Monday, July 13, 2009

numbers

128 = the number of vacation hours I have accrued
0 = the number of dollars Dave Ramsey says I can spend on a vacation

Answer: I need a free place to stay. Ideally in Europe. I will read books, journal, and take photographs. Eating is expensive, so I have learned how to be satisfied with coffee. Frequent Flier miles will get me there. This is my plan.

Who wants to come with me?

13 comments:

drh said...

Your plan doesn’t sound so far-fetched to me. Do you know anyone who lives in Europe and needs a house-sitter? Or just anyone who lives in Europe and wouldn’t mind a guest for 128 hours?

Unknown said...

Excellent idea, David!

Er....Scotty? Becca? You reading??? :-)

This worked on The Holiday. And both parties got men out of the deal (with one being Jude Law). I should look into a house swap.....

Unknown said...

I am so IN!! We just need to figure out some way for me to qualify it as a "support trip."

Amanda Lomonaco said...

Or you could come to California and be my nanny for 128 hours. I will cook for you and the lodging will be free. We have a very nice guest room. Interested??? What, that doesn't sound like a vacation???

M. Flexibilis said...

Many hostels in Europe allow you to tent in their designated area for a small fee (smaller than the cost to stay in a bunk). I once stayed in the basement/laundry room of a hostel for a night for the same as it cost to bivouac in the courtyard. It was great until the many washers automatically came on c. 2 AM. In short, backpacking is one less expensive way to do it.

On a cheaper note, I also "slept" in a bus station and then on a bench in Italy when the hostel was full and the transportation back to the airport (where I intended to "sleep") closed down before I expected it to. But that was the same night I got propositioned by a six-foot, cross-dressing hooker, so perhaps it wasn't the best plan of action.

Unknown said...

I am sure we can find you a place to stay in Australia, but it would cost more airline miles. Besides our house, there are free camp sites too.

running shoes said...

You could make the circuit between my house and Amanda's. I wouldn't make you watch my kids.
You could finally go to the Creation Museum!!

Amanda Lomonaco said...

I wouldn't seriously make you watch my kids...

Kathy said...

We have a friend Danny who teaches outside of Rome... He often talked about working on farms (olive oil?) or vinyards It might be something you would be interested in. I guess that would count out the reading part but it might be worth looking into.

joefish said...

I'd really like to go to Italy. Unfortunately the time and money for that don't exist right now. How about you come and visit New Zealand?

Anonymous said...

Hey Karin - just getting caught up on my blog reading! What dates are you thinkin' for your trip? Let's see if we can work something out... :-)

Un Till said...

Actually, there is good news about food in Europe. As my wife reminds me every day, fresh food is so much cheaper there. (cheap American food is fried to death or comes in a box) If you make it to Italy, for example, I am sure, for very little money, you could add wine, cheese, vegetables, prosciutto and gelato to your coffee diet. And the coffee there is very good.

smanor said...

I've been made aware of this plan of yours and to just go ahead and lay it all out there on the table: I'm suspicious. Who is this "Dave Ramsay" guy anyway, and why does he get to tell you what to do with your money? More importantly, how do I get his job? And how is it that he is able to tell people how to spend (or not spend) their money? A further question: why not ask Dave Ramsay if you could stay with HIM? This is like some sort of bizarre, reversed, Christian pyramid scheme. The reason I say all this is b/c I know what is going to happen here. Let's just be frank, shall we? 6.35am some Tuesday I'll be awakened from my beauty sleep by Karin Tome knocking on my door and immediately tossing a suitcase on the guest bed after a long overnight flight. (do you have to pay for the flight, by the way? Or do you just ask the airline if you can fly for free? More importantly for my situation, is it a RETURN flight, or a 1-WAY???) Then will come the countless hours of Becca and Karin sipping tea and relaying those stories I want burned from my memory and the historical record of everyone else's memory FOREVER, NOT shared with one another. Already I am wincing, and considering an immediate move once we return to Edinburgh to save what little dignity I have left. But despite how suspicious I am of this "Dave [Madoff] Ramsay" guy, and what sort of pandora's box will be opened if you and Rebecca tell too many stories, I must admit it would be great to have you over for a visit. There will be rules, however.