My wife and I just booked airfare to Rome and Venice for May 2009. Yes it will be expensive, but at our ages (65/68) we won't be taking too many more trips to Europe, so here we go. I have a new motto for our lives that goes "too soon old, too long dead", so all you guys waiting for better exchange rates, etc, go for it now and enjoy.

Congratualtions! You will never regret making the memories while you have good health. Have a nice dinner with good wine and raise a toast to all up us who wise we could be there with you on the trip.

Great. But it doesn't have to be expensive, or the last of your trips to Europe. There are plenty of people older than you posting on this board who can give you lots of tips about saving your euros without cutting your comfort, and you'll have money left over for your next trip to Europe.

oops "wish" not wise.

gladrod...

I love your attitude!

I'm in my early 40's and fortunately have been able to travel a bit (no children to feed, cloth and educate).

When I talk to people about traveling I often hear, "when I retire I'm going here, there or the other place". Or, "It's too expensive right now".

I learned from my own family expience, don't wait until you retire or the exchange rate gets better, if you can travel now, do it.

Cheers to you!

zeppole is right, it doesn't have to be your only trip! Do a search here for Budget Rome. There have been several threads recently on how to do it for less. Have a great time in my favorite city!

Actually, this sort of reminds me of my mother announcing every 5 years or when she buys a new car (quite rightly, because she drives all over the US and packs on the miles) "I just told myself that, before I die, if it was the last thing I did, I was going to treat myself to a new car." They don't even MAKE the cars that my mother bought when she first started talking that way. Still going strong in her 80s.

Last time I talked to her about visiting me in Europe, I suggested maybe two flights, with a few days break in between, instead of one long haul. "Oh, I just like to keep going once I get started she said." Yep.

When I still lived in the states, I decided it would be fun to take a coast-to-coast train and bought a ticket for a sleeper. My first night in the dining room, I shared a table with a 90 year old who was also going coast-to-coast, to see a new great-great-grandchild. When I said goodnight, I asked her if she found her sleeper bed comfortable, and she told me she'd just bought a regular ticket, and would be sitting up the whole 3 days. And she said it with a smile. She didn't look old to me.

Gladrod,
Years ago when I was your age, DW and I spent three weeks driving all over France and cut expenses by staying in Logis de France hotels. The next year we spent three weeks on our first and last bus tour (not our way to travel) in the British Isles.

Last year it was two weeks in an apartment in Switzerland. In mid April we are leaving for two weeks in The Netherlands and three days in Belgium. We saved money by getting an apartment, at off season rates, in Zandvoort on the North Sea just a half hour from Amsterdam.

Hopefully, we will return to Switzerland in 2010. So enjoy your trip and look forward to future ones. Oh, I'll be 75 next week.