400 for a Tues to Tuesday stay. But it did not seem right to pay $1400 to go to Nashville! That's just wild!
On a lark, I looked up Cairo (on Expedia) for that same duration and it was also $1400! Ugh... I'd rather go to Egypt for $1400, thank you very much.
So then I got turned up about that idea. Mind you, I'd already decided I'd be more comfortable going international with a credit card vs these debit cards I have. So I was saving international travel for next year.
But this price seemed too good to pass up. And it was #morefun to spontaneously go to Egypt than Nashville!
I was clicking away. And just decided to apply for the Egyptian tourism visa. Just to see.
Then my debit card got declined at McDonald's (honestly, I think as a direct result of applying and paying for the Egyptian visa). Ugh, I don't believe in signs, but this was a gentle reminder that I don't want to be stuck in a foreign country without adequate means to pay. Shooooot. I think when I can get a credit card again, I might bring 2 for backup! My lands! Better than trying to estimate how much money I might need.
I think what I'm learning in middle age is to stop rushing. There is plenty of time for everything (at least in my world). I've been sticking with the 2 year rule to remove this unproven and habitual sense of urgency.
A spontaneous trip to Egypt WOULD be fun, but it'll be just as fun to go next year when I don't have to worry about my payment systems failing.
So I went back to searching for cheap Caribbean jaunts. Still nothing, but boy did I click around the internet. Back to Nashville, then Savannah. Can I drive somewhere - South Carolina? Another part of NC?
Somehow, again unknown how, maybe just from scrolling through the lists of available cities with the short term rental, I stumbled upon Philadelphia. I talked myself into a fun jaunt to Philadelphia.
Side note: Nashville searching led me to a new short term rental company called Sonder and I decided or rather re-affirmed my preferences to go with short term rentals vs AirBnB. My appetite for staying in someone's random house vs a professionally managed standard experience is low. I choose the latter. I'm just not a small business supporter. I like big business. I have to worry less about my black face showing up in some random neighborhood. Real or imagined, these are the things I think about.
Anyway, after becoming acquainted with Sonder. I kinda started focusing on what cities they had available. So Philadelphia stuck out.
I can't remember if it was them who also had places in Maine and Canada. I was more excited to go to those places but something told me to check the weather. And oh yeah! It's still winter most places. We've been in the 70s the last couple of days as Spring is making random appearances.
But good to add to my list of potential places to visit.
These days my visits are less about finding friends or partners or building community. They're just a simple way to get out of the house and put some fun into remote work.
Taking off and going on vacation in these places is not something I would probably do, but it's like a fun game to pretend to travel for work while visiting new places on the side. Hey we take our laughs where we can. And being independent means I don't really owe anyone an explanation.
Anyway, half my morning later on Saturday. I decided why am I spending $1000 to go to some random city in the US. Somehow going for the month just seemed to make more sense. Don't ask. It's a better deal and I can not feel rushed. And that actually got more exciting.
I guess I like staying in cool chic apartments that I could never afford.
But a thousand clicks later, I landed on a tres chic apartment in Philadelphia that had some eateries and a Trader Joe's nearby. Done! I'll stay a month for the low, low price of $2600 plus about $215 to take the train.
Oh that was part of it... either pay $600 to fly to Philadelphia or take a 20 hr train ride roundtrip. See why staying a week made less sense.
I just didn't see myself being on the train for 10 hours just to do it again in a week and just to go to Philadelphia! Bananas!
Then I had lunch and thought...wait...why was I not wanting to pay $1400 to visit a random US city, but I'm suddenly okay with paying $3,000?! What sense does that make?
And as always... I got more comfortable with a 10 day stay in Philadelphia for about $1100 + $215 to take the train.
So yep! Back to the the $1400 I started with. This happens to me alot. I get sticker shot from the original price. After clicking around for a few days end up right back where i started and the price suddenly seems more palatable.
I know this happens so I always write down the price I am trying to beat so that when I suddenly feel I've got this great deal... I can laugh frustratingly that I just used up countless hours to be right where I started.
But somehow in my mind 10 days in Philadelphia for about $1400 is better than 7 days in Nashville for the same price.
My made up reasons below:
- Nashville means driving about 86 miles to RDU (inconvenient); (which by the way in my mind always rounds to 100 miles); plus paying for parking which is upwards of $10+/day.
Okay, that's pretty much it. But it seemed like a much bigger inconvenience in my head.
Somehow Philadelphia seemed better because
- It's more of a city
- It seems conceivable like more of a walkable city
- I get a few extra days ...Wed to Saturday vs Tues to Tues
- and it's technically a bit cheaper lodging. So it feels like I'm getting more for my money.
I don't know just driving that far to the airport made it seem serious. Like, why am I driving almost 100 miles to get on a plane to go to Nashville. When I can take an uber ride to get to the train station (to take a 10 hour train ride). Dumb right.
I don't know... in my brain, if I'm going to Raleigh it's to get a really good deal or go somewhere international. That extra step of driving to another city (almost 100 miles away) just made it seem #lessfun.
So I found myself checking metrics:
The trip to Nashville at 7 days for $1400 was about $200/day. (or $175/day if you count it as an 8 day trip Tues to Tues, including both travel days).
But to Philadelphia at 11 days for $1256 was about $114/day. That includes both travel days. It'd probably be a little cheaper but I'm paying for an extra day Tues night so I can arrive early on Wednesday and be able to check-in before 4p. Altogether, it's about $108 more to pick the more convenient travel time and peace of mind travel time.
It's $76 difference to book for Tues vs Wed. I figure a day use hotel room will run me about $100+ and this is less hassle. And it's $32 to take the midnight train and arrive at 10a (also don't have to be worried about missing a full day of work + the time should go by quicker in the dark than being on the train for 10 hours in the middle of the day).
Let's do the math really quick... to fly would be about $300 one way. (Checked again, and it's about $400 on AA if you just buy a one way ticket... tricky, tricky)
This scheme plus the train ticket is $136 + $76 = $212. So I guess I'm saving about $88 to do it this way.
Makes me wonder slightly if the hassle is worth it.
But I do get a little bit longer time in Philadelphia and in my sweet place, so that's a win.
I realize after typing all that that those numbers correspond with the month long stay.
I just did a quick calculation for the 10 day stay and I'm at
Tues to Saturday= $1043 (room) + $219 (train) = $1262
Wed to Saturday = $949 (room) + $600 (flt) = $1549 (diff = $287)
Anyway, I'm pretty decided that I'll just stick with the 10 day getaway. It's like an extended getaway.
And when I looked at the upcoming weather for NC, it was nice and sunny with some cool days mixed in.
Plus I'm supposed to be getting a free week from Landing in Wilmington.
So as much as my workload might be light this upcoming month, the weather will be nice and maybe I'll be able to get out more. No promises.
Then my high school friend emails me about meeting up for a long weekend! Sheesh. I spend under an hour thinking up possibilities. But I finally decided those days are gone. We live in 2 different cities, so I'm not sure how that would work. I'm just going to keep making my plans and if she can join in on them, that works out.
So take-aways:
- Probably just to leave any actual international trips to next year unless a really good deal comes up
- When in doubt, your travel metric is a good place to look if you're unsure if a price makes sense
- Plan your trips; even if you don't go, you had nothing better to do with that time anyway
And I'm going to sleep on it, but probably as soon as I wake up, I'm going to make my Sonder booking. I was hoping there was some promo codes hanging around the internet, but alas, nada.
As for packing, as a fun challenge, I want to see if I can get away with just taking a carryon. I want to just pack some cozy comfy clothes and explore everyday like a Saturday tourist.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.