Well I am down to 60 days from my vacation of a lifetime in Fiji. No worries...not flying Southwest for any part of the trip!
A little more than a year ago my wife was selected at her dive shop to lead a week-long dive trip to Fiji. The usual stipulation...fill the trip and you go free. Well, she's great at selling these trips and soon had booked 24 people (now up to 30). More than enough to get the free trip for her. What came next was all her idea.
One day while she was at work she called me and said those magical mystical words, "Honey, I just had a great idea." I usually love it when she says that, so of course I respond, "Really? What is it". She said she had been figuring that if she started applying her sales commissions towards the price of the trip, that I could go too! Besides, when the trip takes place, it will be right after my birthday and during the week of our 10th wedding anniversary so we could just wrap that all into one exotic vacation. I knew the trip cost around $2900 and she figured at least half of it would be paid using her commissions by the time the full amount had to be paid. We could pay the balance with part of our IRS gift. Plus any extra we could set aside throughout the year would be for the trip. This was now a doable deal.
When the time came to pay for the trip she had actually covered all but $1086 using her commissions. the rest came out of the IRS refund and the trip is on! She had been getting airfare alerts for 3 months on flights to LAX since we both had to foot that bill. She finally got an alert for $460 total for both of us and booked the non-stop flights. What a steal!
Then one of the best parts for me...I had to have a new camera for the trip. (My wife immediately called me a camera-whore...WTF!) I even posted about it since I was now diving into the world of DSLR's. After much input from some of my blogging friends and a lot of Internet research, I settled on the Nikon D3100 w/18-55mm lens kit as my starter camera. A bargain at $579. Best part of all...it came in yesterday!
I'll share some great shots when I return.
The camera is awesome, the trip is going to be awesome, and my wife is awesome. Tough combination to beat. Can't wait for June 9th!
11 comments:
Hello
My name is Catherine Meyers; I work as the admin of a web and blog directory. I have to say, I really enjoyed reading your blog, great articles and posts, Good job! That is why, I would love to have your blog in my directory, that way my visitors will also visit your web.
If you are interested in this link exchange, please let me know.
Good luck with Apocalypse Now! (and enjoy your trip to Fiji!)
Catherine Meyers
I would love to go to Fiji. Another destination on a very long list
I hope you have safe journeys and a wonderful holiday. Don't forget - we demand photographic proof on your return! ;-)
SueH
Your wife is cool! Besides, it would suck to stay at home on your anniversary while she's off seeing the world.
Yay that sounds awesome! I'm so jealous! Have fun on your trip :-)
Awesome!! Great post! I'm so happy for you! :) I hope you share lots of pictures from your adventure! :) You'll have the time of your life!!
Fiji sounds like an awesome trip to take! I looked up SLR's when I was looking to get a camera but i realized they were way over my budget. I ended up getting a superzoom DSLR ( no need to replace lenses)-- a canon sx10is and I've loved it since!
nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Wow - Congrats on the trip! Hope you and your wife are having fun..
Great tips for anyone taking a vacation ;), esp while worrying about the budget!
Following you from A-Z challenge!
here via A to Z challenge. Love your F post. Figi is a dream of mine. You are so lucky and what a wonderful wife!
Michelle
http://meanderingwithmiche.blogspot.com/
Catherine: I would be honored to be in your blog directory. Thanks. I shall email you.
Kristin: I am so stoked about the trip I can't wait.
Sue: You will probably get more than you bargained when I get back. I am keeping a full travel-log and journal.
Alex: Yes she is and you are right. It really sucks I was resigned to that before her great idea.
Cake: Thanks...I'll share when I get back and then you can do some planning of your own!
BZ: I am looking forward to it be just that. Thanks.
Nutschell: I know it will be awesome. I am so digging this Nikon D3100. It takes amazing pictures. Can't wait for the trip.
Ju: Thanks for stopping by and your kind words.
Michelle: Thanks for stopping by and I shall return the favor. I am lucky and she is wonderful.
You are going to have an amazing time! I'm going to Kauai in May. I've been there before and right now I'm withing we'd picked Fiji! Maybe next time...
Post a Comment