August 15, 2025
On a daily basis, Michael and I don’t really spend a lot on ourselves. She has her sports and her arts (drawing, the piano) and her friends and her books. And for me, trading in the markets and my books and my tuba and my sports. We only eat out perhaps once per week, sometimes two, preferring a lot of home cooking. So, the daily budget is mostly spent on keeping up two houses.
But I’ll confess our weakness is travel. That’s where the money goes. In 2025, we’ve already spent a total of 13 weeks abroad…ten in Asia and three in Europe. 100,000 miles all in. Passion doesn’t explain it. Obsession maybe closer. We added up the number of countries we’ve visited, between us it runs to roughly eighty.
The three weeks we spent in Europe in June (a kind of retirement celebration) featured a nine-day cruise on the Ritz Carlton Ilma, and then the balance in Paris, staying on the Champs d’Elysees. Michael clocked us at 40 miles of walking on the Apple Watch. And because we had missed flights and similar adventures, we wound up traveling on four different airlines…United, Jet Blue, Turkish, Air France. On the Asia trip, Emirates. So, five airlines internationally.
Some random travel snippets to perhaps help on your next trip abroad.
Without any doubt, the best value in international flight is the business class on Jet Blue. Yes, Jet Blue. Orlando to Heathrow or Charles De Gaulle, for less than $4,000. The same flight on, say, Lufthansa or United to any of them, cost over $9,000.
And you know what? We preferred the Jet Blue business class experience over Emirates (a kind of disappointing listless crew), over United (who acted as though we should be grateful they allow us to spend our money there), over any of the other airlines clustered at more than twice the price. Just trust me, try Jet Blue.
As for luggage, we are fond of Delsey Paris. It’s a very reasonable price point (just above Samsonite) and excellent quality. They offer a lot of different colors and finishes and they look great. Nice styling. We are not fans of Louis Vuitton luggage (we think that’s an indulgence we can do without). But also, because we don’t want to be a target when we travel. I mean, if you’re casing the joint and people walk in with a set of Louis Vuitton luggage, who are you going to want to get after? The guy with the backpack?
Can’t emphasize enough the importance of dressing when you’re overseas. I know people like to pack three T-shirts and some cargo shorts. And that’s fine for aimless sightseeing. But we also pack nice clothing for dinner. Not only because we feel better when we look our best, but we are completely convinced the treatment we get is better. We’re going to get the good table, if for no other reason than the manager doesn’t want people considering his restaurant with the front table filled by a guy in a college t-shirt and baseball hat on his head.
Spend a little time complimenting and chatting up the wait staff. We were at the Fougout Hotel having dinner (Michelin 5 Star Hotel). The bar waiter took our order. And I said the truth: “You look great!” He was a young guy, dressed in a white jacket and tie, black slacks, hair slicked and coiffed. He looked like a guy waiting in a first-class establishment. And it broke the ice, and we thoroughly enjoyed the drink and the service. We do that all the time. We also ask the waiter/waitress his/her name. And then we use it: “Maurice, merci bien” or whatever. People love to hear their name…it shows you recognize them as human beings.
There is a saying, and it is true. The only thing that matters in a hotel is money. In just one evening, I tipped the night manager, the waiter at the bar, the waiter at the restaurant, the maid. It doesn’t have to be a lot of money. But people working at hotels respond to that. I would mention that on our last evening, the night manager stopped by, gave us two passport wallets as a small token of thanks and wanted us to know he enjoyed meeting us and looked forward to seeing us again. That makes travel special. And he thanked us for “looking after” his people…the maid and so forth.
Make any attempt you can at speaking the language. For example, learn how to say in French “My French is terrible so I will speak in English with apologies.”
Your recognition that their language is important means a lot to them and the fact that you took the time to apologize for not speaking theirs (even as they will be able to speak English) is appreciated. A waiter at the George V restaurant said in response in English, “My English is terrible also so we will work together.” And we laughed and it was very nice.
Michael and I always make a point of offering to take people’s pictures when they’re struggling with a selfie, or he is taking his wife/girlfriend picture with the Vatican behind her. It should be a couple’s picture, and we simply tap our fingers together and make the photography shutter click motion and they get it. You create instant joy for people and it’s a great thing to enjoy their reaction. Invariably, they will offer to reciprocate so now you know why we don’t carry a selfie stick.
Many people don’t know this, but a waiter’s position in many establishments in Europe is a career. They’re not doing it because they can’t find any other work. They are professional wait staff. As such, when they take care waiting on you, compliment the quality of their work. And why not?
Don’t be loud, don’t bust the line, be kind to people waiting on you, be quick to laugh and joke, make it more than a temple or a cathedral. Make it a human experience.
We’re laying low the rest of this year, but in January, seven weeks in New Zealand and Australia…the only continent we haven’t visited.
Make memories, not regrets.
I always welcome thoughtful feedback. If a particular piece resonates—or raises a question—I’d be glad to hear from you. You can reach me directly at anthony@workingprofit.com
