“You’re going to Thailand for only four nights?  Are you crazy?”  This was the reaction we received from friends and family alike.  We thought it was no big deal.  Of course I had checked out staying longer, but it just wasn’t in the cards.  More on that in a bit.  This was the trip that started our crazy travel adventures, that opened our eyes to the world of travel, and where we vowed to find a way to keep traveling in the future.  So how did this all come together?  

That Serendipitous Charity Auction

It all started with a charity auction.  Who doesn’t love a good charity auction, right?  You mix and mingle with friends, have a glass of wine (or two), and look for really good deals on auction items, all for a good cause.  (Ok, Ok… I know I’m a bad person for looking for the “deals” at charity auctions, but hear me out.)  

In 2012, I attended a charity auction benefiting a travel industry college scholarship.  The travel auction items were all donated and 100% of the proceeds from the auction went to kids needing scholarships to attend college for majors in the hospitality industry.  A win-win.  It wasn’t until after the auction that I learned that most of the people in the room worked in the hospitality industry - and therefore traveled for free or next to free, greatly reducing their enthusiasm to bid on items. That night, I made four minimum opening bids on silent auction items and walked out with four winning auction items.  

One of my winning auction items was a four night stay at a Conrad on the other side of the planet.  What was I thinking when I bid?  Who knows.  Probably something about how awesome it would be to escape life for four days with my wife on the other side of the world, but I never dreamed I would win for the minimum bid.  Well, I did.  Now, I had to come through and make it happen.  While we had a slight choice in where we would stay, once we found this property, it was a no-brainer.  Moral of this story - go to the charity auctions!

Getting there is part of the experience.  We had heard this before, but never truly appreciated it.  Every road trip I can remember growing up was replete with “time filling” games centered around billboards and license plates just to pass the time to get to our final destination.  In fact, it was one of the reasons we booked a three-legged cheap ticket in economy.  No more.  Our travel itineraries are now part of the trip and enjoyment, and a particular hobby of mine to develop and book.  That said, this particular journey - even as we did it, not focused on the travel - was incredible.

From the moment we saw the doubledecker Airbus A380 in New York, we knew it was going to be different than anything we had ever experienced.  Then, in unison and uniforms, the crew and flight attendants, easily surpassing twenty in total, made their way down the terminal.  As we boarded and were seated, we were given a hot towel for our face and hands, offered free beverages (including alcohol), and were provided the dinner menu for the evening’s full meal service (again free of charge).  This was a far cry from the half a cup of soda and bag of peanuts we were accustomed to receiving.  While the flight was grueling in our sit up position, the food, beverages, in flight entertainment systems, and ability to go up and down some stairs for exercise all made the trip unique and enjoyable.

One of the most eye opening experiences came on the ground in Singapore, where we found the most beautifully adorned airport you could imagine with multiple gardens, including butterfly garden, airside.  We enjoyed and were in awe that an airport (you know, those things in the US that are grungy, dirty, and plain white - designed only to meet the basic human existence needs) could be so amazing.  At this point, we had never experienced an airport lounge (whether domestic or abroad), and we still left the airport awestruck. 

A theme for travel is to be ready to roll into whatever time zone you land.  This is exactly what we did.  When we arrived in Thailand, after more than 36 hours of no (real) sleep, it was 10am and time to start the day.  We arrived to the resort and were astonished.  Two bedroom, two bathroom, bi-level suite on the side of a cliff overlooking the Bay of Thailand - complete with our private plunge pool and terrace.  Whether the lack of sleep or the utter amazement at where we were, I forgot to put on sunscreen for that first day and turned a color not seen since.  We’d never stayed in such a nice place, nor had such a nice room.  We felt like royalty as we ran through the halls (yes, it had halls) of our private oasis.  From the complimentary breakfasts to the experiences with the chef and concierge team, it was unlike any hotel stay we had ever experienced.  Our time in Thailand was magical, and I’d like to share more stories, but unfortunately, this article is about the journey rather than the destination.

Notwithstanding the nearly four days of travel to realize four nights in Thailand, my wife and I agreed  - we have to do something like this again.  We had officially been bitten by the travel bug, experienced things we could not forget, and seen things we could not unsee.  But, how could we afford to stay in hotel rooms that cost $1,700.00 a night?  Were all international airlines this nice?  How could we do these 40 hour flights, that caused one of us multiple trips to the chiropractor, as we got older?  There has to be a way we can keep traveling internationally, right? 

These were the questions that needed answers if we were going to become international travelers.  Answers worth searching for.  Answers we were determined to find.  Come with us as we journey through our travel history, how we did it, and how we continue to experience life around the world.