Thursday, August 03, 2017

Vacation Planning

So.....the last time we took a vacation, meaning more than one day off at a time, was about 4 years ago.  We had had a rough week and just said "we're leaving".  We (me, hubby, and youngest son) took off and went to Branson, Mo.  Since then it's just been a day here and there that we have taken off.  This year I told hubby I wanted to take a "real" vacation and be gone more than one day.  Scary, I know but I don't want to feel rushed on whatever we decide to take off and enjoy.  I have been putting back a little money here and there trying to save for the occasion.  I was doing good until we fixed my '74 Super Beetle.  That took almost all my saved vacation money.  It was worth it though.  It's fun to drive and gets really good gas mileage (estimated 20 mpg) compared to our van (estimated 10-12 mpg).  I'm still determined to take a vacation and have been planning and saving.  I'd like to go in September, after summer is over. Here are my current ideas: #1 Go to Branson, Mo and just hang out for a couple days playing mini golf and sight seeing.  No Silver Dollar City.....too expensive unless we can find a buy 1 get 1 coupon or something like that.  It's way too commercialized anymore too and just doesn't have the "feel" that it once did.  My only problems with this idea is the cost of a motel room and with this is seeing too many "not clean" motel videos.  I'd rather sleep in my van than on a motel bed.  Although we haven't had too many problems in the past at the motels we have stayed at in Branson. #2 Rent a cabin near Roaring River and spend a day hiking and enjoying the woods and nature.  Maybe see about renting a boat one of the days and spend some time on Table Rock Lake.  My only problem with this is seeing too many "not clean" hotel videos.  Honestly though I bet the cabins would be cleaner than a motel room. #3 Go camping......probably not this one because I'm NOT sleeping in a tent and the van just isn't ready for camping yet. ;-)  Of course I guess we could take our mattress and put it in the tent and sleep on it.  Anyone have a pop-up camper we can borrow? #4 Just take an extra day off in a row (2 or 3 instead of 1) and go do something fun and come home each night and sleep in my own bed, BUT Then we couldn't sleep in and we would have to drive there and back each day, which would probably take more gas money.  But Fuzzy wouldn't think we left her (she would still have youngest son at home). If we choose #4 we will need to decide ahead of time where we wanted to go so we can explore someplace new instead of going to the same old places we always go. Either option I want to only be 2 hours away at the most (Branson is 3, but there is a lot to do there, and we have our favorite spots). No worries I will share all about it after we get back.  It will be a couple months yet though.