Somewhere between Catania and Caltagirone, in Sicily.
Amiable Amiable’s post about having the financial resources to someday take that trip has inspired still another thought in my brain. (I believe this is my third thought this year, and it’s still only May!)
My wife and I don’t really have the money to travel. If one of those financial advisers from television ever paid us a visit and looked at our checkbook, she’d chain us to the furnace. When you go somewhere that involves airports and long flights and expensive hotel rooms, you come home with little more than a few souvenirs, some nice pictures, and a lot less money. Plus, you’re exhausted. At least that’s what I used to say. But now I look around our house at the tangible objects we’ve spent so much on and I think, what a waste. If I try to remember what I got for Christmas or my birthday last year, I can’t. But ask me about our first trip to Sicily in 2003, or Pompeii in 2005, or our two weeks in Japan in 2006, and I can tell you what we did almost every day — where we ate and what we had, the things we saw, the people we met. We didn’t come home with just souvenirs and pictures. We came home with memories, and that’s something we can’t misplace (well, not for a few more years, anyway).
My wife and I have blown a lot of money in some very dumb ways. Travel makes us feel smart, because what we get in return never loses its value. That’s why we know there are more great trips in our future, whether we can afford them or not. And that’s also why we avoid talking to financial advisers.
Mostly Bright Ideas 
Amiable Amiable
May 20, 2010
So true! I should note that one of the reasons my husband and I don’t have the financial resources right now to hop on a plane (anywhere!) is that we used to live by this motto: Can’t afford to, can’t afford not to! And, perhaps, if during each vacation, we hadn’t felt compelled to buy souvenirs for ourselves (tee-shirts – blech – and “stuff” like that) and for the pet sitter, the family, and the friends, we’d be on a plane to Sicily tomorrow. Alas, I am older and wiser, and my favorite souvenirs these days are, like yours and those of your family, the memories and the photographs. Okay, I’ve got to go return my bottles and cans. Gotta start saving my nickels for vacation!
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Charles Gulotta
May 20, 2010
We have always done the same thing. We come home lugging gifts for everyone. Guilt?
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Margaret Reyes Dempsey
February 7, 2011
Forget the expensive hotels. Villas, Charles. You’d be shocked if I told you how little it cost me to stay two weeks in Gaeta, Italy.
The way I see it, I don’t need a designer place to stay. I’m only going to be there to sleep. As long as it’s really clean, I’m good.
When I traveled to Scotland in 2009, we stayed a few days in a B&B and then rented a 17th century church that had been converted to a vacation residence (but still had many of the gorgeous elements, like floor to ceiling stained glass windows, etc.). Once again, it was much cheaper than a hotel.
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bronxboy55
February 7, 2011
You’re right, Margaret. We’ve rented apartments in Sicily and they were about half the cost of a hotel room. Plus, there was a full kitchen, which allowed us to get fresh food at the market and cook our own meals. Please tell me about the villas. I like being shocked.
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Margaret Reyes Dempsey
February 7, 2011
Take a look: http://www.villaaccetta.com/index.html
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wilson's writing world
October 25, 2012
oh, you could try http://www.austrianalpineholidaysblog.com if you fancy something a bit different on a self-catering basis. I’d be most happy to tell you more!
L
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bronxboy55
October 30, 2012
Thanks, Linda. No major trips in the near future, but I’ll keep it in mind.
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icedteawithlemon
October 28, 2014
Charles, I really didn’t start traveling until after I had turned 50 (I’m sure the reality of the ticking clock factored into the decision), and now that I’ve visited several locations, I can honestly say I don’t regret one hard-earned penny spent on my travels–the memories have been worth the price. Like you, I have a house overcrowded with “stuff”–stuff I may need to start selling off to finance future travels, but I’m ready.
And just so you know, you and Maria can travel to the Ozarks relatively inexpensively–free room and board, with all the pasta, pizza and cassata you can eat. (And no, I’ve never tasted or made cassata, but I’m willing to learn if that’s what it takes.) Steer clear of that financial advisor, and start planning that next great trip …
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