I Need A Vacation!
Jan. 29th, 2016 09:36 amI feel the need for a vacation, so I started to look for one. Having said that, I've spent a lot of money the past two years on travel (UK / Ireland, Washington State, Writer's Cruise) and I'm looking at another grand for Worldcon in KC this year. Thus I am in the market for inexpensive vacations. I considered a staycation (stay home) but I find these somewhat less restful. It seems like there's always something at home I should be doing. Working with a goal, I hit the travel sites.
Thinking that I might be able to score a last-minute deal, I looked at Hawaii. (Optimism never dies!) The cheapest I could come up with was $1800 for airfare and hotel. Except this was a collection of red-eye flights on three airlines and a 2-star hotel in Oahu. Visiting other islands, upgrading to a rational flight schedule or even a modest step up in hotels put me over two grand. And that's just getting there and having a bed. No ground transport, no food, no tourist stuff, just a room.
Then I looked at a time-share-swapping deal my parents have. Hilton Head SC (admittedly not Oahu but nice) had two-bedroom condos for under $500, Southwest can get me there free on my miles, and I can rent a car for under $200. Plus this is a condo, so I can go to the store and get some provisions and eat breakfast at "home." Lastly, if I get bored, I can drive to Charleston and/or Savannah for the day.
This was not a tough decision, so Hilton Head here I come.
Thinking that I might be able to score a last-minute deal, I looked at Hawaii. (Optimism never dies!) The cheapest I could come up with was $1800 for airfare and hotel. Except this was a collection of red-eye flights on three airlines and a 2-star hotel in Oahu. Visiting other islands, upgrading to a rational flight schedule or even a modest step up in hotels put me over two grand. And that's just getting there and having a bed. No ground transport, no food, no tourist stuff, just a room.
Then I looked at a time-share-swapping deal my parents have. Hilton Head SC (admittedly not Oahu but nice) had two-bedroom condos for under $500, Southwest can get me there free on my miles, and I can rent a car for under $200. Plus this is a condo, so I can go to the store and get some provisions and eat breakfast at "home." Lastly, if I get bored, I can drive to Charleston and/or Savannah for the day.
This was not a tough decision, so Hilton Head here I come.