Travel Bug
By Braddah Lance
It's been choke long time since Da Wife and I have left da rock and it'll be choke long time before we get a chance to do again. Between Da Baby, trying to squeeze time off and just clearing up debt, any type of traveling has been out of sight, out of mind.
We've been talking about it nonchalantly since we both desparately need a break from work and da biggest thing dat keeps popping up is airfare. Naturally, dat cost rises and falls with da traveling seasons along with gas prices but we have a +1 - well, she's actually a + 1/8 - to deal with.
If we travel before she's 2, she flies free. Once she's 2, she's a full adult fare which I've nevah understood at dat age group when it should be a height/weight thing since they'd be on a parent's lap. I understand dat if you take a seat, then surah, charge da adult fare - since no more keiki fare - but if you no take a seat then why should there be a charge? If they say it's da keiki's weight then charge 'em by da pound if they no take a seat but pay a full adult fare?
Wassup Wit Dat!
I've told Da Wife dat if we decide to travel aftah she turns 2 it's a "waste" cause she not going remembah anything and we paying for "extra" airfare. Now if we traveled before she turns 2 then at least cost wise, we ok. She then asked when should we travel then if we can't make it before Da Baby turns 2 and all I asked back was, "at wat age do you remembah your first trip?"
I told her I remembah 4th grade time wen I was 10 and I spent nearly a summer in Korea staying wit relatives and nothing before dat. There may have been a memory or two but at 10, I remembah things still today. She paused and had to think awhile and finally said she remembahs her first trip at 9.
Then she asked, "so it's either late this year or seven years from now?"
Yup.
Da Wife and I love to travel during winter time cause it's cold and we both love "wintery" weather but haven't gone farther than Vegas together. We've been to Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, LA and the surrounding areas but no mattah wea we went, da last leg of da trip was ALWAYS Vegas!
Do you remembah your first trip? Wea did you go and how old were you? Wea would you like to go? Wat's your favorite vacation spot? Have you traveled wit keiki and did you bu'lai da 2 year old fare?
Da Wife and I love to travel during winter time cause it's cold and we both love "wintery" weather but haven't gone farther than Vegas together. We've been to Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, LA and the surrounding areas but no mattah wea we went, da last leg of da trip was ALWAYS Vegas!
No mattah if we're able to go latah dis year or seven years from now we're just hoping to be able to go holoholo..... at least to Vegas...... with or without them. 
Wassup Wit Dat!
February 16th, 2012 at 1:37 am
... hey Braddah Lance ... hehe ... I just like be first ... for the first time evah!!! ... I tink ...
... Have a Good One Everyone!!! ...
February 16th, 2012 at 1:47 am
... cool ...
... k-den ... I still remember my first trip ... in the 2nd grade ... and the most vivid memory was that I was in agony on the plane rides ... or at least I thought I was ... my ears would plug so bad and I thought it was painful ... but it probably wasn't really ... it was just a new feeling and I was scared ...
... I hope you get to go on your trip ... to wherever ... and just think about it this way ... even though baby not going remember the trip ... you going get plenty pictures to prove she was there!!! ...
... ok now 2 am ... damn it's late ... or early ... depending on how you looking at it I guess ... but I really should be sleeping ...
February 16th, 2012 at 3:06 am
I think I remember traveling around 5-6 years old. I know I traveled before that because I have seen pictures. But as far as actually knowing where I was and when, it would be about then. Yep, travel is so expensive. I hate to say this but that's why we haven't gone home to Hawaii yet. I would love to take my boys to Hawaii for a couple of months but the airfare alone would be so horrible! And it's not like how it used to be. I remember traveling really young and getting a bag of goodies from the flight attendants to keep me occupied on the ride. I loved getting the plastic wings pin like the ones the pilot had. Plus, I remember having to dress nice to travel. You don't see that anymore. Traveling back then was really a different time.
February 16th, 2012 at 4:32 am
Road trip is my middle name....if I can drive to a destination, I will. Many trips to SF, LA, SD, Vegas, I've done in a car. Also, you're able to spend quality time with your kids
I'm still hoping to travel to Mackinac Island and stay at the Grand Hotel there...remember the movie "Somewhere In Time" ?
I vaguely remember flying on a 4 prop Air Force plane from Japan to SF...with a stop in Midway and HI. I don't remember anything about the original trip to Japan. I've seen black/white pictures of my grand parents on a boat to travel to HI.
When my oldest was just 4 months old, we flew from here to HNL. We were fortunate to have the bulkhead seats so we could lay him down on the floor in front of us when we reached cruising altitude. Back then, no one checked the ages of your child..if they look younger than two, then so be it. Now, it's a whole new ball game with homeland security involved.
Since '06 I've been returning to HI at least twice a year. I just checked HAL for RT from here to HNL - $380 - depart 2/22 return 2/28. Middle of the week travel is always cheaper I've found. 4/21 - 5/9 - $418 RT. For 1st Class - $1464 RT, which is a very good price if you use your miles to pay for one leg.
One thing that has really gone up is rental car rates in HI. The weekly rates has more than doubled since '06, what was once $150/wk is now close to $400/wk for the same class of car 
February 16th, 2012 at 6:13 am
Howzit BL!
Da first trip was to Kauai when I was to small to walk and I only know dat because I saw pichahs of my maddah carrying me. Da first trip I remembah was wen I was in HS, I wen to Kauai, Maui and da big Island.
We neva go a on trip last year and we always go every year so it seems mo long den one year. We stay planning couple of trips dis year, to the east coast, LV and Japan. Making up fo last yaer.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:19 am
We were poor farming family so no traveling. Going to Waialua to visit family on weekends in da back of farm truck was our traveling. First plane ride was in high school to Hilo for a junior bowling trip. Da next plane ride was to basic training at Fort Ord. I was in my twenties before making any vacation traveling. Actually, not much of a travel person, no burning desire, never been to Vegas, but enjoy visiting Seattle son every year or so.
I recall taking our 2-3 year old daughter on our first trip as a family to LA. We stayed at brother-in-laws house in Long Beach and did the Disneyland thing, etc. and obviously daughter doesn't remember any of that. It took some extra planning and work with toddler in tow but still good fun. Turns out, daughter was a pretty good on the plane and moving about. Youngest son was the same way. Hey, work on that travel budget and go Vegas with da kid.
February 16th, 2012 at 8:04 am
Today iz my FGF! Beach house weedend! It's not a trip but it's a staycation.
February 16th, 2012 at 9:13 am
The first trip was to the mainland with my husband...my boyfriend then. Like hemajang, poor family so no mo kala before that. I think I was 22, so I remember most of it.
February 16th, 2012 at 10:07 am
I was 7 years old when I went to the California. I remember a lot about the trip. My younger sister who was 3 hardly remembers a thing.
February 16th, 2012 at 10:12 am
Taking my first trip in 3 years. I was suprised to find out that I have to pay $20 for the first bag, $50 for the second bag and $70 if you bring a hand carry on the plane that is too big and needs to be put in luggage.
February 16th, 2012 at 10:48 am
Hey BL...my first trip was moving up to Missouri...I threw up the whole ride..and cried that I was leaving Hawaii....needless to say...we moved back to the same Haleiwa House and cows on the Dairy Farm back in the good ole Lani Moo days..My next trip was then to Hilo for 6th grade trip. Since then we moved here in 2006 and try to come home every two years. When the keiki's were small...we'd do the outer island see great grandma in Kauai...we always went to Kauai...and hope to do that again...My kids have always been good travelers..we give them all the gum and stuff to eat on take off..and have them listen to stuff on their ipods or whatever they bring...we schedule them with a lot of cuzzin time..and we spend a great deal of time in the ocean when we are home....
I have found that I can get a better deal using an agent...they book everything..and you pay them and go from there...if I bought on line..I get limited selection...our last trip home was $425.00 per person and the rental car was $500.00 for the entire 3 weeks we were home thru Dollar...weekly rate was better....travel on Tuesday-Thursday..but sometimes you can find deals on Sunday...and to not pay excess baggage fee's - duffel bag..and send your extra stuff thru USPS...you can send rubber maid container back home 70 lbs limit and just pay the postage on that...or pay the $25.00 for baggage...we do both depending on need.....dats my 2 cents....so start saving on your trip...did you know that if you saved 225.00 a month you could save you a nice trip in 2 years....that's how I do it....work it..you can!!!
February 16th, 2012 at 10:50 am
the first trip i remember vividly was when we came here to hawaii (from cali) for a cousin's wedding when i was five/six years old (i actually celebrated my sixth birthday here). we came before that, too... maybe i was two and, later, four... but i don't remember much about those trips. i, do, however, remember (from when i was four) my favorite dress that i wanted to wear everyday while i was here. lol... go figure. i remember tidbits of road trips to vegas, yellowstone, yosemite, etc., that we took when i was younger than six.
when we traveled with the little ones, we always went as a group, with my parents and sister folks. more people to help watch the kids and it allows the parents to have some break time while the rest of the family makes some memories with the little ones! i even took my niece and nephew - without their parents - to the neighbor islands and las vegas with my parents! the agents usually felt bad for me and always made sure i boarded early! lol.
February 16th, 2012 at 10:59 am
I love to travel but I hate the length of time in the plane to get there. I can't sleep on the plane and it's so cramped. Going to Japan is way too long but it's all worth it once I'm there.
February 16th, 2012 at 11:10 am
I love to travel, see different things, learn the history. I do have the travel bug, saving every dollar you make helps. I've traveled to Europe, East / West coast,
I imagine it will be harder to travel with da keiki. I say go among youreselves, enjoy each other, make more babies =). Leave the keiki at home til they are older to appreciate the diverse culture has to offer. That way memories are forever remembered =) What happens in Vegas, stays in vegas =)
February 16th, 2012 at 11:29 am
BL
Baseball season coming up? Traveling with or without kids - another option, leave her with the in-laws. I recall we did that at least once with our kid(s).
February 16th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
My first trip was in the 4th grade. We went to San Diego, LA/Disney, San Fransisco, Texas all one trip. It was our grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. So we stayed in TX for 3 weeks.
I love to travel. Just no mo da kala to do it as much as I want.
Last year I did not plan on any trips. I ended up on two in a matter of two months. Chicago and DC.
This year I do not plan on any trips, again. I want to pay off some debt first then save up for a Japan vacation.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
first trip was to SF to visit family...don't remember much because no one drove us around so pretty much walked everywhere. I do remember my 2nd trip to Disneyland, Grand Canyon and Vegas though.
I wanna go to Japan someday but until then, I visit SF almost every year so I can see my relatives....nowhere else to go when me and my friends generally travel at different times of the year lol.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
I have a bad memory, don't remember hardly anything! My son we took to Alaska to visit my parents. He was 18 months. He remembers eating wild strawberries ( remembers they were sweet) he remembers getting kettle korn and he remembers getting seasick on the boat to see the glaciers. Those are all things ( in my opinion) that are actual memories to him, not things that he saw a picture of. My daughter remembers the bouncy feel of her Grammy's grass. They get a lot of rain and the grass was mostly moss and was really cushiony feeling. She was 4 at the time. We specifically took that trip so we could go and not have to pay for my son. I am glad we went. Even if your daughter doesn't have memories of the trip.... you and your wife will!
Have made several trips after we had to pay for the kids tickets too. I highly recommend miles, credit card miles, however, whatever you do! We have taken our little girl to Hawaii ( favorite place to vacation! ) when she was 1, 2 and now 4. Lest you think we have mucho kala, we use miles and save our pennies! It is worth it. I think. She might not remember but we do, we got to go and have a great time and not miss her being back at home.
I say go if you can, you won't regret it.
February 17th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
First trip in airplane was in 6th grade and we only went in circle.
First off-island trip was at 14 to Oahu. Also 1st Drive-In movie Tora Tora Tora at the Kam Drive In
First out of state trip was in 1976 to basic training at Lackland AFB, TX
From then did lots of traveling when at advanced training in Biloxi Mississippi. Went to Georgia, New Orleans, Disney World and Epcot. Pensacola, Daytona Beach and many stops in between.
Now can only afford staycations on island. Hope can save enough to take my grand-daughter to Disneyland. She is 5 and almost 4' tall. Whoo Hoo
February 17th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Oh and my work allowed me to travel (free) to Maui, Oahu, Kauai. Back then we were issued coupons, so I used to stay over and save airline coupons so my family could fly over to be with me on School breaks. Nice perks.
No can do that now-a-days unless I pay for the tickets.