If I may be so bold? Annual personal travel budget?

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Jul 25, 2016, 4:44 pm

#61

floridagal23

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we try to balance wants and needs and we don't really set a firm budget for travel (though maybe we should). This year was our most costly travel year yet, with a trip to Singita lodges in SA last fall and 8 months later, a visit to the Tanzania lodges. As DINKs we have been taking advantage of extra time and funds to travel. As others have mentioned, we feel our crazy travel adventure time is limited. This coming year we may reign it in a little because we have plans to purchase a new home and we are thinking about expanding the family beyond the puppy. We now have zika exposure to consider as well which somewhat limits destinations.

Jul 25, 2016, 4:48 pm

#62

floridagal23

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SeeingtheWorldfromIndy

I echo this point. My wife and I made what we refer to as a "reverse bucket list" to try and experience all of the places/events before children. Priority goes to places we believe will be fundamentally different when we have an empty home in 20+ years. We look for decent deals to one or more of those places and then designate our summer and December breaks to heading there even if they are extremely expensive.
Consequently, we probably over spend relative to our financial principles, but consider it as an investment in our life story. Luckily, star alliance and SPG points (plus credit card points) make it easier to splurge when the value makes sense (1st class on SQ Moscow-SIN with points).
If we are going to invest in going to one of these places, we feel that making it a memorable experience is important. Hence we will be staying at Amanjiwo and Dari next month when in Indonesia. We have similar plans for Bhutan/Tibet/Machu Picchu/Petra/African Safari in the future.

This is us to a T.

Jul 25, 2016, 6:12 pm

#63

Kagehitokiri

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Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Jul 25, 2016 at 6:26 pm

Jul 26, 2016, 6:27 am

#64

SeeingtheWorldfromIndy

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Kagehitokiri

Kagehitokiri thank you for the links. I appreciate the effort. I'm sure that my wife and I will still do luxury travel when we have kids but it will be domestic and tame trips that involve direct flights of less than 4 hours and other simple logistics.

Right now, we are in the part of our lives where we have the ability to travel to SE Asia from SFO and have an amazing 2 weeks over the holidays seeing Bagan, or Lhasa or Laos. Those kinds of trips will probably cease for us for many years once we have kids. So now is the time that we are doing the big, active, complicated, expensive trips that we aren't going to try and tackle with a 5 year old (unless our economic status changes to the point that we can fly private ;-) 👍&#128077

Jul 26, 2016, 3:19 pm

#65

Baghoarder

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SeeingtheWorldfromIndy

A number of people on this board have travelled regularly with their young children, myself included. Don't give up hope about what might be possible! In the very early years you may well want to simplify things a bit, but you'd be surprised what children can do. My boys are now 8 and 10 and are genuinely good travel companions in their own right. They are experienced flyers and often receive compliments for their behaviour on board (we usually travel with them in J). And the mind-broadening effects of travel in those early years are worth pursuing.

Jul 26, 2016, 7:37 pm

#66

MikeFromTokyo

Join Date: Jan 2009

Location: BKK

Posts: 6,741

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baghoarder

^

I know many families with young children who enjoy travelling. With the right arrangements, and ipads loaded with fun games and movies, etc.. help keep them happy during flights or whenever they may have to wait during the journey.

Showing them pictures, movies, and books about what they are about to see can help get them excited, and increase their enjoyment as well as their understanding. They can feel like young explorers on an adventure.

Jul 27, 2016, 9:17 am

#67

Altocumulus

Join Date: Jul 2012

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Couldn't agree more. You can definitely get good at traveling with small kids with some practice. Since having our now 4 and 1 year-olds we have taken them on almost 200 flights and it has almost always gone smoothly. Mostly on CX in J and some F (and coach on short hops). The kids get used to it, it's just part of their lives. We are well-equipped with iPad entertainment etc. and we ensure the kids don't cause any disruption to fellow passengers. As mentioned above, the kids are often complimented by crew and other passengers upon deplaning. Crew are often incredibly helpful too.

Yes it can be hard work but is definitely worth it for the enjoyment we all get out of it and for the mind-broadening for them (admittedly ours are pretty young for that element but our 4yo can already recall a lot of cool travel experiences).

I would just say don't rule out travel with kids, especially before you have them. Start them young and you'll never look back. (I should admit here that we do get to travel without them quite a lot too, which is of course great in a different way

)

Jul 27, 2016, 10:35 am

#68

RichardInSF

Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Sep 2002

Location: Palo Alto, California,USA

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My oldest kid went on his first trip, a Panama canal cruise, at age 6 weeks and hasn't stopped regular travel since.

On a related topic, it has been suggested by a member that luxury travel with children would make a good thread on its own, if someone wants to give it a go and start it.

RichardInSF, moderator, luxury hotels

Jul 27, 2016, 3:17 pm

#69

jp-mco

Join Date: Jun 2013

Posts: 1,225

I think a luxury travel with children thread would be great! My 13 month old daughter has been to Coworth Park (3 times), FS Hampshire (4 times), Peninsula Paris, FS Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat and Chateau Saint Martin & Spa. This forum has been incredibly useful in planning these trips but it would be great to have a place for all this information to come together.

Jul 27, 2016, 8:20 pm

#70

scubadu

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Quote:

Originally Posted by jonjparr

You know that you can create it, right?

Regards

Jul 28, 2016, 12:39 am

#71

jp-mco

Join Date: Jun 2013

Posts: 1,225

Quote:

Originally Posted by scubadu

You know that you can create it, right?

Regards

Just so we're abundantly clear - I knew. Who says I wasn't going to start it today? At least you got to use bold and underline though.

Jul 28, 2016, 6:14 am

#72

scubadu

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Quote:

Originally Posted by jonjparr

At least you got to use bold and underline though.

Indeed I did. One doesn't always get that opportunity, but it's delightful when it occurs.

Regards

Jul 28, 2016, 7:44 am

#73

RichardInSF

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And here's the link to the luxury travel with children thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ferrerid=14479

So now this one can get back on topic as well!

RichardInSF, moderator, luxury hotels