Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Let's talk numbers

AU $2000 is:

a) the cost of a week in Thailand, including accommodation and return airfares,

b) what LiLo Mischa and Paris probably paid for those hair extensions (whoops),

c) the cost of return airfares to France,

d) the cost of staying in a castle for a month,

e) (you knew it was coming) all of the above.

 

So if you and 23 close friends wanted, you could stay here:



Chateau de Veilette, Paris

Or here:

Chateau Durantye, Dordogne

www.simplychateau.com has other such decadent places to stay. What is mind-boggling is that if you can fill the place with willing guests, this is budget accommodation. No joke. It is cheaper than hotels, apartments, or cottages. But of course the tricky part is getting the numbers. 

Financially, this would cost more than the average student holiday. But not that much more. When you consider what backpacking around Europe costs, which is probably somewhere in the region of $10,000 to $15,000 for a month’s worth of budget traveling, chateaux start to look even better. You would be buying food from the local patisseries and boulangeries rather than truck stops, which is both cheaper and less disgusting (forget what you’ve heard about European food – if you are poor and hungry it is very hit-or-miss).

Now for a biased overview…would you rather come out of a month in Europe with a shopping list of countries visited, one great story from Amsterdam, and the biggest hangover you have ever had in your life or…

Memories of games of petanque on the lawn with views of the Pyrenees, a tan from whole days spent lying by the pool drinking Bombay Sapphire and soda, life-long friendships formed with locals, a ridiculously chic wardrobe, and a completely relaxed smile that even rainy days and job related stress can’t get rid of.  


Chateau de Chalaine, Loire Valley

3 comments:

  1. This is such a great post, it's made me want to round up all my friends and convince them to board with me in a french castle. It really couldn't get better than that. I actually read about Kirkwood in Grazia yesterday, but thanks for the tip. I'm looking forward to your next post.

    x

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  3. Ten point to the person with the organisational/persuasive skills to pull it off slash the friends that are open-minded enough to realise what an incroyable deal this is in every possible way. Aim for 2012? Oui oui.

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