Blow that Dough 2024

audreyh1 said:
From Vienna all the way to Berlin might be a very long train ride.
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Yes, it is. I'd fly that route, likely Business Class since the differential isn't too awful on flights within Europe. BTD some more.
 
Business class is often a little more legroom, middle seat blocked in a three row (rather than 2 seats), and food/drink service plus club access before the flight.

Since it’s a short flight and we don’t have to sit 3 across, that works for me.
 
cyber888 said:
I hope you avoid Rome during summer. It's pack like sardines. We love Italy during Fall season - went to the Amalfi coast last year 2023.
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We'll be spending most of our time in Abruzzo. Crowds aren't an issue there. Even the tourists are mostly Italian. Rome is just the easiest arrival location to catch a train or bus.
 
audreyh1 said:
Business class is often a little more legroom, middle seat blocked in a three row (rather than 2 seats), and food/drink service plus club access before the flight.
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I agree. I do consider blocking off that middle seat a bit of a cheat. It saves them the cost of changing a row from Coach to Business and vice versa as demand changes but it also means people who buy Business Class for the extra width won't get it.
 
Was reviewing our BTD spend this year. $22,812 for travel, $64,457 for home improvement (furniture), and $9,683 on the house my DD just bought (floors, painting).
 
I’ve always been ok flying regular coach in Europe, but can see the appeal of business. The flights are short and I have multiple ways to access clubs.

If there’s two of us flying and seats are 3 across, then I’ll usually book two aisle seats. It’s a minor inconvenience if someone needs to get out, but on the shorter flights, it usually doesn’t happen.

As for the train, agree, it’s a long distance. Still could be fun to do one way, but I’d probably take a a night or two in Prague or Dresden to break it up.
 
Since Covid I am no longer willing to sit packed next to a stranger, thus I avoid 3 people in a row seating. It means BTD on most flights but honestly we probably don’t have that many flying years left. Maybe 15 if we’re lucky.
 
timbervest said:
Just booked Danube cruise for next summer.
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We did this on Viking a couple years ago. It was a family cruise with DW's sisters. I thought it was going to be fine, but I enjoyed it much more than I expected.
 
I got a little tired of jokes about not being able to take it all with me....lol
so in 2024, stepped up the spend...list still looks too darn practical.
- dental work lol - major spend of the year lol
- new eyeglasses
- new car tires
- new bed/mattress/linens
- 38 pairs of new footwear (long story) but suffice it to say, I won't need shoes for a decade now.
comfort is important....all items (except dental work. lol) involve top of the line...
it's about time lol.

Now planning a snowbird trip to the desert Southwest.
 
38 pairs of new shoes! Wow. Are they all one brand you love or different brands/type you’ve upgraded? I’m always on the hunt for great shoes that have comfort and support, and look good.
Would love to know more.
 
I warned it was a long story lol ...I will try to contain it. I inherited my parents problematic foot shape - a lifelong struggle to find comfortable, well fitting footwear.....and i need them for various activities: walking, running, hiking, trail running, deep snow, beach, hotel and gym shower shoes, parties, at home, formal, business, etc. In 2024, I got so tired of fighting this, it's been a multiple decades long issue. I made a concerted effort to just start trying many new brands recommended to me. I tried about 350 different pairs and ended up with 38...and since it's unfortunately very common in that industry to discontinue models or switch out subcontracted manufacturers and therefore you cannot count on future availability - when I stumbled onto ones that were perfect, I bought multiples.

I can say I've had the most success (comfort and fit, durability TBD) with the following:

Ecco
Taos
SAS (sandals only, any non-sandal models were dreadful)
Kizik
Oboz
Brooks
Merrell
Bear Paw (boots only)
Skechers
Stegmann

PS/I realize this may come across as odd to people who weren't born with this type of foot challenge, but for the first time in my entire life, I can open my closet and find a range of footwear for any occasion. Perhaps I could have done this years ago, but I seriously did not have the time - and this project took a lot of time/effort, trust me lol.
 
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I wear Crocs 99% of the time. I don't understand shoes. But I will say that my wife was nearly crippled until she went to the good feet store and got custom shoes. No more pain. Changed her life. But then she had to replace all her shoes and that cost a fortune. No idea why she needs so many but after 35 years of marriage, I can accept it.
 
I guess it wasn't too long ago in history, that people would go to a cobbler and have that person make all their footwear by hand. ...and presumably once they had reached adulthood, these same pair lasted decades. I suppose wealthy people still do this - as well as their handmade tailored clothing.

As a side note, I know of a leather designer who owns a small company in Italy...he makes bags and purses and takes custom orders and his prices are shockingly reasonable, all things considered.
 
Thank you SunnyOne. I really need to spend more money on shoes!
I do on Hoka sneakers for walking but need to find something better for casual wear. The list is a great start.
 
I kinda understand your problem SunnyOne, my right foot is a bit bigger than my left. Enough so that I can't wear cowboy boots. I remember in the past buying one of each different sizes so they would fit. Can't do that now since they check as you check out. But when I find a pair of shoes that fit well I usually buy a few of the same. Right now Skechers slip-ins fit me well.
 
SunnyOne said:
I warned it was a long story lol ...I will try to contain it. I inherited my parents problematic foot shape - a lifelong struggle to find comfortable, well fitting footwear.....and i need them for various activities: walking, running, hiking, trail running, deep snow, beach, hotel and gym shower shoes, parties, at home, formal, business, etc. In 2024, I got so tired of fighting this, it's been a multiple decades long issue. I made a concerted effort to just start trying many new brands recommended to me. I tried about 350 different pairs and ended up with 38...and since it's unfortunately very common in that industry to discontinue models or switch out subcontracted manufacturers and therefore you cannot count on future availability - when I stumbled onto ones that were perfect, I bought multiples.

I can say I've had the most success (comfort and fit, durability TBD) with the following:

Ecco
Taos
SAS (sandals only, any non-sandal models were dreadful)
Kizik
Oboz
Brooks
Merrell
Bear Paw (boots only)
Skechers
Stegmann

PS/I realize this may come across as odd to people who weren't born with this type of foot challenge, but for the first time in my entire life, I can open my closet and find a range of footwear for any occasion. Perhaps I could have done this years ago, but I seriously did not have the time - and this project took a lot of time/effort, trust me lol.
Click to expand...
I empathize...with a wide toe box and narrow ankles, and arch problems, finding shoes that really fit is a challenge. This summer I found another great pair of sandals, but $260 :(. My Vionic flip flops @ $96 :(. Shoe buying is a real BTD moment for me, but it's worth it for no more foot pain.
 
Another thought. I used to love Ecco's but no more. Now their shoes have a 'normal' toe box which make them unwearable for me.
 
Recently bought a new performance and security enhancing technology for my truck. $275 and it took me about an 90 minutes to install... I like it! :).
 
I suppose I've bought 38 pairs of shoes in my entire life, but I couldn't swear to it. Most of the time I had one pair of sneakers and one pair of leather dress shoes for work. And when I was in patrol division the shoes were department issued, not purchased by me. But now I have about four pair of sneakers in varying states of condition, and one pair of remaining work shoes that only get worn to weddings and funerals.
 
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