re: #169 dat_said

I never stayed in a hotel until college while traveling with the track team. We always stayed at relatives. Not like we were well-traveled but we did manage trips around ND, SD, MN, MT & Canada.

We did a three-week trip from central Illinois up to Seattle, then through the Four Corners and back home and only stayed in hotels three nights. And we never camped. Another thing I should say: my parents spent many weeknights each year on personalized Christmas cards. They went through what they received the year before to make sure that there was a personal touch.

Now, I’m not saying that they cynically did this so that we could afford family vacations, but I’m also not saying that they were unaware of potential long-term benefits.