I Bought the Tickets

Finally.

I'm happy to say that I've booked my next trip. In keeping with my commitment to myself in my 28th year, I've managed to venture out of the country every year. In the past seven years, I've visited 12 countries and several of them numerous times. I won't lie, I wish I'd visited more places, but it's a work in progress.

I was presented with the opportunity to travel to Nepal on a trekking trip in October. It's a tentative trip with several co-workers and friends. A great opportunity for sure. A dream trip.

This year is also my mother's 60th birthday. She's mentioned on more than one occasion that she'd like to go back to Paris. Unfortunately for her, my father has no interest in going back to Paris and they were in the south of France in the fall, so chances are looking slim for her. I bit the bullet and decided to forgo Nepal. Hell, mom only turns 60 once!

I called dad to ask if he would mind if I took mom on a trip for her birthday in October. Of course, he agreed and I began the research.

As you probably know from reading my blog, I travel alot for work and I've been lucky enough to accrue more hotel points that I know what to do with. Lightbulb moment! Use them to fund your vacation!!!



I've book us eight nights here in Paris. I'm not really one to stay in a Hilton in Europe, but heck -- it's free!!! It's a nice hotel and we'll get good service and upgraded to a suite and lots of other great stuff, so mom will really enjoy it. I'm more of a little pension kind of girl, but mom will totally get a kick out of it.

Then, I didn't want to just visit Paris, I wanted to tack on a trip to a new place. After lots of research and finding the perfect combination of good flights from Paris, Marriott hotel availability and flights back to Chicago I decided on Dublin. Kind of a weird combo, I know....Paris and Dublin, but it works and neither of us have been there. We're going to stay here. This hotel I'm pretty jazzed about because it's a historic hotel in a great part of town. We'll be in Dublin for five nights and they back to Chicago.

I think that we're just going to take our time exploring more of Paris without making any crazy plans. I'm guessing that more than one day at the Louvre will be on our agenda and several other museums, too. You could live there your whole life and not see everything.

Dublin? I have no idea! If you have any suggestions for either place let me know! I'm bummed that it's over 200 days until our trip, but I'm happy to have it on the calendar at least.

First, I'll head to Phoenix to visit my new niece, NYC with Lolo and New Orleans with Bug between now and June, so I have plenty to look forward to before my mom's surprise birthday trip (oh, and my birthday is October, too!).