Vacation planning

We are noticeably terrible about vacation planning: always last minute, usually flummoxed about where to go or where to stay, and hesitant to spend money on an unknown destination.

But we're getting better: We've just decided to go to Bali during the Xmas holiday. We considered the Philippines because it's only a 3 hr flight, but the hotels were really expensive. Then our friends Rena and John suggested renting a "villa" in Indonesia because the plane tix aren't so bad, so I looked at villa rentals.

And now, on the suggestion of our friend Laurie, we've booked a "family special" room at the Westin in Nusa Dua for as little as $160/night, which includes breakfast and the all-important Kids Club, as long as we leave by Christmas Eve. That compares to $300-400/night for the same room after 12/24.

Considering that we'll take one long Asian vacation this year, this is relatively cost effective and should be delightful.