Roccco

I was asked this question by my mother-in-law, who apparently confuses my passions for frequent travel, nice cars and a nice lifestyle for...GREED! Aaagghhhh!

So, I do not care to get into the whole scope of the question but would like to just address the travel portion of it.

How much is enough?

I pondered this and, for me, I came up with the following:

If I had the guaranteed resources each year for 35 days of luxury travel, I would be satisfied (and yes, Zambia counts as luxury travel...even Kaingo and Mwamba are as much as most Ritz Carlton's and Puku Ridge, Chichele Presidential Lodge and Kulefu Tented Camp are as much as most Four Season Hotels).

I figure that this would allow for a nice three week holiday each year, as well as a one week holiday and about two or three weekend getaways.

For 35 nights, I think that $400 per night is a good average. It certainly won't cover 35 nights of Phinda, Mombo or most game lodges, but it will provide a nice average and by buying Luxury Link packages here and there and staying in a $200 per night hotel here and there, it is not a problem.

35 nights x $400 = $14,000 USD

With a lifestyle that would allow the above, it is almost a shoe-in that there would be enough frequent flier miles accumulated on a credit card to cover possibly half of the airfare that will be spent for the year. While this portion would be Business Class, I will gladly fly on economy the remainder of the time to just get me out of the house.

So, with one major trip and one minor trip that will likely require air, I think that $5,000 USD per year is more than enough to cover this, considering that the frequent flier miles will cover a good portion.

Lastly, let's throw in another $5,000 USD for pocket cash, and that works out to $150 USD per day, which should be sufficient considering that for the price of the accomodations and that some may be Luxury Link packages that at least some of the dinners will be included.

And all this is, for me, THE IDEAL, not yet the reality. My beloved mother-in-law sees my wife and I working on the weekends and I think she would rather just see us vegging out in front of the TV or at the movies! Doesn't she know that I veg out planning my travel???

So, if you don't mind sharing, for you, how much is enough???

allovereurope

I don't think there's ever enough, and I won't think so until I've been to a LOT more places than I already have. I stll have all of Asia, Africa and South America and Australia to cover...and seeing as how it took me til I was over 30 to get "all over europe" I think I'll have enough places to go until I'm 90. Then I'll visit all of them again (on a cruise ship, by that point, I hope).

alice13

There's are so many places I want to go - and many I want to return to. If you have no curiousity about the world outside your own small pond then I reckon you're in trouble! But personally I'd swap your bits and pieces approach and the "luxury" tag for my dream of being able to work hard as hell for 6 months then wander slowly for the other six. (Or, please, Fat Controller, I'll settle for a 9/3 split). And $400 a night would cover expenses for a couple of weeks in many destinations.

All a matter of choice! And I'd find it hard to have a mother in law with so little imagination.

Happytrails.

uhoh_busted

Roccco, honey, I think she's hinting for grandchildren

Roccco

Uhoh busted,

Sorry, not from this son-in-law! If I ever have children, it will more than likely be because I adopted a child from Africa or another third world location. My ego, as big as it is, still does not require me to procreate. Just as I have seven dogs, and six of them are adopted (half saved from the streets and half adopted out of shelters), I would likley employ the same practice if I ever learn how to tolerate children for more than two minutes at a time. The only dog that I have that was NOT adopted and that I paid for was really also a rescue since the poor guy, Scooter (Boy), AKA Papa Boy, a pure-bred Welsh Pemroke Corgi, was already nine months old and still stuck at the pet store, marked down like an unwanted sweater, from $999, to $799, and finally to $599. Poor guy had to throw himself on his back to drink water out of the water feeder as he was too tall for it otherwise. After seeing this, I couldn't stand to leave him there any longer.

So, hopefully if I ever bring home a Zambian child, everyone around will be tolerant enough for me to not have to sic Papa Boy the Corgi on them, who will serve up a nice can of whoop... on them!