Claire Waters

I’m officially addicted to road trips.

3 years ago, Alex and I spent a month travelling around Italy. And we’ve just done a month in the Alps and Black Forest.

This time with Toby, which was a whole different experience.

Less lounging in the sun, bike tours and boat trips.

More woodland walks, lake dips, early starts and hunting down shady terraces where dogs are welcome. (And where I can have a wine, obviously!)

I know some people find holiday planning stressful.
I LOVE it!

I’m a born planner, so half the fun is working out the route, finding places to stay, checking walking trails and planning “how long can we realistically drive without everyone losing the will to live?” calculations

There’s something very satisfying about pulling it all together.

Honestly, I could probably turn this into a side hustle.

Adventure travel planning for people with dogs who refuse to spend their holiday in a soulless motorway hotel.

Maybe that’s business number 2 sorted!

Do you enjoy planning holidays, or are you more of a “just tell me where to be” person?

6 things I’ve spent an insane amount of money on and will never regret:

1/
Buying a repossessed house during lockdown.

This was the project that saved my sanity when I couldn’t travel, or do anything remotely fun.

We ended up throwing £80k at it, gutting it and refurbing it. It was stressful, expensive and completely ridiculous at times.

But it’s now our home, and probably my proudest achievement.


2/
Moving abroad twice.

Once to Barbados and once to Canada.

It wasn’t cheap. Renting out my house, selling stuff, moving costs, rent deposits, the general admin nightmare of relocating your entire life.

But the life experience is something you can never put a price on.


3/
Getting my eyes lasered.

I was so short-sighted I couldn’t see my phone in bed!

On holiday, I spent years avoiding putting my head under water because I was terrified of losing a contact lens and being basically blind.

Best £6k I’ve ever spent. It was life-changing! No exaggeration.


4/
Toby!

Anyone who owns a dog knows they don't come cheap!

Especially when you take them on nearly every holiday, which means extra hotel costs, vet bills, pet passports, ferry faff, and on the rare occasions he doesn’t come, dog sitters.

Good job he’s cute, otherwise I’d make him get a job to earn his keep.


5/
Invisalign.

I hated my teeth for years. Zoom calls made it even worse because there I was, staring at my own face all day like some kind of punishment.

£4k to stop constantly cringing at my own reflection was absolutely worth it!


6/
Spending all my spare money on travel.

I own no designer clothes. I drive a very normal car. I live in a very boring village.

But I’ve seen a lot of the world, and that has given me far more than a handbag ever would.


I don’t regret spending money on things that changed how I live, or what I get to experience.

What have you spent a crazy amount of money on and never regretted?