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Post by sacteach on Jul 28, 2014 21:12:31 GMT
My friend and her husband planned a 10-night trip to Maui for their anniversary - they were married there 5 years ago on the beach.
I was at her house with her on Wed 7/16 while she was packing as they were leaving on Thursday 7/17 and coming back on Sunday 7/27. I was helping her pack and just chatting. She still had some space in her suitcase so I joked that I should throw in some of my clothes and meet her there. We looked at each other, smiled, and then she said, "you totally should". I had to work until the 18th so I told her I was just joking.
Turns out we weren't - I looked into flights and found really cheap flights there and back, called my mom and brother to arrange rides to/from the airport (flew out of Oakland, into San Jose). We of course checked with her husband who was cool with it. Got the round trip for about $400! They already had the car and condo, so I didn't have to pay for any of that. I did run to Costco and get them a gift card to help with the groceries/alcohol I knew they'd be buying when they got there.
I flew out on Monday the 21st on the first flight and arrived in Maui around 9:30am. My flight home was at 2pm on Thursday. I stayed in their condo for 3 nights (out of their 10) and just slept on the couch. I even had my own bathroom! We went out to dinner, played games, spent a lot of time on the beach, took a day trip to Lania, and just relaxed. They still got to have 7 nights without me there and they said it was a nice little "bonus" in the middle of their trip.
It was completely unexpected and not normally how I plan a trip - I've done last-minute trips before, but it's usually somewhere in California, nothing like this!
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Post by quinlove on Jul 28, 2014 21:29:37 GMT
What fun !!! This is something you and your friend will be able to talk about forever.
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Post by melanell on Jul 28, 2014 21:57:17 GMT
"Spontaneous" & "vacation' don't work in the same sentence for me. DH always jokes about doing it, though. We'll be approaching the exit for the airport and he'll say "Where shall we go?". The best I can do is deciding in the morning to have a day trip somewhere.
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Post by red88 on Jul 28, 2014 22:33:09 GMT
We've done this twice. For our 20th anniversary, I pulled out a map, closed my eyes & pointed on the map. We took off that day & ended up in Slovang, CA. It was so much fun! We'd never heard of Slovang, but we loved it! Stayed a couple of nights there, then decided to drive up to Sequoia National Forest, & stayed a couple of nights there. We also decided one night to take the kids to Sea World. They had no idea. We woke them up at 4am the next morning & put them in the car, drove to CA & they had no idea until we pulled in. They loved it! They still talk about it to this day.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 12:39:12 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 22:43:29 GMT
Decided on Christmas Eve to drive from Houston to Detroit MI with twin 5 yr olds and a 7 month old..... straight through 20+ hours.....
Going home was worse due an ice storm.....but very spontaneous!
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Post by lightetc on Jul 28, 2014 22:51:27 GMT
Rather sudden wedding planned in Canada (6week engagement) and received invitation 3 weeks out. Another close friend in New York (from Europe ) at the same time. Booked my flights for Sydney->New York->Vancouver ->Sydney 2.5weeks before I left. My boss signed my annual leave form and I was gone :-) Certainly not the cheapest way to go but had an amazing time and do not regret it at all!!
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
Jun 26, 2014 0:30:34 GMT
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Post by finaledition on Jul 28, 2014 22:52:51 GMT
I shared my spontaneous trip-play by play. Decided over an early dinner on 12-19 to surprise family who were visiting NYC. Booked a red eye for that night and surprised them in the street the next day. By far the most spontaneous thing I ever did. And I still smile thinking about it.
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Post by cecelia on Jul 28, 2014 23:08:33 GMT
I shared my spontaneous trip-play by play. Decided over an early dinner on 12-19 to surprise family who were visiting NYC. Booked a red eye for that night and surprised them in the street the next day. By far the most spontaneous thing I ever did. And I still smile thinking about it. I was a lurker when you shared that & I loved every minute of it. That was fantastic. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Post by rebelyelle on Jul 28, 2014 23:23:24 GMT
Two years ago I spontaneously (for me) went to England to visit my BFF. My husband's mother had just gotten remarried and her husband works for Delta, so she casually said one day that she could get me a buddy pass. One month and $400 later, I was on a trans-atlantic flight to London! The BEST part is that I got bumped to first class on my flight over - what. an. experience.
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Post by tampascrapper on Jul 28, 2014 23:26:50 GMT
On a Wednesday afternoon I got an email with some incredible air fares to Puerto Rico leaving that Friday morning. Round trip for both my bf (at the time) and my self $88 total! I checked with him, spent maybe an hour finding us a hotel and asked a close friend to watch my so. So I booked the trip and it was one of the best trips I've had.
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Post by nesser01 on Jul 28, 2014 23:28:21 GMT
That sounded like a lot of fun. I have never taken a spontaneous vacation...I've thought about it but I don't know if I could handle a spontaneous vacation. I like planning. I don't even like surprises!
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Post by gonewalkabout on Jul 28, 2014 23:33:44 GMT
Overnight trip but not vacation. I packed the kids up one afternoon and we went to San Antonio. Spur of the moment, in 30 mins of joking about it we were on the road.
ETA: had forgotten about a spontaneous 3 day stay/trip to Toronto some time ago. I was 8 months pregs with my 1st.
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NoWomanNoCry
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,856
Jun 25, 2014 21:53:42 GMT
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Post by NoWomanNoCry on Jul 28, 2014 23:43:15 GMT
Well I wouldn't say vacation but I moved 1200 miles away very spontaneous. Woke up on a Wed and said to myself "I have to do this..." At the time I was working 3 jobs 7 days a week. I got someone to take my clients and I gave notice and said last day would be on Saturday. Sold my car. Packed and flew off on Sunday to my new home.
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christinec68
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,384
Location: New York, NY
Jun 26, 2014 18:02:19 GMT
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Post by christinec68 on Jul 28, 2014 23:47:01 GMT
My sisters friend gave her 2 companion tickets to continental airlines on Thursday. Friday afternoon we were on out way to disney world for the weekend. This was a long time ago though.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 12:39:12 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 23:50:39 GMT
finaledition, I remember that trip, the play by play, and the pics. It was a wonderful thing to share with us.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 12:39:12 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 23:52:23 GMT
Well I wouldn't say vacation but I moved 1200 miles away very spontaneous. Woke up on a Wed and said to myself "I have to do this..." At the time I was working 3 jobs 7 days a week. I got someone to take my clients and I gave notice and said last day would be on Saturday. Sold my car. Packed and flew off on Sunday to my new home. I would love to hear more details of this story - so intriguing!
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Post by kimpossible on Jul 28, 2014 23:53:26 GMT
Mine is not so exciting...but went to Las Vegas spontaneously with DH.
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Post by Woobster on Jul 28, 2014 23:56:30 GMT
A friend and I used to do random trips when we worked for an airline. We would drive to the Phoenix airport, park the car, and pick a gate number while we were on the shuttle to the airport. Wherever the plane at that gate was going, we went. We had so much fun doing that!
It was fun to be young...
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Post by Bitchy Rich on Jul 29, 2014 0:04:41 GMT
I read a study that people get more enjoyment out of the anticipation of a vacation, than they do the actual vacation. I think I need the anticipation part.
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Post by eversograceful1 on Jul 29, 2014 0:05:47 GMT
I'm getting really anxious just thinking about it
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Post by marmargirl on Jul 29, 2014 0:11:12 GMT
I would love to do that sometime. I'm not ordinarily a spontaneous person, but doing a vacation this way actually sounds like something I would enjoy!
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Post by gardengoddess on Jul 29, 2014 0:19:58 GMT
Neither DH or I have the kind of jobs that would allow a spontaneous vacation.
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GiantsFan
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,456
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on Jul 29, 2014 0:20:47 GMT
My last boyfriend asked me to take Thursday and Friday off to help do some stuff. When I got home from work on Wednesday afternoon, he said pack a bag we're going to Las Vegas and if you want to I bought a ring and we can get married. So my last boy friend is now my husband!
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jul 29, 2014 0:24:20 GMT
Southwest had one of those crazy sales on fares for their anniversary one year. I booked three tickets on the spur of the moment and took my two youngest to Boston for a 24-hour trip. We carried nothing but backpacks and slept in the airport overnight. They thought it was the coolest thing ever. My youngest kept saying, "It's just like we're hobos." I tried to convince him we were more like nomads or wanderers. He thought about it a bit and then decided being a hobo suited him better! Ha.
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Post by peasful1 on Jul 29, 2014 0:26:24 GMT
I read a study that people get more enjoyment out of the anticipation of a vacation, than they do the actual vacation. I think I need the anticipation part. If true that is sad. If people can only find enjoyment by living in the imaginary future rather than enjoying the reality of here and now one is doomed to a lifetime of disappointment.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 12:39:12 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2014 0:53:53 GMT
I read a study that people get more enjoyment out of the anticipation of a vacation, than they do the actual vacation. I think I need the anticipation part. If true that is sad. If people can only find enjoyment by living in the imaginary future rather than enjoying the reality of here and now one is doomed to a lifetime of disappointment. Although I posted above about a spontaneous trip, I do really enjoy planning/thinking in anticipation of a vacation..... That's not the "ONLY enjoyment" but MORE enjoyment, because you can plan/research and find out of the ordinary things that you might not find just by showing up. And your vacation starts before you leave! Can't say I am doomed to a lifetime of disappointment!
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Sweets McPea
Junior Member
Posts: 75
Jun 25, 2014 23:03:39 GMT
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Post by Sweets McPea on Jul 29, 2014 0:59:34 GMT
I once got into my car and drove for hours to a tiny town. I was leaving behind three babies. Spent the weekend at a splendid bed and breakfast and returned energized and ready to take on my beautiful life. Driving away was uncomfortable. Driving back was joyful.
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Post by Annie on Jul 29, 2014 1:06:07 GMT
I don't think I've ever taken a spontaneous vacation. The closest is deciding to go spend the weekend with my parents and leaving within the hour, but it is only a 3 hour drive. So not a big deal. My friend and I have done a couple beach trips this summer with relatively no planning ahead. She was going with her family and invited me a week ahead. I didn't know what my work schedule was until the day they left, and I had to work the first two days, but drove down for the last night. And we've done a couple of day trips. Again, only a couple hours drive time though.
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Post by peasful1 on Jul 29, 2014 1:07:05 GMT
If true that is sad. If people can only find enjoyment by living in the imaginary future rather than enjoying the reality of here and now one is doomed to a lifetime of disappointment. Although I posted above about a spontaneous trip, I do really enjoy planning/thinking in anticipation of a vacation..... That's not the "ONLY enjoyment" but MORE enjoyment, because you can plan/research and find out of the ordinary things that you might not find just by showing up. And your vacation starts before you leave! Can't say I am doomed to a lifetime of disappointment! The person I quoted said that the study said people enjoy the anticipation *more* than the actual vacation. I responded to that particular statement. Why do you think I'm talking about you? Do you enjoy the planning and anticipation *more* than the actual vacation?
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Post by tampascrapper on Jul 29, 2014 1:15:36 GMT
My last boyfriend asked me to take Thursday and Friday off to help do some stuff. When I got home from work on Wednesday afternoon, he said pack a bag we're going to Las Vegas and if you want to I bought a ring and we can get married. So my last boy friend is now my husband! How cool is that!!
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