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Everyone is a Budget Traveler

© Diane Goldberg under the original topic name

Does the phrase "budget travel" evoke images of dawn line-ups beside a shuddering tour bus and being goose-stepped through museums at a jogger's pace? Or, images of schlepping a 500-pound backpack and sleeping on a lurching train?

Think again. Everyone is a budget traveler. Even the folks on the Concorde seldom buy the airplane. The art of travel requires a series of choices: what is it you want to do, see, experiance, eat, or photogragh? Your own taste is the only criteria for making these choices.

I may look with longing at photos of luxury hotels with apartment-sized rooms replete with fresh flowers and Queen Anne canopy beds but, I'll generally opt for the room over a pub and stay two weeks for the price of one night of pampering.

I've paid outrageous sums for day trips to inaccessible sights and scrimped on meals. Alternatively, I've overspent on food for the experience of a rikstaafel in Holland or a pastry in Paris.

So, what do you want?

If you are traveling with kids, a vacation that minimizes car-time and centralizes sights may meet your needs. Check the theme park links for a destination near you.

Always dreamed of sleeping in a castle? Check out the European and World links and make your dream come true. I've done the princess in the castle thing for less than fifty dollars.

Hate hassles? All-inclusive vacations may ease your journey. Hit almost any of the travel links opposite for a wide variety of packages.

Educate yourself to avoid disappointment.

Planning a trip is a task that requires irredeemable narcissism. In the initial stages, spend some time wallowing in the psychobabble of being ridiculously self-aware. Nothing matters except what you want.

I enjoy sitting on benches talking to strangers who I will never see again; particularly the gentleman in Lincoln, U.K., who was obsessed with double glazing. The Swedish woman in the Copenhagen airport and the young Englishman en route to Thailand also linger pleasantly in my trip memories.

I dislike casinos and I'm not terribly fond of having to dress up. I also prefer walking, trains, buses, or sitting to driving a car. Idiosyncrasies inform my travel choices. I just wish I knew what I have done that causes Welsh sheep to view me with distrust.

Having decided that you love night-clubbing until dawn, shopping for porcelain, eating different foods, or bird-watching, start researching destinations to determine where your experiance is hiding. You can then budget your time and money to fit your fantasy. You may find that a destination is so desirable that you are willing to stay in a b & b with the toilet two floors up or you may find that you will enjoy being pampered at a luxury resort. It's up to you.

The copyright of the article Everyone is a Budget Traveler in Traveling on a Budget is owned by Dr. Tami Brady. Permission to republish Everyone is a Budget Traveler in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.