I am frugal…let’s just get that out there right away. So when I can choose to pay for a direct flight to San Diego at a reasonable time, of course I choose to use my miles instead. Even if that means that I have to fly out at 5:15 in the morning to then connect in Phoenix for a two hour layover and not arrive in San Diego until 11:45 am. And when I could either take a cab for around $40 to get to the airport or take the bus, of course I choose the bus. Even though the $2.25 that I spent to get to the airport meant staying up all night, going out to the bar until 2 so that I could wait out in the freezing cold to catch at 2:20am bus to Tukwila (which is scary enough) with a bunch of crazies, to wait in the cold again to catch my transfer at 3:00 and walk a couple blocks to the airport, getting there at 3:30! At the time I was definitely miserable, but looking back I still don’t regret saving that $37.75. Anyone who knows me (especially the ex’s, they all hate it haha) knows this about me. I look at it like this: the more I save on stupid things like transportation, the more I can spend on other fun things I want to do…like travel! Also, the experience is in the adventure…always!
Why am I telling you this?? Well, first of all because I am currently sitting in the Phoenix airport on my layover and second, because the experience I just had was much of what I spend my time doing when I travel. Traveling cheap and on a budget is not easy, but it is very necessary if you want to be able to travel for a long time and still come back with money in your pocket. It is easy to go to countries like Mexico, El Salvador…Thailand and see that everything is so cheap so you spend more and live like a king. I see lots of people around me doing it and I have heard lots of stories. A lot of people come back from vacation say in Oxaca, Mexico and speak of their lavish bungalow hotels on the beach with heated pools for just $30 a night….that is great, but $30 a night adds up. Especially when you can get a bed, and a shared kitchen in a hostel for $3.50 a night. This is when my frugalness and love of adventure comes in handy. You do the math.
There are a couple reasons why I don’t like to live by my American means when I travel. Mostly, that is not the point of my travels. When I travel, I like to live no better off than the average people in the country that I am visiting. Also, roughing it is the best part of the experience!
Ok time to go enjoy San Diego! Write again soon..
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