luxury vs budget

I was delighted to read an article about Budget Travel from Kate Quill of the Times on Dec 1st. "The best travel", she wrote," is not about blowing the cash on rooms with gold taps; it’s about adventure, discovery and serendipity: that magic find, chance meeting or thrilling ride. Often, it’s the budget experience that offers these things in bucket-loads, while the luxury version, in its drive to make everything comfortable and hassle-free, has had all the fun, vigour and danger drained out of it – rather like the modern office, in fact."

Kate puts it well. We are all in danger of falling into the luxury trap and forgetting that the things which really make us tick are nothing to do with luxury at all. Fun, vigour, danger - to which I might add: the unexpected, spontaneity, conviviality, a warm smile, an unexpected kindness, a sight that beggars belief. If you have been, say, to India you will remember that first drive into town from the airport: almost everything you see is brand new and almost impossible to imagine. Once you arrive at your luxury hotel the fascination is over, however great the temporary relief.