March 31, 2006

Cheap trip to Venice.

Sunday’s Eye Magazine had a neat little section in their travel section about Five Trips Under $100” for the cash-strapped adventurer, and it made me think of a little low-budget traveling I did a few years ago.

A few years ago for Valentine’s Day, I decided to go out on a limb and take someone special to Venice on a very limited budget. Here’s how it went:

  • First, I borrowed a canoe from my friend (yes, I have friends that own canoes), set it up in my apartment, and decorated it like a gondola, complete with cardboard cutout oarsman. Around the canoe, I created a canal with kraft paper painted blue (with some fish thrown in) and a dock leading up to the canoe.
  • Next, I hopped on the Internet, grabbed a whole bunch of photos of Venice and set them up in a slideshow, which I then projected onto the wall in front of the canoe.
  • In the corner of the living room, I then set up a faux-restaurant, with Italian decor and candles and all, where I set up a pasta dinner that I had just made in the kitchen.
  • Finally, I set up a music mix of sounds from the Venetian canals, Italian classics, and that music they always play with fireworks (which I timed to coincide with fireworks being projected onto the wall after dinner).

Sure, it took some work and preparation — and a whole lot of imagination — but it wasn’t all too expensive, and it was definitely an experience never to forget. If you’re cash-strapped but still want to take a special someone on a memorable trip, this just might be the way to do it.