Stop me before I travel again!

[pedorrero]

Jeez, I am falling victim to two of my weaknesses (1) love of travel and (2) a bargain! I have posted here recently about being able to get dirt-cheap airfares. In my case, I've been using Spirit Air (out of Ft. Lauderdale). I've already booked two cheap trips for later in 2007, and some of them even got cheaper (only slightly: $8 or $12 each way sometimes down to $0.01). Of course, most of the true cost of the flight is taxes and such, but still way cheap. Here's my current "problem". You inputs please!

Spirit (spiritair.com) has periodic specials, such as the following, if I were to book by Wed. 3/7:

I can fly from FLL to Costa Rica (San Juan) on 8/21 - 8/28 (selected dates) and return on 09/18 (only available date), for $59.94 r/t, total cost.

Never having been there, I'd like to see CR, even in what I'm sure is the off season. Maybe hot & sticky, but Florida is ditto in summer.

Problem: I'm already booked to go to Puerto Rico just a few days later. No law says I can't, but I'd have only about 3 days layover in Ft. Lauderdale. I could, in theory, take a bus back home, for a day or two, but it wouldn't be much of a rest, and will cost about an extra $84 if I do so.

Another consideration is that my girlfriend would be angry at me. To me, this is a lesser concern because our relationship is pretty much burnt out anyway, and she's already pissed that I'm going to be gone for nearly a month during hurricane season.

From a traveling viewpoint, if I do both the Costa Rica and the Puerto Rico trips, I would be gone for almost two months. I have traveled that long before, but not in over ten years. Since I'm obviously a self-centered SOB who could give a #&$ about what his girlfriend thinks, my main concern here would be that I'll be trying to do too much traveling in a concentrated period.

My gut says to go for it...since I don't really care what my girlfriend thinks, and the incremental cost is only $60, should I book it? Comments, please!

[Khan]

Do you ever worry about what she might do to your house while you are gone?

[crazy connie]

As a dear departed used to say to me... "Please yourself darling, at least that way someone will be happy." And that is the truth!

[pedorrero]

I have, and still sometimes do, worry about what she might do to my property. However, she has never done anything deliberate, as far as I know. And she's had plenty of opportunities. Our relationship is (in my view) two former lovers that still find it convenient to co-habit. Living together is partly an economic benefit right now, especially for her.

Since (In my esteemed opinion ) our relationship can't really get any worse, I am going to enjoy myself as much as I reasonably can..."reasonable" depends on your definition I guess. If she's going to be unhappy no matter what I do (which, I think, isn't far from the truth), then I am going to plan my self-centered little life to maximize that happiness. I can't make her happy, and I think the world is a better place with one unhappy person in it, instead of two.

I went ahead and booked the fare. Effectively, I've bought "call options" on two separate near-month-long holidays. Each fare cost about the same (Costa Rica for < $60, Puerto Rico a whopping $68.20, because I didn't wait for the one cent sale, I guess.)

[pedorrero]

Correction to original post. I think I would be going to San Jose, Costa Rica. There may be a San Juan there too, but not my plane's destination.

One thing is sure, if I take all three trips my Spanish will be much improved.

[Cut-Throat]

I'd skip P.R. and go to Costa Rica and take the Girl Friend.

[Caroline]

My idle mind is wondering how much you really love to travel, and how much you need to get away from your bad relationship. Perhaps a bit of both, methinks?

If you had a girlfriend you ADORED at home, would you still want to leave for these extended periods?

If you had a girlfriend you adored who wanted to travel with you, would you want to take her with you? (I would LOVE a guy who was ready to travel at the drop of a hat -- while I'm taken ;-) I'm sure there are others out there that share your enthusiasm, if that's what you'd really like.

May I gently suggest that you think about dealing with the GF issue, one way or another?

[FinanceDude]

Originally Posted by Caroline

My idle mind is wondering how much you really love to travel, and how much you need to get away from your bad relationship. Perhaps a bit of both, methinks?

If you had a girlfriend you ADORED at home, would you still want to leave for these extended periods?

If you had a girlfriend you adored who wanted to travel with you, would you want to take her with you? (I would LOVE a guy who was ready to travel at the drop of a hat -- while I'm taken ;-) I'm sure there are others out there that share your enthusiasm, if that's what you'd really like.

May I gently suggest that you think about dealing with the GF issue, one way or another?

Good advice......... I hope it's not one of those "open relationships" i used to get myself into without MY knowledge............

[DRiP Guy]

Originally Posted by FinanceDude

I hope it's not one of those "open relationships" i used to get myself into without MY knowledge............

Sounds almost like "Chicago" material...

I'd fix him a drink. We'd have dinner.

And then I found out....

"Single." he told me!

Single, my a**!!!

Not only was he married . . .

Oh , no. . .

He had six wives.

One of those Mormons.

So that night...
when he came home from work. . .

I fixed him his drink, as usual.

You know...

Some guys just can't hold their arsenic.

[cue chorus...]