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Drum Roll Please…Official Road Trip Decision

It was the only photo I had of anything resembling a drum, ok?

We’re keeping it as-is.  We talked it through–a lot–looked at alternatives, and shook on it.  We’re going on the trip I originally planned.  And we’re leaving in eight days.

What helped make this decision?  Well, first it was an actual sign from god, which you can read all about by clicking on that link (it takes you to my other blog, Existential Midlife Twitch.)

Second, we talked about our alternatives and why we felt we needed an alternative.  Our main concern was (is) money.  While I budgeted for the lodging part of the trip–because that’s a fixed cost and thus easy to budget for–I did not take into consideration how much it is going to cost us to do things whilst traveling.  You know, things like ‘eat’.  As is very evident on this blog, we don’t do a very good job of living thriftily when on the road, as is evidenced here, and here, and here.

Yeah–that’s something we really need to work on.  And work on it we will, on our new and improved Maine Coast and Maritime Canada Road Trip…Now with Extra Thrift! 

We’ve decided to make it a sort of game–see how much fun we can have, how well we can eat, and how much we can do for as little money as possible.  Kind of like a month-long version of the old Rachel Ray show $40 a Day.  As a bonus, upon my return you will be treated to multiple ‘how to travel cheaply and well in Maine and Maritime Canada’ posts.

The key word in that title is ‘well’.  We’re not going to be sharing fast food burgers every night.  We’re going to look for reasonably priced local food, spending more time hiking and biking than on whale watching cruises, and bring back photos and rocks–both free–as souvenirs.  And if we’re hungry and the only thing to eat for miles happens to be a bit expensive, well, we’re going to eat that ‘a bit expensive’ thing.

So, that’s the plan.  Oh–the other part of the plan is ‘have fun, damnit!’  I think that’s an important addition.