Blow that Dough 2023

[Retired Expat]

Heading to the UK for 4 weeks, walks and festivals. Was all pretty reasonable when booked 6 months ago. Now the upgrade to Business for the 11 hour flights definitely BTD territory

 

[Koolau]

Put a deposit on this today. Will be the third RV for us since 2006. Had 2 others for 3-4 year stints. Will take a 24 hour round trip (not at once!) drive to pick it up in the midwest in April. Some real sweet deals on these trailers lately.

Plan is to escape New England winters with it starting this fall....

Ah, yes, Youngs RVs!



How big a pop-out does your unit have?






Love the look of these even though I'm not an RV'er.







https://www.youngsrvcenters.com/product-coachmen-rv/apex-ultra-lite


Enjoy!

 

[audreyh1]

We are finally going on a Europe trip (which includes visiting family) in the fall after almost 4 years of no international travel.

BTD because we are sitting up front in lie flat seats. So much unused travel money piling up, and we keep getting older……

 

[skyking1]

Well done audrey, a 4 year hiatus will do that.
@pacergal I hope the boys enjoy the game and town. Message me if you wish when you come up in September.
@doneat54, that looks nice and light for travel. This is great for driver fatigue and also for getting into the little National Parks campgrounds. Look us up if you get out west, we host campers here via
https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/searchhosts/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw2eilBhCCARIsAG0Pf8tfmVzMrMZj3dL6h6wfAiloOT8yDQYHvWZRzcJ7qbgI08RcY0hcAhAaApAaEALw_wcB

We were launch partners and have had guests from all over the world.

 

[Christine]

Breville Barista Touch. It's wonderful.

https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes880.html

Thank you for the idea!


I got a Nespresso machine as a gift and it had dozens of different tasting capsules. Problem was that I did not like any of them.


With this one I can use my favourite premium Norwegian beans.



Added to my letter to Santa!

 

[Car-Guy]

Some nice pictures of great home projects and plans for travel in recent posts. I wish I could post some pictures or gloat about my recent trip to Vegas. But I drove mostly at night, so no pictures, and as they say, "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". And plenty of my dough is staying there this time. But there's no better place to "blow that dough", if you like to gamble.

 

[NW-Bound]

Some nice pictures of great home projects and plans for travel in recent posts. I wish I could post some pictures or gloat about my recent trip to Vegas. But I drove mostly at night, so no pictures, and as they say, "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". And plenty of my dough is staying there this time. But there's no better place to "blow that dough", if you like to gamble.

Well, gambling is the truest form of BTD.

With other indulgences, I think I would receive back something more tangible than a quick short adrenaline rush.

 

[Car-Guy]

Well, gambling is the truest form of BTD.

With other indulgences, I think I would receive back something more tangible than a quick short adrenaline rush.

Well sometimes I do win, more often not... "Winning" is a rush... Losing, not so much.

 

[Koolau]

I simply don't have any desire to gamble (I've done it a few time and felt nothing other than loss.) So, no criticism about gambling - but it's just not for me. As always, YMMV.

 

[doneat54]

Ah, yes, Youngs RVs!



How big a pop-out does your unit have?

No pop outs/sliders. They add weight and we just don't need them. We are inside the RV to cook, and sleep. We just don't spend much time inside, but when we do, we want comfort and quiet. Other than that, we are outside under the awning, or away hiking and doing stuff. Plan is to go the SW of the US right after Christmas and escape the worst of New England winter.

 

[Vincenzo Corleone]

Just returned from a 2-week holiday in Kenya. Flew business class (on miles).

Made plans for next year for two holidays - one to Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam flying business class (on miles), and the second to Egypt and Jordan (maybe in premium economy/economy plus if we don't have enough miles to go business). We've also played with the idea of going to Costa Rica for a week in between the two.

BTD!

 

[explanade]

Biz class ticket to Thailand and Singapore in late January.

 

[Coach Shoe]

Just returned from a 2-week holiday in Kenya.

How did you do two weeks in Kenya? We were there a few months ago… and really enjoyed a Masai Mara wildlife Safari for 4 days. Don't think my back could have taken another day in that vehicle. My Apple Watch said I climbed 101 flights one day………(probably measuring 6 inches at a time).

 

[athena53]

How did you do two weeks in Kenya? We were there a few months ago… and really enjoyed a Masai Mara wildlife Safari for 4 days. Don't think my back could have taken another day in that vehicle.

I'm looking at 2025 already- should I start a 2025 thread? I'd felt the same about safaris in Africa after a few days looking for tigers in Ranthambore National Forest in India 5 years ago- spectacularly beautiful lodging, AWFUL roads and vehicles with shock absorbers completely non-functional.

But, I see that Overseas Adventure Travel has a cruse to and from Dakar, Senegal, around the Cape Verde Islands. Looks like about $8,000 with Single Supplement but excluding airfare for 2024 departures but I already have 2024 travel plans booked. I may get a few more credits since I have two OAT trips scheduled, one next month and one a year from now. So, maybe early 2025, Lord willing and the creek don't rise.

It would be my first venture into Africa- Business Class airfare doesn't look much worse than to Europe.

 

[NW-Bound]

How are the airfares to Australia? Last time we looked - early 00s they were pretty pricy IIRC. We found that a rental car is not needed (on Oahu.) I can't imagine you could do much in Australia without a car. That might make up some of the difference between the two destinations. Not trying to sell Hawaii, just like to help think through the options...

In 1999, we spent a week in Sydney, and stayed in downtown. You can do a lot without a car.

For example, from one end to the other, Hay Market to Sydney Opera House, is only a 2-mile walk. Took the ferry around the bay. Took the train to the Blue Mountain as a day trip. Took a bus to Bondi Beach. Hang out at a bar in the harbor. Walked the Hyde Park, and the Botanic Garden. Sampled kangaroo steak.

OK, I did not do that last one, the kangaroo steak. Got chickened out at the last minute, after already having the concierge call for a reservation at a well-known restaurant.

 

[explanade]

In 1999, we spent a week in Sydney, and stayed in downtown. You can do a lot without a car.

For example, from one end to the other, Hay Market to Sydney Opera House, is only a 2-mile walk. Took the ferry around the bay. Took the train to the Blue Mountain as a day trip.

Yeah they have good transportation, not as good as Europe because Sydney is really spread out, but you can get to a lot of places with trains, buses and ferries in Sydney.

They've also added trams in the last decade but I haven't taken those yet.

You can go to out of city attractions like the Blue Mountains by train.

There are also wineries some distance from the city but I've never been. There are also tour operators who will take you to these places.

 

[Vincenzo Corleone]

How did you do two weeks in Kenya? We were there a few months ago… and really enjoyed a Masai Mara wildlife Safari for 4 days. Don't think my back could have taken another day in that vehicle. My Apple Watch said I climbed 101 flights one day………(probably measuring 6 inches at a time).

I included two days for travelling so, technically, only really 12 days in Kenya.

1 night in transit
2 nights in Nairobi
3 nights at Saruni Samburu, Kalama Community Wildlife Conservancy
3 nights at Saruni Wild, Masai Mara
3 nights at Saruni Mara, Masai Mara
1 night in Nairobi
1 night in transit

The main draw for us was to witness the Great Migration. While at Saruni Mara, we drove about four hours to where river crossings were reported but, alas, we didn't witness any crossings. We saw huge herds of wildebeests and zebras though. I don't regret having made the long drive.

My wife is a very gifted nature/wildlife photographer and brought home lots of memories. As great as it was, I was glad to come home to paved roads.

 

[Route246]

In an earlier life I played poker for profit and spent a lot of time playing with degenerate gamblers. I used to go off in the pit (get mad at poker and blow off some steam at craps or 21) occasionally and I was also always in some sort of side "action" where I had sports bets working. I fully understand the allure and sickness of gambling but never personally succumbed to it. I spent so much time in card rooms back then that my friends and family thought I had a gambling problem but I was also a full time engineer, single and always had $5K-$10K in my pocket at all times as I never knew when I might join a game that was too good to pass up. My poker income exceeded my engineer income during that time. It was a job, a grind and had its share of thrills and downers. "The next best thing to gambling and winning is gambling and losing." This is true. Too many sick people out there, that's the dirty little secret, many, many of them female, too. When my wife moved in and we decided to get married I walked away from it, cold turkey and never looked back. Friends couldn't believe it. It was not difficult and there was no withdrawal and no ill effects. I was convinced that I was not addicted and I proved it to myself and everyone else when I walked away. the point is, I feel like you do now, exactly that way. No criticism, no judgement, just not for me...anymore.

I simply don't have any desire to gamble (I've done it a few time and felt nothing other than loss.) So, no criticism about gambling - but it's just not for me. As always, YMMV.

 

[Koolau]

OK, I did not do that last one, the kangaroo steak. Got chickened out at the last minute, after already having the concierge call for a reservation at a well-known restaurant.

Chickened? Chicken? Oh, yeah. Now I remember. "It tastes just like chicken!"

 

[Surewhitey]

Glad we BTD last year on the propane external generator and plug for the house. Power out from 8-6:30 this morning and after 5 minutes, back to biz with the a/c & power to the house. First time needed & over 99 @ 8pm in Dallas...

My neighbors were wanting to run extension cords for fridges... I felt like a rock star.

 

[Pointby2]

Just finished booking the last of our trip to Scotland, London and Iceland. Nineteen days trying to see all the sites.

We've done a couple of road trips through the South and Northeast the last two years, but nothing like this.

 

[braumeister]

Just finished booking the last of our trip to Scotland, London and Iceland. Nineteen days trying to see all the sites.

We've done a couple of road trips through the South and Northeast the last two years, but nothing like this.

Sounds just like our trip in 2018, also Scotland, London, and Iceland. Ours was a full month, but could have been shorter. Hope you'll have a great time.

 

[Pointby2]

Sounds just like our trip in 2018, also Scotland, London, and Iceland. Ours was a full month, but could have been shorter. Hope you'll have a great time.

Did you book everything yourself? It's a lot of work when you are doing three countries, five cities and include the ideas from a group of four!

 

[braumeister]

Did you book everything yourself? It's a lot of work when you are doing three countries, five cities and include the ideas from a group of four!

It was just two of us, but I didn't find it that hard. I actually enjoy planning trips.

 

[finnski1]

No pop outs/sliders. They add weight and we just don't need them. We are inside the RV to cook, and sleep. We just don't spend much time inside, but when we do, we want comfort and quiet. Other than that, we are outside under the awning, or away hiking and doing stuff. Plan is to go the SW of the US right after Christmas and escape the worst of New England winter.

nice . What are you towing that with?