today i found a new way to spend money efficiently. magnificent charles and i decided we had way too much money kicking around and needed to get rid of some of it. pronto.
in less than 20 minutes i spent $12,000 canadian. all i did was book flights for us from hong kong to vancouver.
understatement: flying with children is expensive.
right now it looks like magnificent charles will have to fly over to vancouver, maybe spend a few days with us there, and then leave again. why the short stay? because for safety reasons we need one adult per child under two. so, three adults. lita will also come with us. please remind me i need to take care of her visa soon as well.
money aside, here are a few aspects of holidays i don’t like:
1) did i mention that i don’t have a driver’s license? i don’t. two years seizure free and all that business. so when we travel anywhere we are completely dependent on other people to chauffeur us around. to collect car seats in advance, and be willing to drive us around in a big van. I HATE THAT. i wish i had independence.
2) we’re travelling with a lot of baggage this year. getting through customs will be a nightmare. forget medicating the kiddies, tess will be needing frequent top-ups.
3) getting from location to location is going to be a second nightmare. how to get from vancouver to kelowna? how to get around vancouver? to get all kids to see my grandad in his nursing home? to get the four generation picture of women of my gran, my mum, myself, carys and sela. i can hardly wait for that photo.
4) getting babies switched around to new time zones.
5) being without magnificent charles. magnificent doesn’t get a lot of holidays, and when he does get holidays he wants to just stare at a lake, create a tiny boat with macgyver like materials (pop rocks, four postage stamps, one kentucky fried chicken napkin, leg wax and mascara) laugh and talk. he deserves that downtime, his health needs it as well. i don’t like being away from him for that long, but if i am going to do #4, then i need to be gone for a substantial amount of time.
but the positive aspects are so positive. being with family outweighs all the evil and, the cost. our families are doing everything they can to make our journey a little easier, more on that later.
money for nothing and your trips aint free
money for nothing
i want my, i want my, i want my chu-u-ckie
i want my, i want my, i want my chu-u-ckie!
Reader interactions
13 Replies to “money for nothing and your trips aint free”
Oh WOW!! I’m stunned. I want to drop everything to fly to Vancouver to help you. When are you coming?
Anything I can do to help, you let me know. I could come to Vancouver with 2 car seats and at least take 2 and another adult and drive to Kelowna?
Whatever it takes I am there for you!
xo
How exciting! Good thing you have three adults to four kids. Heck, when we travel with Alexi’s it’s two adults to one kid. It’s a handful, but worth it when you see family.
How exciting! Traveling is a bear, but it will be great to see family, I’m sure. I’m also very jealous…Kelowna is one of my absolutely favorite places in Canada!
Wow. My goodness. That is going to be a logistical adventure (I tried to avoid the word “nightmare” as it just doesn’t seem helpful.) But how nice that you are coming voer to Canada. Strnagely enough, I am trying to plan a trip to Kelowna at the moment myself. (Although kiddies get to have a weekend home with daddy.)
Also strangely enough, we have been thinking about moving to Yellowknife, and then I happen to read that you have lived there. I have been meaning to email you about what you think about raising kids up there, how the schools are, etc. I know you are very busy, and I am a complete stranger (although Canadian, so we’re practically relatives!), but if you ever have a moment to email me, I’d be most appreciative!
P.S. I love the pic of you with the kids. Everyone seems so happy and peaceful!
we just got back from visiting family last weekend. we got the 4 generation picture while down there too. i was not looking forward to the trip, but thankfully both kids slept during both of the four hour drives. if they didn’t we had planned to stop for benedryl.
interestingly, i just happened to be checking out international airfare and rules re: children just last week. $850+ per adult, child over 2 75% of adult fare, child under 2 with seat 75% of adult fare or 10% of adult fare without seat. what the heck, we don’t really need to save up for a downpayment on a new house, do we?
Tess:
Will you only be in Vancouver or are you going to Victoria as well?
I didn’t realize you weren’t able to have a driver’s license. I think the bus to Kelowna would be too much for you so I think you should look into Air Canada or West Jet Vancouver/Kelowna. It’s going to cost you a few more bucks, but it’s a short flight and it’ll be easier on your nerves.
Any possibility of hiring a car and driver for the times you need to get around? Perhaps that would be more economical than hiring a cab.
And that sucks about mag. Charles!
But you get to come home to Vancouver!!!
Seriously, let me know when you’ll be there. I’ll be there this summer and I would love to see the babies. But that’s up to you.
Going away with only DH and me seems like enough of a logistical undertaking without adding another 4 children into the picture (however, for us, that might be because there are all the toys to take as well – fishing rods, sailing dinghies, wetsuits…). However, once we are away it all seems worthwhile. When you get to Canada and see the family it will be worth it all and you will have a fantastic time.
Humm, when are you flying into Vangrouvy? I could meet up with Pam, have lunch and we could pick you up at the airport in our respective vehicles. I woudl demand your company for the drive to Kelowna however. I will rent a big minivan and our children can play together (right off all the travelling sedatives wear off…haha). Then I am going ot take that van and drive all over fucking BC and Alberta and meet up with family, friends and such! Whoo hooo!
Maddy
Wow… That’s one expensive vacation, but it will all be worth it! It will be wonderful for you to see your family, and for the kids to see where you are from!… You’ll even be in my time zone, but I’m not in Canada. I am in Oregon.
Hugs
Julie
Tess….remember me???? Westjet has a wonderful sale on right now. $49.00 for a flight from Vancouver to Kelowna. This is until the 15th of this month it is on. I would be MORE than willing to pick you up from the airport….and take you WHEREVER you want to go(Minivan momma seats 8 on the GO). I would love to meet you finally(remember we tried to plan this one other time while the IVF stages where going on) The Coquihala is nasty this time of year and travelling with 4 children is not really the thing you want to be doing…. Let me know if there is ANYTHING you want and or need and our twins/triplets club can help you out. PS..I also have some extra’s myself and there are 3 terrific places to rent anything you can’t bring. Email me and I can give you specifics. Hopefully you can have some time to yourself to see the Valley once again. Looking forward to SEEING you in person with your wonderful family!!!!!!
Hey, if you’re interested in meeting a total stranger who would love to meet you, toss me a line. I live in downtown Vancouver!
I’m not anywhere near any of these places, and don’t know where some of them are to be completely honest. Think I need to see about an atlas to touch the pages & see how many fingers away you’ll be.
I almost had a heart attack when I saw how much money the tickets were. OUCH! But it is to get to Vancouver, and that is better than a lot of the hellish places that it could be!
Want me to name a few, just for you to feel better? Well, maybe I’ll do it offline – so as not to offend any of your readership.
Is it weird that I’m coverting your money into potential IVF cycles for me? Thought so.
xoxo