Thoughts On Giving Up Extravagance for Practicality…

“First class, that’s what’s wrong. It used to be a better meal, now it’s a better life.â€

I don’t actually subscribe to the quote above. I know in my head it’s not true. But then there are days when the dogs come in from outside smelling like the poop they just rolled in, the kids are fighting and screaming because one isn’t playing “fair†and then the phone rings and it’s the dentist’s office wondering if we’re going to make an appointment we were supposed to be at 15 minutes ago. Later that day I make the mistake of reading a blog post about a family getting to fly to Geneva first class and are staying in a suite where they have a view of the Alps and get complimentary champagne and fondue in their room every night. Yes, I’m exaggerating, but that’s how I envision it when I’m having one of those days.

I know all of us who write about travel, whether on a regular basis or as a guest-blogger are really just trying to give tips and advice to others who may want to do the same thing we do. And while the platinum status and upgrades and perks make it fun, I have to remind myself why I’m ultimately doing this; so my family can go see some of the world together.

I know the travel and the accommodations are all part of the experience. I also know that it’s the best and the worst experiences that we remember and talk about the most later on. My husband and I talk about the time we got upgraded to first class on an international flight as much as the time we spent the night sleeping on the floor of an airport only for our flight to get canceled the next morning and we had to take a 24-hour bus ride instead to get from Germany to Sweden (true story).

As frustrated as I sometimes get when I know I have to take the practical route instead of the extravagant one I remind myself that those are the moments we will cherish. The crazy/difficult things are what the kids will remember when they’re older. Though we are trying to show our kids the world; we’re also doing this as something to experience together as a family, for better or for worse this is where and who we are and what we do, and we’re going to do it together.

—————–

What did you think of this post? Give us a +1 below or leave a comment!

And don’t miss out on any of our adventures and tips. Get instant updates via e-mail or RSS Feed and follow us on twitter and Facebook.

Heels First’s Travel Advice–Sophisticated Travel, Uncomplicated Advice. The travels and tribulations of two frequent flyers jumping into the world of travel, sharing their travel advice. Join Keri and Jeanne as they tackle mileage runs, elite status, and of course–the perfect travel accessories.

Related Posts:

• Oh the Places You’ll Go–After Coming Up with a Plan