Is $12,000 per year in travel enough

[Nemo2]

And sitting on a park bench nibbling on an apple and some cheese for a quick lunch or snack would give me a similar sense of being present and truly immersing myself in the local environment and culture.

Yes, we don't see it as an inflexible either/or situation, it's simply what we prefer to do.

One isn't better than the other, as they both add to the diversity and richness of the experience.

Agreed....as implied above....we're not saying "Our way is better than 'yours'" or "'You' should do what we do"....'we', (DW reads these posts and is in full agreement with the positions I present), responding to the original question in this thread, are just saying that "It (travel on $12K p.a.) can be done, (and enjoyed immensely), and here's how we do it".

 

[Nemo2]

I'll just quietly suggest that for some (not all) it might possibly have something to do with alcohol/wine.
Pardon me while I hide over here....

What, they don't make brown paper bags anymore?

 

[jerryo]

My DW and I have done a LOT of both long and slow travel for both business and pleasure, both before and after (semi) retirement, and the cost can be quite variable depending on your wants and needs. We're relatively frugal, often rent houses or apartments for longer stays , often get mileage airfares (or upgrades), etc., but like occasional upscale luxuries. Two months in a beautiful two bedroom VRBO rental (@ $3,000/month) in the heart of downtown Charleston cost us about $12,000 all in (including $1,000 in Spoleto festival tickets), but we drove our own car. Six weeks in Argentina, Chile & Uruguay (including a 15 day cruise around Patagonia) also cost us about $12,000, including airfare; and 4 weeks hiking in Switzerland (hotel to hotel), with a week resting on Lake Como and a long weekend in London cost us about $10,000 all in;. Three weeks in Seattle (one week) and Park City skiing (two weeks) cost $5-6,000. But, 10 days skiing in Lech, Austria ran one of us about $6,000 (staying in a wonderful 4 star hotel).

So....in my experience $12,000 is more than enough for a month of quite comfortable travel; and doable for two months, but perhaps a bit tight.

 

[Moemg]

I'll just quietly suggest that for some (not all) it might possibly have something to do with alcohol/wine.
Pardon me while I hide over here....

No for most it is about the experience .It doesn't have to be wine it could be a cup of coffee .I really enjoy being in a small cafe with all the locals.

 

[cathy63]

I know food in Scandinavia is expensive but what is Scandinavian cuisine?

Heavy on the seafood?

But I think Asian fusion is popular up there as well.

Well, I haven't been there yet, so my current knowledge of Scandinavian food comes from the IKEA cafe and the Norway pavilion at Epcot. So rye bread, lingonberry jam, meatballs, open face sandwiches? I'm prepared to learn more.

I do know that there are world famous chefs and restaurants serving modern local cuisine, especially in Copenhagen, but we are definitely not at that level of foodie-ness.

 

[explanade]

When I visited Stockholm, about 11 years ago, there was advertising for smorgasbord Sunday brunches at the big hotels.

Very expensive but looks like very seafood-oriented IIRC.

In Bergen a couple of years ago, one of the best lunch deals was at a Thai restaurant. Actually saved money on that trip by staying at hotels which include a buffet dinner, typically of one hot dish and the rest mostly cold choices. Otherwise, having a decent meal, nothing special, would easily get to $50 and more.

 

[Sojourner]

No for most it is about the experience. It doesn't have to be wine it could be a cup of coffee. I really enjoy being in a small cafe with all the locals.

Exactly how I feel, although certainly, in the late afternoon or evening, sipping on a delicious glass of wine does add to the mystique and romance of the setting for me. It relaxes my mind a little bit and allows me to feel more immersed in the experience. Ultimately, that is what travel is all about for me -- the most authentic, fulfilling, soul-enriching experience I can (reasonably and responsibly... and legally) manage.

 

[brett]

As usual, how far your budget will stretch will depend on your travel style.

We have found that our travel budget goes much further now that we are retired. We can, and do, take advantage of late booking specials, airfare, hotel and cruise offers. Plus sometimes travel at shoulder season to avoid crowds and to take advantage of discounts.

There are many ways of reducing your travel costs. We watch currency and travel where we have an advantage. We sometimes book air/cruise/hotels, etc. on sites outside North America to enjoy savings. These can be substantial at times.

The web is a wonderful tool for travelers. Use it wisely and effectively and you can reduce the cost of travel or elongate your travel plans.

 

[braumeister]

I'm kind of in between Nemo2 and those who enjoy dining out at nice restaurants.

About half the time we will grab something at a local market and call it a meal.

We never go to fancy restaurants because we simply don't enjoy that experience. But look for little restaurants in residential neighborhoods. They are often unexpected delights when they treat us like locals. Many of those places simply don't get many tourists and they enjoy showing off their specialties.

Or if there's a beer garden, I'm all over that. Most are basically just walking up to the counter to buy your food and drink then finding a table where you can sit down to eat and enjoy the experience.

 

[Nemo2]

Many of those places simply don't get many tourists and they enjoy showing off their specialties.

I recall posting, lo these many moons ago, that in Porto we each had a bowl of a most agreeable Caldo verde in a little local bakery/diner......cost us €1 apiece....I stood at the counter and DW grabbed the last remaining stool.

 

[NW-Bound]

I'm kind of in between Nemo2 and those who enjoy dining out at nice restaurants.

About half the time we will grab something at a local market and call it a meal.

We never go to fancy restaurants because we simply don't enjoy that experience. But look for little restaurants in residential neighborhoods. They are often unexpected delights when they treat us like locals. Many of those places simply don't get many tourists and they enjoy showing off their specialties.

Or if there's a beer garden, I'm all over that. Most are basically just walking up to the counter to buy your food and drink then finding a table where you can sit down to eat and enjoy the experience.

Same here.

In our last trip, we had some memorable dinners, particularly in La Spezia at a seafood restaurant run by a family. After dinner, I asked for shots of grappa, and the owner poured for us saying it was on the house. And when I went out to the cash register to pay, his brother poured me another shot of Cento Erbe, saying it was homemade.

In our last trip, while people queued up to pay 3 euros for an ice cream cone (we got hit by a heat wave in early June), I found delight in paying 2 euros for a glass of draft beer in Antwerp, and again in Brussels in the street corner across the narrow street from Manneken Pis. With the price that good, I had to drink 2.

 

[NW-Bound]

Back on $12K/year, we have no strict budget for anything, travel included. One year we may pay more, the next year we may not be able to go, so it is all played by ear.

So far this year, our recent 6-week road trip through Europe has not exceeded $12K. But the rolling 12-month expense has, by quite a bit.

No matter, I can spend more. But to go where? Wife yesterday received a cruise offer at the year end: $1,300 for 15-day cruise between NZ and Australia. A quick look on Kayak shows airfare of $1,400. So that's $5400 already for 2, and we are going to do pre and post cruise stays at Airbnb. Maybe $7K or 8$ total?

Need to work out the logistics, as DW now has to watch over MIL who is 92.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

as DW now has to watch over MIL who is 92.

This is why my travel budget is currently near zero.

 

[brett]

More than a few times while travelling in Italy we have gone into a small grocery and purchased rolls, cheese, meat, wine and juice. Made a picnic in the middle of several cities. Usually beside a fountain or on the steps of a church. Some of the best times we have had. Or going into a restaurant in Greece, sometimes into the kitchen, and pointing to what we wanted. That, and a bottle of the local grape made for a wonderful dinner.

Our routine when looking for a place to eat in a foreign country is to avoid anywhere that has a menu printed in multiple languages or one in which all we hear is english being spoken.

 

[bmcgonig]

I'll just quietly suggest that for some (not all) it might possibly have something to do with alcohol/wine.
Pardon me while I hide over here....

That's a bingo!!

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

We have found that our travel budget goes much further now that we are retired. We can, and do, take advantage of late booking specials, airfare, hotel and cruise offers. Plus sometimes travel at shoulder season to avoid crowds and to take advantage of discounts.

This is kind of what we're hoping for, that the time flexibility from retirement in when we travel, last minute deals, maybe staying further afield, driving vs flying etc. We currently come across so many deals that we'd love to take advantage of but can't quite yet during our working lives.

We're hoping for the best travel spend figures but planning/budgeting/saving for a more expensive case scenario.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

We're kind of all over the place with our travel eats but it's definitely a sliding scale that leans more heavily towards eating at food carts, festivals, little stands, and hole in the walls than fancier places.

Part of what we want to get from eating/dining aboard is that we want to experience new dishes and flavours and maybe try to recreate some of the concepts cooking/eating at home. However, I sometimes kind of get a bit obsessive when I find something I like.

For us to do the rare splurge at a fancier place, it needs have "total experience" potential because general value typically goes down. We find it kind of "riskier" too because I can see us walking away disappointed due to higher expectations.

 

[Danmar]

We are at the "no comment" level of spending on travel. It's fun but it's getting scary when I add it all up in Quicken.

Same. This is a "bigger" year than normal for us with ocean crossing, Burgundy barge rental, Ganges river cruise, biking in Viet Nam. Probably 50-75% more than "normal".

 

[Eagle43]

We're with you on this one too......the smaller the ship the better. We do take transatlantics on ships larger than we'd 'prefer', but it's a permanent 'Naaah" for the leviathans.

A couple of years ago we sailed on the Oasis of the Seas. The Captain informed us that the ship was the biggest cruise ship "by 6 inches." Size matters.

 

[Nemo2]

A couple of years ago we sailed on the Oasis of the Seas. The Captain informed us that the ship was the biggest cruise ship "by 6 inches." Size matters.

To paraphrase Charlton Heston: "I'd be dragged on that one by my cold dead hands".

 

[Danmar]

We never go to fancy restaurants because we simply don't enjoy that experience. But look for little restaurants in residential neighborhoods. They are often unexpected delights when they treat us like locals. Many of those places simply don't get many tourists and they enjoy showing off their specialties.
.

We enjoy eating out and do it a lot even when we are "home". I am fond of saying that "I didn't marry my DW because of her cooking". I do have a pet peeve around Michelin starred restaurants though. I don't like them. I sometimes say my enjoyment of them is inversely proportional to the number of stars squared.

I have a very good friend who is attempting to eat at all 100 of the world's top rated restaurants. He has done 15-20 so far and thinks nothing of flying of to a European city for a couple of days to get 2-3 more off his list. He's asked me to go with him a few times, but I think that is nuts.

Everybody does their own thing. That's what makes the world go round.

 

[kcowan]

More than a few times while travelling in Italy we have gone into a small grocery and purchased rolls, cheese, meat, wine and juice. Made a picnic in the middle of several cities. Usually beside a fountain or on the steps of a church. Some of the best times we have had. Or going into a restaurant in Greece, sometimes into the kitchen, and pointing to what we wanted. That, and a bottle of the local grape made for a wonderful dinner.

Our routine when looking for a place to eat in a foreign country is to avoid anywhere that has a menu printed in multiple languages or one in which all we hear is english being spoken.

Yes we do that a lot. One of the more extreme examples was 4 of us buying KFC and sitting on Waikiki beach at night listening to a luau around the big hotel pool.

The wine cheese and fruit trick also works in the many small parks throughout European cities. Similar people watching to the sidewalk cafes.

 

[kcowan]

I have a very good friend who is attempting to eat at all 100 of the world's top rated restaurants. He has done 15-20 so far and thinks nothing of flying of to a European city for a couple of days to get 2-3 more off his list. He's asked me to go with him a few times, but I think that is nuts.

Everybody does their own thing. That's what makes the world go round.

Probably going for an award: Most over paid food?

We have heard that many restaurants prefer to keep at 2 stars so they can focus on what their clients want.

 

[brett]

One thing we learned long ago. Order the house if you do not see a wine list.

If the waiter suggests trying something 'extra special' don't be a chump and say yes. ASK what the price is, then make a decision.

This can sometimes be a bit of a con game designed to take advantage of inexperienced travelers those are more focused on impressing their dining partner than understanding the cost associated to their decision.


We often split meals in Europe so that we can both try different things on the menu. I don't want a large plate of pasta as a starter so often we will order than plus a veal dish. Some people are reluctant to do this but it is very common in Europe. Also, if we are not certain about order a dish because there may be too much food we hold off and if we still want more after our food order arrives we simply order more then.

 

[brett]

One thing we learned long ago. Order the house if you do not see a wine list.

If the waiter suggests trying something 'extra special' don't be a chump and say yes. ASK what the price is, then make a decision.

This can sometimes be a bit of a con game designed to take advantage of inexperienced travelers those are more focused on impressing their dining partner than understanding the cost associated to their decision.

If we want desert, we will often simply walk for a little then buy something in a local bakery.

For those who really want to be taken to the cleaners in Venice.....order caps/ expressos and a piece of pastry at the outdoor cafe in the square. Enjoy the music because it the cost is high. Or, go over a few blocks and order a drink at Harry's Bar. Either will set you back the price of a decent meal in Venice!