Spend on Value Experiences

I pride myself on being the kind of traveler who can travel well on a very tight budget. I’ve taken 15-hour train rides, stayed at a house with the toilet on the floor and slept on a 24-hour McDonald’s just so I would have more money to spend on activities. I value experiences. For me, traveling is all about trying new things and making new memories. If it means sacrificing on comfort because I have to scrimp on my airfare and lodging, that’s fine by me!

But once in a while, the plane ride (or the hotel stay) can already be the experience.

Chilling like a queen, playing Candy Crush. Haha!

Last 2013, we took a roundtrip business class flight from Manila to Vancouver via Philippine Airlines. We got our tickets at the annual travel expo where PAL was the sponsor, so the prices were heavily discounted. In fact, the amount we paid for our tickets was the amount you usually pay for economy seats! That’s a pretty good deal, if you ask me!

Mor and I decided to take this opportunity because it’s not everyday (or every trip) that you get to ride on business class, right? Unless of course you’re mega loaded and we are definitely far from that! Haha!

Also, Mor is obsessed with all things related to commercial flights (airports, airlines, lounges, etc.) so this was something he was really excited about.

It was a 12 hour flight one way so we had plenty of time to enjoy the ride!

One of the things I enjoyed a lot is having the food served to you portion by portion on a spacious table with real plates and utensils! I know it sounds so shallow but oh, the difference that small details make! It’s wonderful not to have your food all boxed up in a teeny tiny tray!

It’s also wonderful to have a fancy schmancy meal for a change, complete with appetizers, champagne and chocolates.

Yummy! We are not complaining about airline food during this trip!

No leg-room problems here!

People ride business class for comfort and what better way to be comfortable than to enjoy your seat-that-turns-into-a-bed and your very very spacious legroom! Ahh. Say goodbye to long flight leg cramps!

I’m a light sleeper so this is also one of those rare moments when I can actually sleep straight during a flight! I love it.

I woke myself up in the middle of my sleep so I can maximize my time on the plane (hehe). Who wants to sleep for the entire flight while you’re in business class anyway? (Oh, right, regular rich people who do this all the time do…)

I order myself a midnight snack because I read from the menu that the arroz caldo can be ordered anytime. I love arroz caldo and PAL’s signature arroz caldo is really one of the best (they also serve this at the PAL lounge)

And when Mor woke up from his long slumber (he values his sleep…haha), I invited him to a game of Monopoly Deal. We ordered some chips and got this snack pack! Mmm… I love Doritos!

Although I’m not a big airline aficionado like my husband (I’m good with budget airlines!) as you can see, I had a wonderful time riding business class. Upon landing, I felt so much more refreshed than how I would usually feel after a long haul flight. It was nice to be so comfortable.

But still, it’s not something I would get myself used to (it’s a pretty expensive experience, after all!)

You don’t need to spend a lot to be able to have a good time when you travel. But once in a while, it’s nice to save up and splurge on those rare experiences you won’t be able to do often (or again), like this one!

I recommend having at least one “splurge moment” per trip. Maybe you could book one night at a really posh hotel (then stay at a cheaper one for the rest of your trip!) Or maybe you could have a fancy dinner at a celebrity chef’s restaurant. Whatever it is, choose an activity that’s special for you; something you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t. Splurge moments are there to enhance your travel experience. So might as well choose something that makesyou happy!

Money can always be earned again but once moments pass, you won’t be able to get them back. Take advantage of the opportunities whenever you can! Seize the day! Work hard, play hard and most of all, enjoy living your life!

What kind of experiences would you be willing to “splurge” on?

(NOTE: THIS POST IS ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE LAST JULY & AUGUST 2013.)