OK: I will brave the nasty keyboard. Thanks to all for the suggestions for gifts. We will be bringing a simple bouquet to our dinner tonight; the same if we visit the big house in the country (they have had a death in the family); and leave a bottle of cognac for our hosts, who return from their adventures a few weeks after we leave.
(Nasty Keyboard: It is all too easy to accidentally highlight and delete. Such has happened a few times.)
Since I believe that with frugality, more things are possible than without, I thought some might be interested in knowing our costs so far. We are frugal now by choice. More difficult than the money for most would be the time: because we are frugal, we can say NO to summer teaching. Because we are teachers, we have a chunk of time off in the summer.
Cost so far:
Flights: $2400.00 These include a stop in Massachusetts to visit my mother, which we do every summer anyway.
Paris: $250.00 for hotels, about $60.00 for transportation, about $$40.00 for rather make-shift eating.
Nantes/Reze: lodging FREE(!!), about $7.00 each time we take public transport to the city; about $10.00-15.00 for simple meals every day, including a few walks to the bakery and some visits to markets.
Next week, we shall rent a car ($250.00) and spend a week in the countryside. Reze is a rather rustic suburb and we spend a lot of time walking on the river. There is much to see and do in Nantes as well.
I have dreamed of a vacation like this for many years. Truly, I feel as though we are in paradise.
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5 comments:
So glad you're enjoying yourself. I generally have to take a deep breath before we travel because I know everything will cost more than I want to pay. I try to make sensible (but not mean) choices when I'm travelling, but after that I try to just relax and enjoy the new experience. Making good memories is a good use of money in my book. Don't do stupid stuff when you're vacationing, but don't stint on worthwhile things either. You'll know the difference, I'm sure.
You are indeed in paradise, and sound as if you're enjoying yourselves! "Eating rather make-shift"in Paris"- why? (But then, I pretty much live to eat in Paris :)
Happy to hear you are living something you've dreamed of- and at the same time given your mother the joy of a visit-very kind.
Oh! Bill was watching The Tour yesterday and pointed out a possible RV camp location near Nantes. Are you seeing The Tour at all?
If you get back to Paris, let me recommend Restaurant Chartier at 7 Rue du Faubourg.
So, now the question is... Are you ready to retire to the south of France?
@Shelley--Thanks for the wise advice. Trying to follow it.
@Duchesse-Makeshift is still good. We love to walk and spend most of our time doing that.
@Shelley--Thanks for the recommendation. As you know, we DID see the Tour--a few seconds of it anyway.
@Funny--Not really. Love to teach. We're in the west. South of France is for another trip--I'm sure we couldn't afford to retire there, but here, it might be possible.
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