Choosing Your Travel Buddy Wisely
Sometimes, I’m quite last-minute with my plans. My best friend Shell has had to put up with this, especially when it comes to our mutual travel plans.
For instance, we once decided to go on a cruise to Hawaii, all expenses paid by the cruise line I worked for. But, you guessed it, I ended up quitting the job. Or that time when we planned for her to visit me in England while I was in grad school. I finished early and returned to work, so no England trip for her. We also had a spontaneous dart-throwing decision to decide our next travel destination. But a week later, I accepted a job at a circus. So, another disappointment.
Shell’s been patient with me, even though my career choices always seem to interfere with our travel plans. We did manage to visit Edinburgh and Paris once upon a time, and it was wonderful. But I quickly realized that traveling with Shell brought new challenges.
She prefers the luxuries life has to offer, which isn’t a bad thing, just not my travel style. My norm involves counting every penny, bunking in hostels, and sneaking extra bread from the free breakfasts to save on lunch. Traveling with Shell, however, meant more expenses.
Despite this, I love her a lot. We’ve been best friends for over 15 years. But, I found myself worrying about my wallet when I thought about our latest Harry Potter-themed trip.
Here’s a travel tip, starting to plan your vacation in advance can save you significant money. I had this in mind, but due to a potential job possibility, I found myself planning a vacation two weeks out.
The flights, even with rewards points, were pricier than expected. Booking a last-minute flight from Newark to Orlando ended up costing $601. You could find the same for $200 with some prior planning.
We chose to stay at Universal Studio’s Cabana Bay to gain early admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Even with some online discounts, I was disappointed to find out that the cheaper rates were only for Florida residents. Bottom line, our stay cost us about $670 for three nights.
Then, dining at the park elevated our expenses further, though as a Harry Potter super geek, I must confess I didn’t mind. Eating at themed restaurants like The Leaky Cauldron and The Three Broomsticks felt pretty darn awesome.
Shell, though, loves to splurge, and it started rubbing off on me. We ended up buying way more souvenirs than we usually would have.
This 3-day trip ended up costing nearly $1,000, which was more of an annoyance than a budget breaker. I’ve let Shell down too many times before, so it felt alright to splurge this time. But, I must confess, I usually prefer vacations that don’t feel financial pinches.
So, if you’re looking for a travel buddy who enjoys budget-friendly adventures, and don’t mind a possible last-minute cancellation, I’m here.