Blow that Dough 2023

[Koolau]

You did the right thing, TT. At a grief recovery site I used to got to, there were many posts like,"We ere going to travel after we retired, but one died or was incapacitated "

Yeah, I saw that with DW's parents. They had this huge travel trailer that they were gonna use to go "antiquing" all over the central USA. I think they made two trips and then had to just park the thing in the back yard because FIL had some sort of dementia. Not Alz but probably due to an old work injury to his head. He died about 10 years later from whatever was going on there - officially an aneurysm that the docs had been treating all those years.

 

[Sunset]

Because my dad was too sick to work by 54 and my parents were waiting for retirement to travel I didn’t wait. As soon as my kids were launched I started to travel at age 44. Some of those trips I couldn’t physically do now what I could 25 years ago. My mom did get to travel which was great.

Sort of similar.
My parents big trip was to Florida for a week or so to visit friends, then my Dad had a stroke was crippled up at age 55, died 10 years later.

After he died, Mom got to travel with Church group & Womens group. I encouraged her to see the world, and she loved it.

 

[f35phixer]

Just bought Sony RX10 IV. $1800 total with a nice package of batteries, SDD card, chargers, Lens covers and photo SW.

Now to learn !!!! This camera goes out to 600MM along with a optical zoom X2 and digital zoom X4. Very hard learning how to follow eagles as the soar above me !

 

[Surewhitey]

Not huge, but DW wants to remodel her office and guest bedroom with new furnishings. I bought the rift sawn white oak panels @ $200+/sheet and now I have to produce it (3-4 week project). Planning on 2 dresser/hutch pcs (oversized and custom), a corner desk and drawer storage bed... Materials are ~$2500 & $6k in labor

 

[Chuckanut]

Because my dad was too sick to work by 54 and my parents were waiting for retirement to travel I didn’t wait. As soon as my kids were launched I started to travel at age 44. Some of those trips I couldn’t physically do now what I could 25 years ago. My mom did get to travel which was great.

You were wise to travel when you were younger. I did also. There are things I could do in my 50’s that I would only do now in an emergency. OTOH, Slow Travel is becoming a very enjoyable way to travel.

 

[Teacher Terry]

You were wise to travel when you were younger. I did also. There are things I could do in my 50’s that I would only do now in an emergency. OTOH, Slow Travel is becoming a very enjoyable way to travel.

I booked my first trip to Europe when a friend of mine that was 59 died before her scheduled trip. That’s when I realized life is short and I was 44 and 6 months later we were in Italy.

 

[RobLJ]

I booked my first trip to Europe when a friend of mine that was 59 died before her scheduled trip. That’s when I realized life is short and I was 44 and 6 months later we were in Italy.

My twin had a very rare progressive myclonic disease that incapacitated him at 18. DW and others (grad school friends) said I seemed 20 years older than I was (at 21), but it was almost exclusively due to that; otherwise I would have been normal.
You were wiser than I, though, to travel that early. We waited just before semi-retirement to start Europe travels.

 

[RobLJ]

I post on this thread largely to encourage people, if they have the dough, to use it, for whatever aim they wish, be it a bucket list or helping relatives (or charity, etc) or even..... a boat, however foolish it may sound. Before it is too late to do anything.

 

[flyingaway]

Bought tickets to Columbia and Ecuador for two weeks in January 2024, will be on Galapagos Islands for a week. I don't know how much it will cost and I don't care. It seems that there are not many interesting places to go anymore.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My twin had a very rare progressive myclonic disease that incapacitated him at 18. DW and others (grad school friends) said I seemed 20 years older than I was (at 21), but it was almost exclusively due to that; otherwise I would have been normal.
You were wiser than I, though, to travel that early. We waited just before semi-retirement to start Europe travels.

Rob, that’s really sad about your twin. I had my kids young and they were launched so decided it was time to focus on myself. Between 44-62 I went to Europe 4xs, Thailand, travelled all over the US with our motor home and 4 dogs which included many of the national parks.

Now at 69 I have went to Europe for 11 days each time for the past two years and the long flights just are exhausting. Because of living in Reno it usually involves 3 flights each way. This year it took 27 hours each way and the tour was very busy so I averaged 15k steps a day and came home exhausted. I laid around for 4 days to feel better.

I can see how age makes it harder to travel. I have a trip to France booked in 2025 and that’s my last overseas trip.

 

[JDARNELL]

Please report back your results.



We don’t spend that much at home, so travel, especially overseas travel, tends to be much higher than at home.

Ok Audreyh1 I tallied all my costs and came to $363 average per day for two people. This included
Lodging transportation tours food etc. I also had 9 hotel nights that were on points and all airfare was points or military space A. If I included these I think I would be about $400 per per day for 37 days.

 

[gayl]

I am changing my yard. Not really landscaping per se more xeriscaping. Joining the no-lawn trend. So I removed a dead 30×30 manzanita and uncovered a fledgling oak. Not that expensive so far. Planted new native trees in front. Decided to fixed a failing patio. Still not so bad so far. Now I'm a little off the rails. Getting estimates on replacing 750 sq ft patio and 105' × 2' retaining walls. Plus a new back up drip system. Yeah that going to require either selling stock or a CD on the secondary market. But it's only money, right?

Glad I've only got 1/3 acre

 

[Sunset]

I am changing my yard. Not really landscaping per se more xeriscaping. Joining the no-lawn trend. So I removed a dead 30×30 manzanita and uncovered a fledgling oak. Not that expensive so far. Planted new native trees in front. Decided to fixed a failing patio. Still not so bad so far. Now I'm a little off the rails. Getting estimates on replacing 750 sq ft patio and 105' × 2' retaining walls. Plus a new back up drip system. Yeah that going to require either selling stock or a CD on the secondary market. But it's only money, right?

Glad I've only got 1/3 acre

And then you will spend more time outside

I was keen to do a bunch of stuff to our backyard, but turns out DW doesn't like the mosquitos/bugs and smoke from a fire pit... And I don't like sitting out in the backyard by myself like a loser..

So still waiting to BTD on something else

 

[gayl]

And then you will spend more time outside



I was keen to do a bunch of stuff to our backyard, but turns out DW doesn't like the mosquitos/bugs and smoke from a fire pit... And I don't like sitting out in the backyard by myself like a loser..



So still waiting to BTD on something else [emoji23]

I'm outside all the time. Bc I'm in sunny California I've got great weather 10 months out of the year with 1 hot & 1 cold month. I just don't do the gardening. I have a company for that.

(Well when not traveling)

 

[gayl]

.... Because of living in Reno it usually involves 3 flights each way. This year it took 27 hours each way ...

wow that's a long LONG day. I'm fortunate enough to be able to do most places nonstop (from SFO). I pay more for a nonstop aisle seat but worth it. (Still to go in 2023: November in Italy, April 2024 in Australia then up to Japan - 4 weeks, November 2024 transatlantic starting with a week in England ... that's all for now but a friend has invited me to his house in Mexico in Feb 2024 .... about the only month I'd go south. Avoid hot humid weather)

Rob, sorry about your twin. Really forced you to grow up fast

 

[PandaBear]

Booked our trip to Iceland. Budget is about 25K (gulp). It’s the most we’ve ever spent on a vacation for the two of us. It includes first class airfare, 5 days in Reykjavik and a 7 day Windstar cruise with a port every day.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I want to make these long trips while we can still move around well (or reasonably well). I’m 61 and dh is 65

 

[gayl]

Booked our trip to Iceland. Budget is about 25K (gulp). It’s the most we’ve ever spent on a vacation for the two of us. It includes first class airfare, 5 days in Reykjavik and a 7 day Windstar cruise with a port every day.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I want to make these long trips while we can still move around well (or reasonably well). I’m 61 and dh is 65

Sounds like a wonderful trip!!

 

[Music Lover]

And then you will spend more time outside

I was keen to do a bunch of stuff to our backyard, but turns out DW doesn't like the mosquitos/bugs and smoke from a fire pit... And I don't like sitting out in the backyard by myself like a loser..

So still waiting to BTD on something else

Buy a gazebo that comes with screens and get a fire table.

 

[2017ish]

Bought tickets to Columbia and Ecuador for two weeks in January 2024, will be on Galapagos Islands for a week. I don't know how much it will cost and I don't care. It seems that there are not many interesting places to go anymore.

There are plenty, IMO. Our list keeps getting longer.

Just based upon where we've gone since retiring, Galapagos, "Democratic" republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Rwanda, Peru, Colombia, Iceland, Easter Island, Antarctica, Alaska, driving Ireland and Scotland, South Georgia, Fiji, Indonesia (Both Raja ampat and komodo are GREAT diving), malaysia, Jordan, Egypt, Etc. Etc....). And don't forget driving/hiking the USA!!!

In the next six months, Canary Islands for November, Fiji again for 20 days of diving before and after New Zealand for two months of driving and hiking ....

 

[Teacher Terry]

wow that's a long LONG day. I'm fortunate enough to be able to do most places nonstop (from SFO). I pay more for a nonstop aisle seat but worth it. (Still to go in 2023: November in Italy, April 2024 in Australia then up to Japan - 4 weeks, November 2024 transatlantic starting with a week in England ... that's all for now but a friend has invited me to his house in Mexico in Feb 2024 .... about the only month I'd go south. Avoid hot humid weather)

Rob, sorry about your twin. Really forced you to grow up fast

Part of the problem is that we let the tour company book our flights because then if anything goes wrong they take full charge of getting you to wherever the tour is. This happened to someone on our tour and since they booked their flight they had to figure out how to get from Zurich to Germany because that’s where the tour was 2 days later.

I am sure I could fly to San Francisco and then directly. My plan this next trip is to call them 6 months in advance and see if I can get them to give me flight options. I had 2 layovers that were 4 hours each.

 

[gayl]

... Canary Islands for November ....

Looking for ideas for Santa Cruz De Tenerife. Just a few days worth. Suggestions? Also will it be shorts (70s°F) or jeans weather?

 

[Koolau]

And I don't like sitting out in the backyard by myself like a loser..

In the words of Dirty Harry "A man's got to know his limitations."

 

[Retired Expat]

Just booked a 2 week Antarctica Cruise in February. Haven’t been on a cruise since a couple of years before the pandemic. Long overdue!

But the excursions are so expensive! More than 2x what the daily cruise rate is pp. That seems nuts!

 

[Dash man]

Just signed a contract to have the siding, soffits, trim and gutters replaced on our 1940 Jersey Shore home. $59,000 with a 50 year warranty we’ll never see the end of. The new siding will be insulated, which is nice for an old home.

 

[explanade]

Booked our trip to Iceland. Budget is about 25K (gulp). It’s the most we’ve ever spent on a vacation for the two of us. It includes first class airfare, 5 days in Reykjavik and a 7 day Windstar cruise with a port every day.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I want to make these long trips while we can still move around well (or reasonably well). I’m 61 and dh is 65

So it's less than two weeks?

The cruise goes around the coast, non inland waterfalls?