Budget slow travel on hold during 'vacation travel' in Europe

Congratulations to my Mom and Dad –temporary Earth Vagabonds on a whirlwind vacation spanning multiple cities and countries in Europe! It was their first time to this side of the world.

Our budget slow travel lifestyle was briefly put on hold so spouse Theo and I could ‘vacation travel’ with Dad Mike and Mom Linda! Readers know spouse Theo’s Mom Diane visits us every year. This is the first time my parents have joined us.

*Mom and Dad atop the Old Town Hall in Prague.*

We met up in Berlin and continued on to briefly visit Prague and Vienna — all days-long stops, not weeks or months like in budget ‘slow travel’.

Vacation Travel in hotels

Our accommodations were great hotels — all Marriott Hotels in city centers. The central locations were incredible. We’d walk out the lobby and be in the heart of it all!

*Vienna’s Hofburg Palace was practically across the street from our hotel.*

In contrast, consider our Warsaw apartment. It was in a nice, quiet neighborhood, but it was a 15-minute bus ride to the tourist action. That’s great when you have a month, and on a budget, and you’re young and experienced enough to navigate foreign public transportation.

This was my parents’ first and only trip to Europe, and they wanted to enjoy their limited time with us in the touristy areas, and so that is exactly what we did. Luxurious hotel life was quite a change for me and spouse Tedly!

*Mom, Dad and me in the hotel lobby in Vienna.*

A few additional perks to hotels in vacation mode: robes, soaps, lotions, safes, maid service, extremely extravagant buffet breakfasts. Theo ate expensive meats and cheese every day before 9:00 a.m. instead of the sensible bowl of fruit and oatmeal I usually prepare, and I must’ve put on two pounds with pastries, walnuts and macadamia nuts. This absolutely felt like a vacation!

After breakfast each day, we set out for adventures. We did almost all of our sightseeing with Uber — we only rode a tram once – in Prague, a city with many cobblestones and lots of danger for aging tourists. Mom and Dad have an easier time in cars – they’re used to their own car. Using Uber was foreign enough.

Berlin, Prague, Vienna ‘fast travel’ highlights

In Berlin, we walked along the old wall remnants, went to Sachsenhousen Concentration Camp, saw art at Museum Island (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), toured the Bundestag Dome and the Topography of Terror Museum, did walking tours – including one underground in Berlin’s tunnels, tried some trendy restaurants.

In Prague, we checked out the Old Town Hall Tower and Astronomical Clock, went inside the Prague Castle, Mom and Dad took a car ride through Old Town (all three part of the Prague UNESCO World Heritage Site), did more walking tours, a boat ride, the guys had beer and the gals had chocolate cake.

In Vienna, went to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the city center and Schonbrunn Palace, took walking tours, saw famous art at the Belvedere Palace, went to a fantastic light show inside a 19th century neo-Baroque church, enjoyed sidewalk dining.

By the end of our vacation, Mom and Dad were a little homesick. It was time to part ways again, until the next time we meet up. And for 2.5 weeks, they were kinda like Earth Vagabonds – on a more luxurious level.

Good job, Mom and Dad! You guys are aging, but you’re still made of tough stuff. I miss you already.

Special side note about age and travel for our readers

To anyone waiting for traditional retirement age to travel, I say this: the older you get, the harder it is. Walking on cobblestones, getting on and off buses and trains, navigating stairs, even just walking around a museum can tire an older traveler out. My mom and dad were healthy enough to make this trip. They’re lucky. Still, Tedly often helped mom down stairs to be extra safe, so dad could be extra careful, too.

*Prague Castle had slippery steps with no railing.*

My parents are the lucky because the chance for debilitating health issues that affect mobility increase every year. (Theo’s Mom Diane is extraordinarily lucky.) Potential aging issues are one reason why Tedly and I started traveling in early retirement. We wanted to be up for the physical stamina needed for budget slow travel around the world.

Also, as loyal readers know, I got cancer in our third year of travel — at only 46 years old. Thankfully, I’ve been ‘no evidence of disease’ since my double mastectomy in Croatia.

Now — as for me and Theo today? Well, after my folks went home, we got onto a budget Wizz Air flight to head to Albania – our first visit since 2018. We’re back to slow travel, back on budget, still comfortable, and still enjoying one stop at a time.

You can do this now, or later. I say: Life is Now!