Making Dream Vacations a Reality and....Tarantulas??
When Barrett and I travel, there is a lot of give and take and compromise. Barrett is the yin to my yang, the one who (and I mean this in a good way) dampers my creativity and zest a bit (otherwise we'd be staying in a tree-house in Bali, and then I would decide that said tree-house was not a good idea due to the influx of unwanted critters). I often tell him I am the parade, and he sh*ts on my parade. Yeah, that may not sound very nice, but we laugh every-time! Someone has to be the slightly more down to earth, "but your're terrified of spiders Sarah" (more on that later), kind of person. He defers (most) decision making to me as far as the place we stay in, usually where we go, and the activities we do so long as I defer safety and some of the logistics to him.
A travel planning session, in which I can devote seemingly endless amounts of time and energy to (did I mention how patient my husband is??) may go something like this:
*** My name is Sarah, and I have arachnophobia. I literally shriek at images of spiders on my laptop, let alone making Barrett or my boys kill every spider that comes into the house. At our old house we paid pest services to have less spiders. I know they are helpful. I know this is an irrational fear, but they creep me out! Tarantulas are the worst in my mind because of the hair and the size. A giant, furry spider?? Oh, hell no! I have read that they are gentle, that many more spiders are indeed worse. I can reason all I want though, and the fear is present. I have been known to look up types of spiders with my laptop at arms length when researching a place's native flora and fauna. This is something I need to get over, because I want to travel to Bali, Thailand, Costa Rica, etc etc. I can swim in the open ocean, get stung by a jellyfish, see eels, rays, etc but not spiders. I used to have a pet snake, but not spiders. Barrett even told me that if I can calmly pet a tarantula at PetCo, he will take me to Europe. I thought about this for a good 4-5 hours. Then I said, "I don't think I can do it, maybe someday. Also, I can take myself to Europe!" He laughed.
And on we go. I could go on and on, and in no way is my humor here meant to put down any place to travel to, just an example of how we do things in our house. When we take the kids somewhere we look for many activities sprinkled with down-time. This is how we ended up at a pretty nice indoor pool park in Banff when we were worn out and the kids were rearing to go! We sat in the spa and enjoyed the lazy river while they played water basketball. It was a win-win. When we travel without kids I still want to see ALL the things, but have to promise B a fair mix of just sitting, reading, drinking coffee, and relaxing whether on a beach or in a cafe or a quaint log cabin. This is for my own good too, as I will burn myself out planning too many things so he allows me 1 excursion type thing a day or a rough itinerary of sight seeing with lots of breaks in between and room to explore places we fall in love with.
I wanted a rule where I didn't ever repeat locales. Like, we LOVED Aruba, but we can never go again type thing because then there's a vacation we didn't go somewhere else. I am trying to find a balance though, because this is just silly. I want to go (almost) everywhere, but some places are worth seeing again (umm....Rome? Maui? Aruba? Seattle <the only big city I truly love thus far>I rest my case, as these are definitely repeaters). I also find the grey area between off the beaten path and big tourist attractions. Let's face it, some big tourist attractions are famous because they are so amazing!! Maui Black Rock (for snorkeling) and Vatican City for example. Others have left me feeling rather mreh...Lake Louise in Banff and Waikiki Beach on Oahu. We like finding little cafes, bookstores, and even hikes that are not super touristy.
My favorite travel tool is Airbnb. We have used them 6 times, and are using them a few nights in Ireland as well this fall. When we travel with the kids, I NEED room. Ideally 3-4 bedrooms and 2 baths. We can spread out. Two kids and two adults in one hotel room is not my idea of fun. At all. We have done it, and I avoid it. Last year we scored a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom with private pool in Aruba for $180 a night. This is the ONLY way we could afford Aruba, and it was AMAZING.
Now, sometimes I do prefer hotels. They are often a better deal when it is just the two of us, or when bought as part of a vacation package-for example, Europeandestinations.com is a a fave website of mine, and they pre-package deals with flights. I am totally fine in a standard double room with B in a place that serves breakfast in Europe. Note: I either want a kitchen in a home rental or breakfast included in a hotel, this is one meal a day that is easiest to have before outings and save some money on. I can't afford luxury hotels in Europe nor do I care enough because I will be out and about. It falls into that category of vacation, where the room is just for sleep.
We have been to more island destinations and National Parks because they are the easiest "sell" with my hubby. He loves warm water, snorkeling, and natural wonders, however, I played my cards right and scored a deal to Ireland he couldn't say no to, and possibly a great off-season (read: less crowds and we can brave the cold!) visit to a few cities in Spain and Italy. I am the one who is drawn to the culture, foods, art and architecture (though he loves history, so that helps!) of Europe. We won't go into detailed travel budget or anything that personal here. We work hard, we play hard, and we make it a priority but I have listed a few of my favorite sites and travel engines below.
https://www.europeandestinations.com/ Can you say Italy and Spain for 7 days for $900 each (including flights)??
https://www.airbnb.com Dream homes with room to spread out!
https://www.google.com/flights I just love this search engine.
https://nextvacay.com/ This is a service you sign up for $25 annually and they email you deals each week to airports near you. You have to buy tickets in 24-48 hrs is the one caveat. I missed a $250 flight to Paris because I didn't act fast enough!!! But...we scored flights to Dublin for about $400 each (they are normally $700-1000...I have looked!).
https://www.lakehousevacations.com/browse_map.php?cat=41 Does a week with your kids on a lake sound amazing? I thought so. Homes all over the US with lakefront property and private docks. Some even include kayaks, jetskis, etc.
What is your dream vacation?
Happy Trails.
-Sarah
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| Stingray friend in Turks & Caicos |
A travel planning session, in which I can devote seemingly endless amounts of time and energy to (did I mention how patient my husband is??) may go something like this:
Me: Grenada looks like an amazing, jungly tropical island.
Him: Do they have tarantulas*? You would freak if you saw one.
Me: Well, I did read on this travel forum while researching that in particular that a woman was at a restaurant and a small, grey tarantula ran across her bare foot.
Him: (with a look that really says it all) We'd have to peel you off the ceiling, and then book the next flight home.
*** My name is Sarah, and I have arachnophobia. I literally shriek at images of spiders on my laptop, let alone making Barrett or my boys kill every spider that comes into the house. At our old house we paid pest services to have less spiders. I know they are helpful. I know this is an irrational fear, but they creep me out! Tarantulas are the worst in my mind because of the hair and the size. A giant, furry spider?? Oh, hell no! I have read that they are gentle, that many more spiders are indeed worse. I can reason all I want though, and the fear is present. I have been known to look up types of spiders with my laptop at arms length when researching a place's native flora and fauna. This is something I need to get over, because I want to travel to Bali, Thailand, Costa Rica, etc etc. I can swim in the open ocean, get stung by a jellyfish, see eels, rays, etc but not spiders. I used to have a pet snake, but not spiders. Barrett even told me that if I can calmly pet a tarantula at PetCo, he will take me to Europe. I thought about this for a good 4-5 hours. Then I said, "I don't think I can do it, maybe someday. Also, I can take myself to Europe!" He laughed.
Me: Is Egypt still on the "not safe to travel" list?
Him: Yeah Honey, don't think we are going there anytime soon. You like your head attached, right?
Me: How do you feel about Florida beaches?
Him: Did you read that story about flesh-eating bacteria a traveler picked up in the ocean there?
Me: What about Costa Rica? We have companion fare we could use to there.
Him: Let's play word association. When I say Costa Rica you think...
Me: Tarantulas! They live there! Ugh I associate the two in my head! Make it stop!
Him: Perhaps we need to go somewhere colder and safer from spiders...
Me: I am intrigued by the all-inclusive, but we don't drink much and the food is never great. And I pretty much hate resorts and comparing myself to all the other women.
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| St. Peter's Square in Vatican City |
Him: You are beautiful, but I understand, and the food is pretty awful. (Have I mentioned what an amazing man he is, this husband of mine?)
And on we go. I could go on and on, and in no way is my humor here meant to put down any place to travel to, just an example of how we do things in our house. When we take the kids somewhere we look for many activities sprinkled with down-time. This is how we ended up at a pretty nice indoor pool park in Banff when we were worn out and the kids were rearing to go! We sat in the spa and enjoyed the lazy river while they played water basketball. It was a win-win. When we travel without kids I still want to see ALL the things, but have to promise B a fair mix of just sitting, reading, drinking coffee, and relaxing whether on a beach or in a cafe or a quaint log cabin. This is for my own good too, as I will burn myself out planning too many things so he allows me 1 excursion type thing a day or a rough itinerary of sight seeing with lots of breaks in between and room to explore places we fall in love with.
I wanted a rule where I didn't ever repeat locales. Like, we LOVED Aruba, but we can never go again type thing because then there's a vacation we didn't go somewhere else. I am trying to find a balance though, because this is just silly. I want to go (almost) everywhere, but some places are worth seeing again (umm....Rome? Maui? Aruba? Seattle <the only big city I truly love thus far>I rest my case, as these are definitely repeaters). I also find the grey area between off the beaten path and big tourist attractions. Let's face it, some big tourist attractions are famous because they are so amazing!! Maui Black Rock (for snorkeling) and Vatican City for example. Others have left me feeling rather mreh...Lake Louise in Banff and Waikiki Beach on Oahu. We like finding little cafes, bookstores, and even hikes that are not super touristy.
 |
| Snorkeling in Aruba |
My favorite travel tool is Airbnb. We have used them 6 times, and are using them a few nights in Ireland as well this fall. When we travel with the kids, I NEED room. Ideally 3-4 bedrooms and 2 baths. We can spread out. Two kids and two adults in one hotel room is not my idea of fun. At all. We have done it, and I avoid it. Last year we scored a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom with private pool in Aruba for $180 a night. This is the ONLY way we could afford Aruba, and it was AMAZING.
 |
| Somewhere in Canada |
Now, sometimes I do prefer hotels. They are often a better deal when it is just the two of us, or when bought as part of a vacation package-for example, Europeandestinations.com is a a fave website of mine, and they pre-package deals with flights. I am totally fine in a standard double room with B in a place that serves breakfast in Europe. Note: I either want a kitchen in a home rental or breakfast included in a hotel, this is one meal a day that is easiest to have before outings and save some money on. I can't afford luxury hotels in Europe nor do I care enough because I will be out and about. It falls into that category of vacation, where the room is just for sleep.
Barrett has helped to make my dreams of traveling come alive. Since I have met him (7 1/2 years ago) we have been to:
- Maui twice (with and without kids)
- Cozumel, Mexico
- Idaho
- Utah
- Montana
- Minnesota
- Arizona
- Nevada
- Washington with kids
- California (not sure that counts since we are both from there haha) with and without kids
- Wiconsin
- Canada with kids
- Alaska with kids
- Aruba with kids
- Turks & Caicos
- Oahu
- I also went to Rome & Vatican City with one friend and San Antonio, Texas with another.
We firmly have planned 5 days in Dublin and Northern Ireland this coming October, and Leavenworth, Washington at New Year's and we have tentatively planned the following for 2019:
- February in Barcelona, Spain & Rome and Venice, Italy
- A summer vacation with kids renting a lake house in Oregon (or Georgia and Tennessee...still pricing this)
- Christmas markets in Munich, Germany and possibly Salzburg, Austria
- and sometime next year hopefully seeing family in California as well as B's family in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Hopefully these are all tarantula free??? Hahaha. I need to start working on that fear...
 |
| Pool/Beach bums in Maui. |
We have been to more island destinations and National Parks because they are the easiest "sell" with my hubby. He loves warm water, snorkeling, and natural wonders, however, I played my cards right and scored a deal to Ireland he couldn't say no to, and possibly a great off-season (read: less crowds and we can brave the cold!) visit to a few cities in Spain and Italy. I am the one who is drawn to the culture, foods, art and architecture (though he loves history, so that helps!) of Europe. We won't go into detailed travel budget or anything that personal here. We work hard, we play hard, and we make it a priority but I have listed a few of my favorite sites and travel engines below.
https://www.europeandestinations.com/ Can you say Italy and Spain for 7 days for $900 each (including flights)??
https://www.airbnb.com Dream homes with room to spread out!
https://www.google.com/flights I just love this search engine.
https://nextvacay.com/ This is a service you sign up for $25 annually and they email you deals each week to airports near you. You have to buy tickets in 24-48 hrs is the one caveat. I missed a $250 flight to Paris because I didn't act fast enough!!! But...we scored flights to Dublin for about $400 each (they are normally $700-1000...I have looked!).
https://www.lakehousevacations.com/browse_map.php?cat=41 Does a week with your kids on a lake sound amazing? I thought so. Homes all over the US with lakefront property and private docks. Some even include kayaks, jetskis, etc.
Follow me here as I continue to wander, and as I figure out how to pack for Fall in Ireland and Winter in Italy only in a carry-on! :)
What is your dream vacation?
Happy Trails.
-Sarah
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