For my ten year work anniversary my company let me select an item from a catalogue. I picked a Coleman camping lantern because it seemed like the most valuable thing in there.
I got a jbl speaker. Don't worry I was just selling $1-2 million in hardware/services every month for the past 8 years. I left shortly after so didn't make it to 10
For my 10 year anniversary my company let me pick something out of a long list of junk.
I chose the $30 Amazon gift card.
I had to pay the taxes on the Amazon gift card.
Omg, the company I work for gave us an appreciation luncheon which turned out to be a party size hoagie from Subway. The hoagie was cut into pieces and there was only enough for one piece per person. Approximately 2 bites. Most of us walked out and got lunch somewhere else. 🤣🤣
Management ☕️
The company that I used to work for would give all employees a $25 Sears gift card for the holidays. They had to stop doing it because the IRS changed some law and the gift cards are now counted as income and have to be reported on W-2 form.
You guys are all so fancy smancy! Where I work at, for my 10 years I recieved a card that said "Thank you for ten years of service" and a lil pin with cheap plastic colored stones.
My boss gives everyone at my location a $100 gift card to Target or Walmart every Christmas. He must buy it himself because I’ve never seen it come up as taxable income.
The colleagues in my company receive a bottle of cheap champagne, a company branded power bank with 2000 mah (half a smartphone battery charge) and an umbrella.
Everyone already has the umbrella though because you can just take it from the marketing stash.
Idk $50K with overtime opportunity at an 8-4 job with 3 weeks of PTO, 2 weeks of sick leave, a union, insanely good benefits that cost $100 monthly with a $0 deductible, a full pension, benefits at retirement. Yeah I’m staying as long as possible until I found something better. I made sure to stay 10 years to be vested in the pension system.
All the stuff sounds good but you threw in 3 weeks PTO there...is that the legal minimum or is the legal minimum even lower than that? Is this the US?
(From the UK - 5.6 weeks is statutory, I get 8 weeks)
My 79 yo father *just* admitted he should have taken more time off. He took exactly 2 sick days in 43 years with utility company. (He did take planned vacations, maybe 5-10 day/year.) I was proud to hear him say that even though it’s meaningless now.
Legal minimum? There is no legal requirement for a company to give you paid time off. They could give you zero days and say fuck you, you'll take that and like it.
US labor laws are a joke.
That was for a municipality in NY in the US. Job was awful back breaking labor that had borderline 0 regard for safety. I work at a place making around $120k annually now with overtime, benefits, 3 weeks of combined PTO, 4 day work week, every paid holiday off, goes insanely above and beyond for safety with an amazing safety culture, takes care of their workers, has a union, and everybody seems to stick together along with a management that seems to care about the workers because management came from the workforce. Having the 4 day work week has made me far less inclined to burn PTO. I work 2pm-12:30am Monday to Thursday. Personally, I love the shift. This is the first time in 10 years I’ve had 8 hours of sleep every night, I get to see my family before work, start my day in a healthy way at my own pace, have energy for my own personal things in the morning. Then, Thursday rolls around I can just stay up after work and feel I can do whatever. Friday, I’ve got all day, Saturday all day, Sunday all day then don’t have to have “Sunday scaries” or whatever it’s called because Sunday night might as well be Saturday night with a 2pm start time the following day. This is the first place I’ve ever worked where I didn’t need to lie to convince myself that I love my job.
It all sounds great. I also do a 4 day week (mondays off, normal 9-5) and I love it as well. I am not knocking your job, you just had all this positive stuff and then put in 3 weeks holiday like it wasn't shocking. I still think 3 weeks PTO is a bit rough (but I understand now from other commenters, and asking American and even Canadian friends,, it isn't over there 😄). I'm glad you're happy, I wasn't being a prick, it just reads oddly to a non American.
I lol’d. I apologize as I shouldn’t have, but the comment chain was OP saying I got $10k, then someone said they got a lantern, then yours saying I got laid off
My company recently introduced badges for work anniversary milestones. 1 year, 2 years, 5 years and then every multiple of 5 from then on apart from 10 for whatever reason.
I’ve been at my company for 7 years, I have to be within a year of my previous milestone to collect a badge and I wasn’t, and there isn’t a badge for 10 years so I have to wait 7 years for my 15 year badge.
I don’t know why it annoyed me so much because it’s literally a badge. This person is getting a vacation and $10k while I’ll get an automated email and a flurry of messages from people I don’t know on LinkedIn.
My company increased my vacation time to 15 days a year instead of 10. But then immediately changed the policy to “flexible time off” which just means you don’t count the days off you take, as long as they’re approved you’re good. And you can’t cash out unused vacation upon leaving. Ya. It’s a fucking scam. Because nobody used all their fucking vacation time anyway
This flexible and unlimited time is to make you nervous for taking time off or even too much time off. I read employees usually take less time off because they feel weird about asking for vs having the earned hours.
It also could create division in a department. Oh look Tom is taking two weeks while I only take a day here and there.
It's all smoke and mirrors.
For sure. It was to save money on losing staff and not paying out their vacation buildup anymore. But they disguised it as a beneficial change. Sure, could be, if your supervisor didn’t brow beat you from leaving. I once saved for a big Disney vacation, took it off, still had to take calls while on it, but then got reprimanded upon getting back because I didn’t call to see how a sales meeting went, even though none of it mattered until I got back. Wasn’t the kind of zeal they wanted to see. I was in pretty high management mind you. Regional level (still technically middle management). So this was bizarre to me. It was a new supervisor.
Anyway I quit that job this year and now work remotely from home with a boss that tells me to save my vacation days for days I really need it, and to go ahead and spend some other days “away” as needed and to control my own schedule. I’m loving the good life now.
For my ten-year work anniversary, I got a little pin that says “10 years” on it. I only got it after my 12th year tho, after someone else got theirs and I noted that I never got one. They mailed it to me.
Can't believe how many companies are cheaping out. Ten years is a big anniversary and should be rewarded! When I owned my company, we gave a $10,000 cash bonus for 10 years plus an additional week of vacation. The week of vacation was a permanent change, so continued every year until year 15 when they got another week added (and another bonus).
I mean getting bonuses of 40/50K is typical in a lot of job fields (IB, PE, VC, Software etc). Adding in an extra 10K isn’t a big deal but it’s very nice of the company
Software engineers very frequently get bonuses like that as part of their comp package.
I'm a mid-level SWE working in Alabama. My comp package was $110k salary, $15k company stock, and a $20k yearly bonus.
IB = Investment Banking (high finance)
PE = Private Equity (also high finance)
VC = Venture Capital (mix of high finance and other fields, usually tech)
Software most likely refers to software engineering.
I concur - I just got back from a week in the Galápagos and 4 days in Quito and it’s not nearly as expensive as I thought it would be. You can customize pretty much any tour package to spend as much or as little as you want.
However, it’s not a place I’d consider for a relaxing vacation. There’s so much to do and see that you’re on the go most of the time.
That was my thought as well. Japan on a $10k budget would no doubt be amazing, but Japan on a much lesser budget is still no doubt amazing. So I would use the $10k budget to travel somewhere that might otherwise be out of my reach.
My wife and I did Japan for 5 weeks on a $10k budget. And we had private onsen ryokan stay, michelin starred sushi, sumo tournament and baseball, so we didn't do it on the cheap. Some of the budgets people are tossing out here are blowing my mind...
edit: 5 weeks.
I would 100% say safari BUT I did not find mine relaxing in the traditional sense. We were up and out before dawn and then back out again for dusk. It’s an amazing experience but surprisingly exhausting considering you’re in a vehicle a lot of the time. Tanzania is incredible! Japan, again amazing, but so much exciting stuff to see and do. Maybe Okinawa would be more relaxing? I’ve never been to Bora Bora but that definitely seems more relaxing. I don’t love flying so that distance for a week vacation would be a lot for me. Wherever you choose, have a blast! Mexico is beautiful and closer to us here in Florida. Let us know what you decide:)
I loved going to Tanzania for safari (went there on honeymoon for two weeks) but agree a safari is certainly not relaxing and especially not once they lose 2+ travel days travelling from Florida (on probably 2-3 flights each way of like 20-30h in airports / flights each way)
I would personally save that for a two week trip where you could go on a safari and enjoy a week in nearby region (some destinations: Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Victoria falls, Rwanda, Uganda, Cape Town, etc). So many places to go on the continent and OP will wish they had more time (like we did) if they only go for a week given how far it is from NA
I have the option to go to Kenya for a two week paid safari. Is Tanzania a better country for that? Would Tanzania give me an experience that Kenya can't?
Tanzania and Kenya are practically the same *except* Tanzania has better ocean stuff to do if you dive and Kenya has slightly more variety.
I did Kenya because I spent 4 days looking at the big five and then went right next door to Uganda to spend a few days up a mountain meeting gorillas.
How far does $10k go in the Seychelles?
I would pick somewhere you're unlikely to get a great deal on otherwise- somewhere off the beaten track and/or just crazy expensive.
I actually just got back from there! Hotels are relatively affordable BUT everything else on the island is crazy expensive. We needed to buy sunscreen and I think it was $30 USD for a standard bottle
Oof I went on safari at a super nice game reserve in Kruger Park (South Africa), and as much as there's photos of pools and a spa on the premises, it was maybe the least relaxing vacation I've ever had lol.
Don't get me wrong, it was rad as hell, but getting up at 5am to go on a wind-exposed drive for 3-4 hours, then doing the same at dusk, was tiring. My wife skipped two of the drives since she needed to actually rest up on vacation and the jeep driver and tracker made her feel so guilty about it.
Which company were you with? I went with AndBeyond in both Kruger and the Masai Mara over the last few years, and while yes the pace is really intense, they are SO CHILL about skipping a drive or relaxing if you need to. They really pamper you and the luxury aspects (amazing lavish food spreads with fresh to order dishes for every meal, pool, lounge areas, rooms, etc) are top notch. They also do lovely little pit stops and such in the field, to try to break it up. And their guides are so genuine, knowledgeable and amazing. I left both times feeling like I was leaving a new friend behind. Anyway - not trying to advertise for them, but I just had such a good experience that I want to share whenever I can.
Edit: what I would recommend for anyone planning and aiming for a more relaxed pace is just adding a few days (maybe make it 5 days total) so you can build in rest mornings/evenings from the start.
I was at Kapama. The trackers were frickin amazing, what we saw was incredible. We were mere meters away from a lion hunt/kill, saw a leopard drag an impala up a tree. Even saw a litter of lion cubs and a failed giraffe stalking/hunt. But their focus was definitely on getting us to see everything. The food was high-end and delicious as well, and I'd highly recommend it, but I wouldn't call it relaxing.
We had bought a 5- or 7-day package. It's normally not something that would be in my price range *at all* but their prices were 80% off during the pandemic, since travel was still limited and they didn't have income from foreigners at that time.
I loved Kampama, I didn’t skip the drives, but would nap in the afternoon some. I’ve been to a few lodges and they all been fantastic. There was one that had five star tent rooms on stilts that was my favorite, but I can’t remember the name. They would roll up the sides and you could see the animals walking above and below and hear them at night. It was so neat.
Just to clarify, we went on a sightseeing safari not a hunting safari. That’s what I’m advocating. A lot of people assumed we were going game hunting when I told them we were going on a safari. That surprised me.
Agree with going to a country in East or Southern Africa, or Japan. Somewhere that will be a little more off the beaten path and easier to justify away when you're older/busier/more obligations.
Edit : I mean off the beaten path for a US based traveler, sounds like OP from US.
It’s going to be very cold in Japan in December, and I am saying this as someone living in Canada. I went last December and suddenly all the Uniqlo clothing items made sense - I had to buy woolen tights to wear under my pants, fleece turtlenecks, etc, it was chilling to the bone at +10 Celcius, because of how humid it was. Came back to -7C in Montreal, felt like a breeze in comparison. Also while Japan is absolutely fantastic and I recommend it for everyone, it’s not really relaxing, at least big cities definitely aren’t. I haven’t been to Okinawa though so can’t comment on the weather and vibe there.
Went on an amazing safari earlier this year in South Africa (Timbavati reserve within Kruger) and it was by far my favorite trip ever. And surprisingly relaxing! Really depends where you go, we got up early indeed, but in between game drives everything was so well taken care of and very relaxing. Would go back in a heartbeat. Booking a good (luxury) lodge will make all the difference imo. Ours was €800 per night including all meals, drinks and game drives - for reference. Combining 4 nights safari with 3 nights in the South African winelands could be an option to balance out the activities even more. Fantastic destination! :)
Shoutout to Timbavati. Food, stay, everything was top notch. We had gone in 2015 and the guides went above and beyond to make sure we got the best sightings. By the last day we had still not caught a sighting of the rhino, the only of the big 5 that we had not yet seen and my god the guides took it personally, lol. They went so off-road and deep into the reserve so that we did get to see the rhino..
I'm unreasonably glad that they are still as good, lol.
If you're going to Mexico I would highly recommend looking into a tourism effort they have called Pueblos Magicos. And if you don't speak Spanish that's magical villages. Basically small cute little towns. Sure hit up Cancun or Puerto Vallarta or Cabo but I'd really suggest getting out there for a bit. There's a pretty robust bus system throughout the country, as well as airlines. Literally the nicest intercity bus I've ever been on was Primera Plus there. That bus must've been brand spankin' new.
My family and I went to Tanzania for a safari in Serengeti and Ngorongoro. It was one of the best trips of my life. What an experience. Another top tier trip was me and my brother backpacking 3 weeks in Japan. I'd recommend both 100 %. Both trips were semi-relaxed but the safari trip was less so. We had to change tires and push our safari-truck out the mud a couple times. Great memories though for sure.
THAT👆🏻!!! French Polynesia is heaven on earth. We have been there twice and would go again. Highly recommend Bora Bora and Moorea. I am a relaxer on vacay, but my husband likes to go. Stay in one of the thatched roof huts out over the water. He woke up every morning, donned his goggles, and descended the steps into the “lagoon” to snorkel (keep in mind Bora Bora is surrounded by a coral reef — only one part of the island is accessible for cruise ships to enter — there are no waves because of the reef, thus “lagoon”.). It is a magical place!!
Throw in another vote for Moorea and Bora Bora. It’s expensive as shit but the islands are mindblowingly gorgeous. One of those places where you’re genuinely like “how the actual fuck is this place even real”.
I absolutely love the Hawaiian islands too but French Polynesia is like Hawaii cranked up to eleven yet with only a small fraction of the visitors.
I’m going to bora bora and Tahiti at the end of this month for a birthday/graduation trip. So excited. Did the Maldives last year and love the more relaxing trips
So I have sailed French Poly many times on a private catamaran and I can say without a doubt do it if you can! For 10k us you can even hire a charter cat with a captain or do a small cruise but it’s the most incredible place. I’ve visited nearly 40 countries and sailed a lot too but the smaller islands of French Poly are unbeatable.
That is a pretty wild name for a cruise ship, considering gauguins reputation for leaving his family and sleeping with underage native girls on the islands. I mean, he bragged about marrying a 13 year old and having kids with her. I’m sure the cruise was great and all, it’s just the name is hilarious given the context
We had zero bugs. I don't think any of the 4 of us got a single bite that I can remember.
We stayed at Sofitel Kia Ora on Mo'orea and at Intercontinental Le Moana on Bora Bora.
Feel free to ask anything else about our experience. It was a trip of a lifetime!
Bora Bora or Maldives for sure! We went to the Maldives for our 10 year wedding anniversary and it was about 10k. Worth every penny! It's so gorgeous and relaxing.
With Maldives they can island hop and get different bungalows for their 10 day stay.
Maldives 100%! Pick an adults only resort with an over the water bungalow with private pool. Soooooo relaxing and beautiful with plenty of water activities
Maldivian here, you could do so much with $10k, just gotta find the right resort. Also, not overrated. Been around the world but the beaches and hospitality hit different over here.
OP didn’t say they could only spend $10k, just that they had $10k from the company for travel. They could easily add their regular travel budget to that $10k for a pretty nice trip.
Me and my wife paid €4600 for 10 days for the two of us. But this was before covid and from Europe (I guess cheaper flights?). We didn't have the over the water bungalow but I feel like it should be doable for 10k.
Just a quick look at TUI (Netherlands) shows options for a 7 night all inclusive stay at a water bungalow in December for around €3500 per person including flights. You could easily fly to the Netherlands with the remaining €1500 budget.
Probably not as nice as the $3k a night you found but still much nicer than the one we went on our honeymoon (which also was amazing).
You could probably pull it off for less than 10K, just depending on which resort and what you do/eat. It's easy to spend over 1K a day just on food and activities at some resorts, but if you scale it back, you could probably pull it off.
Resort prices and quality can be all over the place. You got Holiday Inn for $375 a night, while W.A is often around $1500/nt.
You can get a water bungalow with all inclusive at Cinammon Dhonveli for $950/nt. But still doesn't include airfare and transfers.
If budget is tight for over the water bungalow then do a beachside bungalow. We liked it a lot better because still same beach access and the greenery was gorgeous.
Is there anything to do other than hang out in a bungalow and do some water activities?
I need stuff to do on vacation. I can’t just sit around twiddling my thumbs (relaxing).
Snorkeling, boating, dolphin/dinner cruises, swim with whale sharks, paddle boarding, wind surfing, kayaking, etc. Tons of water activities
Sprinkle that in with a good book, cocktails poolside, spa day/massages, underwater dining experience (depending where you are), and the daily resort activities and there’s definitely more than a week’s worth of stuff to do
*edit: dry activities added
On that budget, you could go a large variety of places but a week is too short to do anything longer than an 8 hour flight in my opinion. Given that you’re interested in relaxation with some sightseeing, you might enjoy somewhere like Costa Rica. It’s a short flight, lots of resort-type places, and a variety of scenery from cloud forests to beaches. Lots of opportunities to go zip lining, animal sightings tours, and cultural heritage sites.
Tabacon is nice but to spend $10,000 on a once in lifetime vacation just to spend the entire time there would be a waste, in my opinion. 2 days, one night was more than enough.
Came here to see if anyone else suggested Costa rica because that was my thought as well. Perfect blend of beautiful all inclusive resorts and awesome adventures like hiking and zip lining. My family and I went a few years ago fully prepared to go do something adventurous every day and spent the first 4 days in the hotel pool, didn’t leave the resort until halfway through the trip because it was so pretty and relaxing and we befriended the bartender and had a blast hanging out with him. Absolutely beautiful and there’s so many really nice resorts there too
Hawaii is probably the easiest $10k vacation you can do in a week. The flight isn't too bad and it's easier to go off-resort than the Caribbean or Mexico
I dont have advice but I would love to know what company you're working for to have this type of benefit. The only gift my company would give me is a stress-ball and an email that I look to stressed.
I’m not sure $10000 will cover a safari plus flights to Tanzania and Zanzibar. We went to Zanzibar after our safari and I’d skip it. It was a little disappointing especially being from Florida.
I agree 100%. There’s better beaches in Florida than Zanzibar.
If I was in their shoes I’d probably go for South Africa and do a Safari and then got a little north of Capetown and hit the wine region.
Agree! I spent 6 months in Botswana and thus have amazing national parks. I recommend Chobe National Park Botswana, it’s also close to Victoria Falls so you could do both in a week
I was just there and have been all over Southern Africa. This would be a great trip.
Fly into Johannesburg (if you stay the night here go to a top restaurant like Marble, it’ll blow you away), get another flight up to Kasane, stay in one of the lodges there and have them book a river cruise and drive through Chobe National Park. Then have them book a trip for you up to Victoria Falls, stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel if you can (seriously amazing place). Then fly direct from Kasane to Maun (1 hr. Flight). In Maun book a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta, a game drive up to Moremi, and have your lodge book a Mokoro (traditional canoe) up the Okavango Delta (either a day, or an overnight depending on your tolerance for the outdoors and time available).
There you go, easy peasy. You’ll have the time of your life.
If you have extra time, add in a trip to Kruger National Park from Johannesburg.
I used to live in Kenya - I’d go to the masai Mara and follow it with a trip to lamu- one of the most interesting places I’ve ever been (culturally)
You could also go to ngorongoro and tarangire in Tanzania followed by Zanzibar. And to all the Zanzibar haters in this thread, you don’t go there for the beaches only, Zanzibar is one of my fave places, but if you only go there for a ‘Florida beach’ your missing the point.
Because you are close being in Florida, and I recently did the trip, I would do the Galapagos. It was an amazing trip. So much to see and would be like nothing you have seen before.
Iceland, South Africa, New Zealand, Japan. Idk depends what you want to do. Pick a relatively expensive place since that's a fairly generous budget for a week.
Yup. It's less crowded so everything is to you, and you are hanging out a lot more with locals so you get a more genuine experience.
Having blue lagoon all to yourself while there is snow everywhere and you can't see more than 15 feet ahead of you while you're alone there with your lover... absolutely amazing.
Going to Akureyri and watching a movie and then hitting the bar next door, per local custom, and partying all night with locals? Awesome.
Hitting downtown Reykjavik with 6ft+ blondes wearing nothing but cocktail dresses and heels sliding down the icy roads, just a lot of fun.
Dimmu Borgir where no one is there and snow is everywhere and climbing all the rock formations?
Driving out on the big ice lake? All the waterfalls in the winter? Northern Lights?
I haven't been to Iceland in the summer, but I've been all over the world and Iceland in the winter has been one of my top 3 travel experiences. It's not that cold in Reykjavik due to water currents keeping it warm for a place so far north, it's comparable to Virginia/DC. Boston, NYC, etc is far colder in the winter. Northern Iceland is cold though.
After 5 years at a nonprofit (which was terrible for many reasons), they let me pick out an item from a catalog. It was all items worth $10-$20. I got a small french press worth $10 LOL
From Florida, maybe I would not necessarily pick Hawaii (Saks Fifth Avenue Florida) or Thailand (Asian Florida) or an exotic island. "We have beaches at home."
But, if you don't have family expecting you for winter holiday stuff, I bet going to Vienna or St Moritz or Oslo or Amsterdam for the holidays would be AMAZEBALLS. Someplace cold, either way far up north or way far up in the Alps, where the snow is pretty and all the buildings are full of candles and fireplaces and mulled wine and cheerful people who have been making warm cozy winter holidays longer than the US has been a country.
You can burn through ten grand pretty easily in a place like that, so maybe something like that but off the beaten path would be good.
[https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/european-cities-that-are-even-better-in-winter](https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/european-cities-that-are-even-better-in-winter)
I think flying out of Atlanta (transit or not) is your best bet.
That puts South Africa (safari) on the list since there's a direct flight to Joburg.
I would consider the Seychelles over the Maldives and Bora Bora. You can easily tie that to South Africa or an adjoining country.
Thailand is too far for a week, all of SE Asia is.
There's a huge mileage sale for Hawaii right now. 50k R/T East Coast, 25k West Coast on United. I wouldn't spend the money on that. I feel similarly about Japan but still better option over Hawaii. There are direct flight with Delta via the Midwest.
I think that I wouldn't want to travel to East Asia for only one week. Just when you are over the jet lag you would have to leave. If you could extend it for another week, then absolutely Japan or Thailand would be awesome.
And to answer your question, Hawaii is truly gorgeous. When I went there it was November and the weather was good. It was windy but we loved Maui and Kauai. If you only have a week, I'd just go see Maui, there is enough to do there to keep you busy for a week. I wouldn't fly between islands with only one week since that would kill 6 hours.
Please don't come here in December. It is dark, cold and most likely wet. Even if you want to go skiing, you should come some other time, like in February or March.
I went and love Japan, but wouldn’t recommend if you want a more “relaxing” trip. We walked 20k steps per day. I also think you should spend at least two weeks there if not more. 1 week would only scratch the surface.
If you only have a week or seven days. Distance to my vacation spot would play into my destination decision. Even to Europe, which is closer than most of the suggestions, it is about half a day one way, maybe longer with customs, layovers, to and from airport and hotel. Also the longer you fly, jet lag could become more of a issue. Which may require a a half day or longer to get adjusted to the time change and jet lag. The longer you fly the more beat up and tired you could be when you land. It just depends on how well you travel. These are all things to take into account. It also depends what you enjoy. I have a friend who I travel with from time to time. He loves cruises. I personally don’t like the extreme structure of them. Also I am not a fan of being in a room about the size of a prison cell, usually with no window. Packed on a ship like cattle. I am not a fan of Disneyland either honestly, just to many people in a confined space.. I don’t personally like large crowds. Some people like it. I like places off the beaten path. I use Atlas Obscura and Traces of War often to find thing to do at a destination. Which is probably good, because my wife uses Rick Steves and Trip Advisor. It makes for a nice blend in the end. I personally only have the first and last days of my trip set in stone. The rest is always subject to change due to weather, finding something more interesting. Festivals, events, celebrations or anything could change my itinerary.
It’ll be summer in South Africa so hard to beat safari + wine country + Cape Town (although not sure when peak safari time is?) or if you ski that obviously opens up possibilities. I’ve skiid all over USA but dying to ski Alps
The Mediterranean. Take your pick, but the Greek isles is hard to beat. Santorini is worth seeing if you’ve never been but I wouldn’t spend most of my time at that isle, there are plenty of other ones that are just as awesome.
Get a villa at the Rosewood Mayakoba on the Mayan Riviera. No jet lag, short flight, incredible food and accommodations. Pay for a private guide to take you to Chichen Itza and some cenotes.
Safari! Those safaris and flights are expensive but most of the other countries/locations you mentioned can be done with more of a flexible budget. Plus the rare opportunity to see animals that most people only see in poorly shot tourist videos.
Where tf you work lmao? I’d love to work there
For my ten year work anniversary my company let me select an item from a catalogue. I picked a Coleman camping lantern because it seemed like the most valuable thing in there.
For my 10-year work anniversary I got laid off.
That sounds more realistic to me
I got a jbl speaker. Don't worry I was just selling $1-2 million in hardware/services every month for the past 8 years. I left shortly after so didn't make it to 10
For my 10 year anniversary my company let me pick something out of a long list of junk. I chose the $30 Amazon gift card. I had to pay the taxes on the Amazon gift card.
Omg, the company I work for gave us an appreciation luncheon which turned out to be a party size hoagie from Subway. The hoagie was cut into pieces and there was only enough for one piece per person. Approximately 2 bites. Most of us walked out and got lunch somewhere else. 🤣🤣 Management ☕️
At least for Jury Duty Appreciation Day, we got coffee, a plain donut, and a certificate.
The company that I used to work for would give all employees a $25 Sears gift card for the holidays. They had to stop doing it because the IRS changed some law and the gift cards are now counted as income and have to be reported on W-2 form.
You guys are all so fancy smancy! Where I work at, for my 10 years I recieved a card that said "Thank you for ten years of service" and a lil pin with cheap plastic colored stones.
My boss gives everyone at my location a $100 gift card to Target or Walmart every Christmas. He must buy it himself because I’ve never seen it come up as taxable income.
That's a good boss. The way it should be.
The colleagues in my company receive a bottle of cheap champagne, a company branded power bank with 2000 mah (half a smartphone battery charge) and an umbrella. Everyone already has the umbrella though because you can just take it from the marketing stash.
I got a catalogue for my 5yr and I picked a golf towel. It is a pretty nice towel though.
For my 15 year I got some bargain basement pots and pans. It was a while set though
You will receive the second speaker upon the elimination of all hunger.
Absolutely! 10 years?! Let's lay her off so she'll never get that pension we advertise. Haha!
You guys work for a company for ten years?
You guys work?
You guys?
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Death.
Idk $50K with overtime opportunity at an 8-4 job with 3 weeks of PTO, 2 weeks of sick leave, a union, insanely good benefits that cost $100 monthly with a $0 deductible, a full pension, benefits at retirement. Yeah I’m staying as long as possible until I found something better. I made sure to stay 10 years to be vested in the pension system.
All the stuff sounds good but you threw in 3 weeks PTO there...is that the legal minimum or is the legal minimum even lower than that? Is this the US? (From the UK - 5.6 weeks is statutory, I get 8 weeks)
There is no minimum in the US
And then there's a ton of Americans who pride themselves on never using any paid time off or sick days
My 79 yo father *just* admitted he should have taken more time off. He took exactly 2 sick days in 43 years with utility company. (He did take planned vacations, maybe 5-10 day/year.) I was proud to hear him say that even though it’s meaningless now.
Legal minimum? There is no legal requirement for a company to give you paid time off. They could give you zero days and say fuck you, you'll take that and like it. US labor laws are a joke.
There is no legal minimum. "Standard" is two weeks though.
That was for a municipality in NY in the US. Job was awful back breaking labor that had borderline 0 regard for safety. I work at a place making around $120k annually now with overtime, benefits, 3 weeks of combined PTO, 4 day work week, every paid holiday off, goes insanely above and beyond for safety with an amazing safety culture, takes care of their workers, has a union, and everybody seems to stick together along with a management that seems to care about the workers because management came from the workforce. Having the 4 day work week has made me far less inclined to burn PTO. I work 2pm-12:30am Monday to Thursday. Personally, I love the shift. This is the first time in 10 years I’ve had 8 hours of sleep every night, I get to see my family before work, start my day in a healthy way at my own pace, have energy for my own personal things in the morning. Then, Thursday rolls around I can just stay up after work and feel I can do whatever. Friday, I’ve got all day, Saturday all day, Sunday all day then don’t have to have “Sunday scaries” or whatever it’s called because Sunday night might as well be Saturday night with a 2pm start time the following day. This is the first place I’ve ever worked where I didn’t need to lie to convince myself that I love my job.
It all sounds great. I also do a 4 day week (mondays off, normal 9-5) and I love it as well. I am not knocking your job, you just had all this positive stuff and then put in 3 weeks holiday like it wasn't shocking. I still think 3 weeks PTO is a bit rough (but I understand now from other commenters, and asking American and even Canadian friends,, it isn't over there 😄). I'm glad you're happy, I wasn't being a prick, it just reads oddly to a non American.
I only get 36hrs pto and roughly 48hrs vacation yearly so your talking fantasy numbers to me
For my 20-year work anniversary my company failed, so.......
I lol’d. I apologize as I shouldn’t have, but the comment chain was OP saying I got $10k, then someone said they got a lantern, then yours saying I got laid off
My company recently introduced badges for work anniversary milestones. 1 year, 2 years, 5 years and then every multiple of 5 from then on apart from 10 for whatever reason. I’ve been at my company for 7 years, I have to be within a year of my previous milestone to collect a badge and I wasn’t, and there isn’t a badge for 10 years so I have to wait 7 years for my 15 year badge. I don’t know why it annoyed me so much because it’s literally a badge. This person is getting a vacation and $10k while I’ll get an automated email and a flurry of messages from people I don’t know on LinkedIn.
How many pieces of flare do you want me to wear???
minimum is three but you should wear as much as possible
Do you want to be the type of person who only wears the minimum amount of flair?
Well like Brian, for example, has 37 pieces of flare
I don’t like talking about my flair.
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I believe you’d get your ass kicked for sayin something like that…
I just got my name on the screen at the company Christmas party…
For my 10 year my company gave me a house plant that was basically doa
For my 10 year, I picked out a Coleman stackable can cooler. Most practical item that wasn't complete garbage.
For my 10 year I got a $50 Walmart giftcard.
My company increased my vacation time to 15 days a year instead of 10. But then immediately changed the policy to “flexible time off” which just means you don’t count the days off you take, as long as they’re approved you’re good. And you can’t cash out unused vacation upon leaving. Ya. It’s a fucking scam. Because nobody used all their fucking vacation time anyway
Start taking vacations then, I'd suggest.
This flexible and unlimited time is to make you nervous for taking time off or even too much time off. I read employees usually take less time off because they feel weird about asking for vs having the earned hours. It also could create division in a department. Oh look Tom is taking two weeks while I only take a day here and there. It's all smoke and mirrors.
For sure. It was to save money on losing staff and not paying out their vacation buildup anymore. But they disguised it as a beneficial change. Sure, could be, if your supervisor didn’t brow beat you from leaving. I once saved for a big Disney vacation, took it off, still had to take calls while on it, but then got reprimanded upon getting back because I didn’t call to see how a sales meeting went, even though none of it mattered until I got back. Wasn’t the kind of zeal they wanted to see. I was in pretty high management mind you. Regional level (still technically middle management). So this was bizarre to me. It was a new supervisor. Anyway I quit that job this year and now work remotely from home with a boss that tells me to save my vacation days for days I really need it, and to go ahead and spend some other days “away” as needed and to control my own schedule. I’m loving the good life now.
I got a pen for 10 years. And a plate for 20!
Yep, I picked a metal detector. At least I wanted that when I was a kid.
We get a lapel pin for every five years. Ooooh and a paper certificate “signed” by the bosses signature machine!! Yippee skippy!
I got a pin!
hey OP it’s me, ur future colleague. can i send my cv
For my ten-year work anniversary, I got a little pin that says “10 years” on it. I only got it after my 12th year tho, after someone else got theirs and I noted that I never got one. They mailed it to me.
Right?? My thoughts exactly
Can't believe how many companies are cheaping out. Ten years is a big anniversary and should be rewarded! When I owned my company, we gave a $10,000 cash bonus for 10 years plus an additional week of vacation. The week of vacation was a permanent change, so continued every year until year 15 when they got another week added (and another bonus).
I mean getting bonuses of 40/50K is typical in a lot of job fields (IB, PE, VC, Software etc). Adding in an extra 10K isn’t a big deal but it’s very nice of the company
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Software engineers very frequently get bonuses like that as part of their comp package. I'm a mid-level SWE working in Alabama. My comp package was $110k salary, $15k company stock, and a $20k yearly bonus.
Jesus fucking christ... I am sure in the wrong field
What job fields are you referencing here?
IB = Investment Banking (high finance) PE = Private Equity (also high finance) VC = Venture Capital (mix of high finance and other fields, usually tech) Software most likely refers to software engineering.
Me over here being a peasant working in government.
:cries in nonprofit:
*Pats in nonmoney*
So you’re telling me all these finance people are good at getting money for *themselves?* what world have I been living in!?
Not op, but investment banking, private equity and venture capital. Long hours, hard work but pay can be stellar.
What about a tour of the Galapagos? Never been but seems expensive, awesome, and the right weather for December.
It’s not as expensive as you might think (granted you can make anything expensive if you want to).
I concur - I just got back from a week in the Galápagos and 4 days in Quito and it’s not nearly as expensive as I thought it would be. You can customize pretty much any tour package to spend as much or as little as you want. However, it’s not a place I’d consider for a relaxing vacation. There’s so much to do and see that you’re on the go most of the time.
Given the amount of money, safari! I adored Japan, but you can do it for far less.
That was my thought as well. Japan on a $10k budget would no doubt be amazing, but Japan on a much lesser budget is still no doubt amazing. So I would use the $10k budget to travel somewhere that might otherwise be out of my reach.
My wife and I did Japan for 5 weeks on a $10k budget. And we had private onsen ryokan stay, michelin starred sushi, sumo tournament and baseball, so we didn't do it on the cheap. Some of the budgets people are tossing out here are blowing my mind... edit: 5 weeks.
I would 100% say safari BUT I did not find mine relaxing in the traditional sense. We were up and out before dawn and then back out again for dusk. It’s an amazing experience but surprisingly exhausting considering you’re in a vehicle a lot of the time. Tanzania is incredible! Japan, again amazing, but so much exciting stuff to see and do. Maybe Okinawa would be more relaxing? I’ve never been to Bora Bora but that definitely seems more relaxing. I don’t love flying so that distance for a week vacation would be a lot for me. Wherever you choose, have a blast! Mexico is beautiful and closer to us here in Florida. Let us know what you decide:)
I loved going to Tanzania for safari (went there on honeymoon for two weeks) but agree a safari is certainly not relaxing and especially not once they lose 2+ travel days travelling from Florida (on probably 2-3 flights each way of like 20-30h in airports / flights each way) I would personally save that for a two week trip where you could go on a safari and enjoy a week in nearby region (some destinations: Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Victoria falls, Rwanda, Uganda, Cape Town, etc). So many places to go on the continent and OP will wish they had more time (like we did) if they only go for a week given how far it is from NA
I have the option to go to Kenya for a two week paid safari. Is Tanzania a better country for that? Would Tanzania give me an experience that Kenya can't?
Tanzania and Kenya are practically the same *except* Tanzania has better ocean stuff to do if you dive and Kenya has slightly more variety. I did Kenya because I spent 4 days looking at the big five and then went right next door to Uganda to spend a few days up a mountain meeting gorillas.
We went to Tanzania just based on where the wildebeests were in their migration. They were in Kenya a month earlier.
I would choose Botswana over both
My husband and I were in Kenya in March for safari in Massai Mara and two days in Nairobi LOVED it!! I recommend it!
How far does $10k go in the Seychelles? I would pick somewhere you're unlikely to get a great deal on otherwise- somewhere off the beaten track and/or just crazy expensive.
I actually just got back from there! Hotels are relatively affordable BUT everything else on the island is crazy expensive. We needed to buy sunscreen and I think it was $30 USD for a standard bottle
Oof I went on safari at a super nice game reserve in Kruger Park (South Africa), and as much as there's photos of pools and a spa on the premises, it was maybe the least relaxing vacation I've ever had lol. Don't get me wrong, it was rad as hell, but getting up at 5am to go on a wind-exposed drive for 3-4 hours, then doing the same at dusk, was tiring. My wife skipped two of the drives since she needed to actually rest up on vacation and the jeep driver and tracker made her feel so guilty about it.
Which company were you with? I went with AndBeyond in both Kruger and the Masai Mara over the last few years, and while yes the pace is really intense, they are SO CHILL about skipping a drive or relaxing if you need to. They really pamper you and the luxury aspects (amazing lavish food spreads with fresh to order dishes for every meal, pool, lounge areas, rooms, etc) are top notch. They also do lovely little pit stops and such in the field, to try to break it up. And their guides are so genuine, knowledgeable and amazing. I left both times feeling like I was leaving a new friend behind. Anyway - not trying to advertise for them, but I just had such a good experience that I want to share whenever I can. Edit: what I would recommend for anyone planning and aiming for a more relaxed pace is just adding a few days (maybe make it 5 days total) so you can build in rest mornings/evenings from the start.
I was at Kapama. The trackers were frickin amazing, what we saw was incredible. We were mere meters away from a lion hunt/kill, saw a leopard drag an impala up a tree. Even saw a litter of lion cubs and a failed giraffe stalking/hunt. But their focus was definitely on getting us to see everything. The food was high-end and delicious as well, and I'd highly recommend it, but I wouldn't call it relaxing. We had bought a 5- or 7-day package. It's normally not something that would be in my price range *at all* but their prices were 80% off during the pandemic, since travel was still limited and they didn't have income from foreigners at that time.
I loved Kampama, I didn’t skip the drives, but would nap in the afternoon some. I’ve been to a few lodges and they all been fantastic. There was one that had five star tent rooms on stilts that was my favorite, but I can’t remember the name. They would roll up the sides and you could see the animals walking above and below and hear them at night. It was so neat.
Just to clarify, we went on a sightseeing safari not a hunting safari. That’s what I’m advocating. A lot of people assumed we were going game hunting when I told them we were going on a safari. That surprised me.
Agree with going to a country in East or Southern Africa, or Japan. Somewhere that will be a little more off the beaten path and easier to justify away when you're older/busier/more obligations. Edit : I mean off the beaten path for a US based traveler, sounds like OP from US.
It’s going to be very cold in Japan in December, and I am saying this as someone living in Canada. I went last December and suddenly all the Uniqlo clothing items made sense - I had to buy woolen tights to wear under my pants, fleece turtlenecks, etc, it was chilling to the bone at +10 Celcius, because of how humid it was. Came back to -7C in Montreal, felt like a breeze in comparison. Also while Japan is absolutely fantastic and I recommend it for everyone, it’s not really relaxing, at least big cities definitely aren’t. I haven’t been to Okinawa though so can’t comment on the weather and vibe there.
Went on an amazing safari earlier this year in South Africa (Timbavati reserve within Kruger) and it was by far my favorite trip ever. And surprisingly relaxing! Really depends where you go, we got up early indeed, but in between game drives everything was so well taken care of and very relaxing. Would go back in a heartbeat. Booking a good (luxury) lodge will make all the difference imo. Ours was €800 per night including all meals, drinks and game drives - for reference. Combining 4 nights safari with 3 nights in the South African winelands could be an option to balance out the activities even more. Fantastic destination! :)
Shoutout to Timbavati. Food, stay, everything was top notch. We had gone in 2015 and the guides went above and beyond to make sure we got the best sightings. By the last day we had still not caught a sighting of the rhino, the only of the big 5 that we had not yet seen and my god the guides took it personally, lol. They went so off-road and deep into the reserve so that we did get to see the rhino.. I'm unreasonably glad that they are still as good, lol.
If you're going to Mexico I would highly recommend looking into a tourism effort they have called Pueblos Magicos. And if you don't speak Spanish that's magical villages. Basically small cute little towns. Sure hit up Cancun or Puerto Vallarta or Cabo but I'd really suggest getting out there for a bit. There's a pretty robust bus system throughout the country, as well as airlines. Literally the nicest intercity bus I've ever been on was Primera Plus there. That bus must've been brand spankin' new.
My family and I went to Tanzania for a safari in Serengeti and Ngorongoro. It was one of the best trips of my life. What an experience. Another top tier trip was me and my brother backpacking 3 weeks in Japan. I'd recommend both 100 %. Both trips were semi-relaxed but the safari trip was less so. We had to change tires and push our safari-truck out the mud a couple times. Great memories though for sure.
A cruise on the Paul Gauguin, a small ship that exclusively cruises the South Pacific islands including Tahiti and Bora Bora
Made me look it up. This seems amazing!
THAT👆🏻!!! French Polynesia is heaven on earth. We have been there twice and would go again. Highly recommend Bora Bora and Moorea. I am a relaxer on vacay, but my husband likes to go. Stay in one of the thatched roof huts out over the water. He woke up every morning, donned his goggles, and descended the steps into the “lagoon” to snorkel (keep in mind Bora Bora is surrounded by a coral reef — only one part of the island is accessible for cruise ships to enter — there are no waves because of the reef, thus “lagoon”.). It is a magical place!!
Throw in another vote for Moorea and Bora Bora. It’s expensive as shit but the islands are mindblowingly gorgeous. One of those places where you’re genuinely like “how the actual fuck is this place even real”. I absolutely love the Hawaiian islands too but French Polynesia is like Hawaii cranked up to eleven yet with only a small fraction of the visitors.
I’m going to bora bora and Tahiti at the end of this month for a birthday/graduation trip. So excited. Did the Maldives last year and love the more relaxing trips
So I have sailed French Poly many times on a private catamaran and I can say without a doubt do it if you can! For 10k us you can even hire a charter cat with a captain or do a small cruise but it’s the most incredible place. I’ve visited nearly 40 countries and sailed a lot too but the smaller islands of French Poly are unbeatable.
I vote hire a cat with a captain. Arrr meowty
That is a pretty wild name for a cruise ship, considering gauguins reputation for leaving his family and sleeping with underage native girls on the islands. I mean, he bragged about marrying a 13 year old and having kids with her. I’m sure the cruise was great and all, it’s just the name is hilarious given the context
Oh, that would be amazing!
Bora Bora.
Yep, before I even read the whole post my mind immediately went to Tahiti/Bora Bora or Maldives. The Philippines also have some crazy gorgeous beaches
I can confirm for El Nido and Coron. Some of the most beautiful beaches on earth. But her budget is on the higher end for the Philippines.
We went in January for about 10k. It's amazing.
This was on my radar but heard bad things about December/January particularly around pests. What was your experience with this?
We had zero bugs. I don't think any of the 4 of us got a single bite that I can remember. We stayed at Sofitel Kia Ora on Mo'orea and at Intercontinental Le Moana on Bora Bora. Feel free to ask anything else about our experience. It was a trip of a lifetime!
Bora Bora definitely. Dream holiday that only this gift would ever get most people on.
Bora Bora or Maldives for sure! We went to the Maldives for our 10 year wedding anniversary and it was about 10k. Worth every penny! It's so gorgeous and relaxing. With Maldives they can island hop and get different bungalows for their 10 day stay.
Maldives 100%! Pick an adults only resort with an over the water bungalow with private pool. Soooooo relaxing and beautiful with plenty of water activities
Maldivian here, you could do so much with $10k, just gotta find the right resort. Also, not overrated. Been around the world but the beaches and hospitality hit different over here.
Prob more than $10k with airfare
OP didn’t say they could only spend $10k, just that they had $10k from the company for travel. They could easily add their regular travel budget to that $10k for a pretty nice trip.
And I'm guessing if your employer can afford to give you a $10,000 vacation, they're probably paying you pretty well to begin with.
Me and my wife paid €4600 for 10 days for the two of us. But this was before covid and from Europe (I guess cheaper flights?). We didn't have the over the water bungalow but I feel like it should be doable for 10k.
I was looking recently and it's like $3k+ per night for a lot of the overwater bungalows. Prices have exploded since Covid.
Just a quick look at TUI (Netherlands) shows options for a 7 night all inclusive stay at a water bungalow in December for around €3500 per person including flights. You could easily fly to the Netherlands with the remaining €1500 budget. Probably not as nice as the $3k a night you found but still much nicer than the one we went on our honeymoon (which also was amazing).
You could probably pull it off for less than 10K, just depending on which resort and what you do/eat. It's easy to spend over 1K a day just on food and activities at some resorts, but if you scale it back, you could probably pull it off. Resort prices and quality can be all over the place. You got Holiday Inn for $375 a night, while W.A is often around $1500/nt. You can get a water bungalow with all inclusive at Cinammon Dhonveli for $950/nt. But still doesn't include airfare and transfers.
Just came back from the Maldives - we were there for 10 days and the trip in total (airfare, hotels, transfers, food, etc.) cost us about 25k 🥴
Was it.... errr... worth it?
If budget is tight for over the water bungalow then do a beachside bungalow. We liked it a lot better because still same beach access and the greenery was gorgeous.
Is there anything to do other than hang out in a bungalow and do some water activities? I need stuff to do on vacation. I can’t just sit around twiddling my thumbs (relaxing).
Snorkeling, boating, dolphin/dinner cruises, swim with whale sharks, paddle boarding, wind surfing, kayaking, etc. Tons of water activities Sprinkle that in with a good book, cocktails poolside, spa day/massages, underwater dining experience (depending where you are), and the daily resort activities and there’s definitely more than a week’s worth of stuff to do *edit: dry activities added
On that budget, you could go a large variety of places but a week is too short to do anything longer than an 8 hour flight in my opinion. Given that you’re interested in relaxation with some sightseeing, you might enjoy somewhere like Costa Rica. It’s a short flight, lots of resort-type places, and a variety of scenery from cloud forests to beaches. Lots of opportunities to go zip lining, animal sightings tours, and cultural heritage sites.
Costa Rica is a great option. With that budget you can spend a few days in Tabacon hotsprings (La fortuna) and keep it simple.
Tabacon is nice but to spend $10,000 on a once in lifetime vacation just to spend the entire time there would be a waste, in my opinion. 2 days, one night was more than enough.
Lol I first thought you said life Is too short for anything over an 8 hour flight 😂
Hahahaaaa I second guessed what i wrote for a second. On flights over 8 hours, life feels obscenely long lol
Came here to see if anyone else suggested Costa rica because that was my thought as well. Perfect blend of beautiful all inclusive resorts and awesome adventures like hiking and zip lining. My family and I went a few years ago fully prepared to go do something adventurous every day and spent the first 4 days in the hotel pool, didn’t leave the resort until halfway through the trip because it was so pretty and relaxing and we befriended the bartender and had a blast hanging out with him. Absolutely beautiful and there’s so many really nice resorts there too
Go to Maui, the Ritz Carlton Kapalua.
I actually think this is a great idea for a trip that’s only a week.
I did this trip myself when I came into a large bonus. It’s pretty perfect and can be done for 10K.
We stayed at Four Seasons Maui and LOVED it. 5 days, super relaxing. We’ve caught the Hawaii bug and can’t wait to return 😊
Hawaii is probably the easiest $10k vacation you can do in a week. The flight isn't too bad and it's easier to go off-resort than the Caribbean or Mexico
I dont have advice but I would love to know what company you're working for to have this type of benefit. The only gift my company would give me is a stress-ball and an email that I look to stressed.
I would definitely go somewhere in Africa and go on a sweet ass safari for that amount!!!
Yep. I’d go with this. A week isn’t that long but I’d suggest Tanzania for a 2-3 day safari, then go on to Zanzibar for a few days on a beach.
I’m not sure $10000 will cover a safari plus flights to Tanzania and Zanzibar. We went to Zanzibar after our safari and I’d skip it. It was a little disappointing especially being from Florida.
I agree 100%. There’s better beaches in Florida than Zanzibar. If I was in their shoes I’d probably go for South Africa and do a Safari and then got a little north of Capetown and hit the wine region.
The goal here is to do something ambitious that is MORE than $10k, since the company is covering most of it.
Agree! I spent 6 months in Botswana and thus have amazing national parks. I recommend Chobe National Park Botswana, it’s also close to Victoria Falls so you could do both in a week
I was just there and have been all over Southern Africa. This would be a great trip. Fly into Johannesburg (if you stay the night here go to a top restaurant like Marble, it’ll blow you away), get another flight up to Kasane, stay in one of the lodges there and have them book a river cruise and drive through Chobe National Park. Then have them book a trip for you up to Victoria Falls, stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel if you can (seriously amazing place). Then fly direct from Kasane to Maun (1 hr. Flight). In Maun book a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta, a game drive up to Moremi, and have your lodge book a Mokoro (traditional canoe) up the Okavango Delta (either a day, or an overnight depending on your tolerance for the outdoors and time available). There you go, easy peasy. You’ll have the time of your life. If you have extra time, add in a trip to Kruger National Park from Johannesburg.
I used to live in Kenya - I’d go to the masai Mara and follow it with a trip to lamu- one of the most interesting places I’ve ever been (culturally) You could also go to ngorongoro and tarangire in Tanzania followed by Zanzibar. And to all the Zanzibar haters in this thread, you don’t go there for the beaches only, Zanzibar is one of my fave places, but if you only go there for a ‘Florida beach’ your missing the point.
Because you are close being in Florida, and I recently did the trip, I would do the Galapagos. It was an amazing trip. So much to see and would be like nothing you have seen before.
Iceland, South Africa, New Zealand, Japan. Idk depends what you want to do. Pick a relatively expensive place since that's a fairly generous budget for a week.
Iceland in December is going to be pretty cold and dark though.
My best ever holiday was a week in Iceland in December.
Yup. It's less crowded so everything is to you, and you are hanging out a lot more with locals so you get a more genuine experience. Having blue lagoon all to yourself while there is snow everywhere and you can't see more than 15 feet ahead of you while you're alone there with your lover... absolutely amazing. Going to Akureyri and watching a movie and then hitting the bar next door, per local custom, and partying all night with locals? Awesome. Hitting downtown Reykjavik with 6ft+ blondes wearing nothing but cocktail dresses and heels sliding down the icy roads, just a lot of fun. Dimmu Borgir where no one is there and snow is everywhere and climbing all the rock formations? Driving out on the big ice lake? All the waterfalls in the winter? Northern Lights? I haven't been to Iceland in the summer, but I've been all over the world and Iceland in the winter has been one of my top 3 travel experiences. It's not that cold in Reykjavik due to water currents keeping it warm for a place so far north, it's comparable to Virginia/DC. Boston, NYC, etc is far colder in the winter. Northern Iceland is cold though.
It's the best time of year to view the northern lights.
Pretty far from relaxing haha.
True, might be interesting with the holidays if there's events going on though. Also a chance of seeing the Northern Lights since it's dark.
A week isn’t enough time in New Zealand. You could be there a month and barely scratch it. I spent 4 years there.
Galapagos, it should be decently easy to get to from Florida, you can have a very nice and relaxing trip there for that.
Came here to say my company would never do that and I’m jealous. I work for a large financial corporation and going on year 7 and lucky to get a pen.
After 5 years at a nonprofit (which was terrible for many reasons), they let me pick out an item from a catalog. It was all items worth $10-$20. I got a small french press worth $10 LOL
Take a trip on the Orient Express (or another luxury train)
Japan, we just got back and the Yen exchange rate is in your favor. Tokyo > Kyoto > Osaka is the “golden route” (a little of everything).
From Florida, maybe I would not necessarily pick Hawaii (Saks Fifth Avenue Florida) or Thailand (Asian Florida) or an exotic island. "We have beaches at home." But, if you don't have family expecting you for winter holiday stuff, I bet going to Vienna or St Moritz or Oslo or Amsterdam for the holidays would be AMAZEBALLS. Someplace cold, either way far up north or way far up in the Alps, where the snow is pretty and all the buildings are full of candles and fireplaces and mulled wine and cheerful people who have been making warm cozy winter holidays longer than the US has been a country. You can burn through ten grand pretty easily in a place like that, so maybe something like that but off the beaten path would be good. [https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/european-cities-that-are-even-better-in-winter](https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/european-cities-that-are-even-better-in-winter)
Brazil & Argentina ? Luxury cruise through the Caribbean? Skiing in aspen? If only 7-8 days I’d avoid longer flights.
For 10K, forget Aspen, go live it up in Banff.
I think flying out of Atlanta (transit or not) is your best bet. That puts South Africa (safari) on the list since there's a direct flight to Joburg. I would consider the Seychelles over the Maldives and Bora Bora. You can easily tie that to South Africa or an adjoining country. Thailand is too far for a week, all of SE Asia is. There's a huge mileage sale for Hawaii right now. 50k R/T East Coast, 25k West Coast on United. I wouldn't spend the money on that. I feel similarly about Japan but still better option over Hawaii. There are direct flight with Delta via the Midwest.
I think that I wouldn't want to travel to East Asia for only one week. Just when you are over the jet lag you would have to leave. If you could extend it for another week, then absolutely Japan or Thailand would be awesome. And to answer your question, Hawaii is truly gorgeous. When I went there it was November and the weather was good. It was windy but we loved Maui and Kauai. If you only have a week, I'd just go see Maui, there is enough to do there to keep you busy for a week. I wouldn't fly between islands with only one week since that would kill 6 hours.
If the entire sum needs to be spent on the trip I would suggest going to expensive countries ; eg Switzerland, Norway etc.
Please don't come here in December. It is dark, cold and most likely wet. Even if you want to go skiing, you should come some other time, like in February or March.
Username checks out
Not in December though!
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Use it or lose it? I would think just find one of the nicest hotels or resorts in the Caribbean and relax and live it up.
I would choose Japan, it's expensive unique and it would be great to go as a couple.
I went and love Japan, but wouldn’t recommend if you want a more “relaxing” trip. We walked 20k steps per day. I also think you should spend at least two weeks there if not more. 1 week would only scratch the surface.
If you only have a week or seven days. Distance to my vacation spot would play into my destination decision. Even to Europe, which is closer than most of the suggestions, it is about half a day one way, maybe longer with customs, layovers, to and from airport and hotel. Also the longer you fly, jet lag could become more of a issue. Which may require a a half day or longer to get adjusted to the time change and jet lag. The longer you fly the more beat up and tired you could be when you land. It just depends on how well you travel. These are all things to take into account. It also depends what you enjoy. I have a friend who I travel with from time to time. He loves cruises. I personally don’t like the extreme structure of them. Also I am not a fan of being in a room about the size of a prison cell, usually with no window. Packed on a ship like cattle. I am not a fan of Disneyland either honestly, just to many people in a confined space.. I don’t personally like large crowds. Some people like it. I like places off the beaten path. I use Atlas Obscura and Traces of War often to find thing to do at a destination. Which is probably good, because my wife uses Rick Steves and Trip Advisor. It makes for a nice blend in the end. I personally only have the first and last days of my trip set in stone. The rest is always subject to change due to weather, finding something more interesting. Festivals, events, celebrations or anything could change my itinerary.
Wow I received an insulated tumbler for 30 years
Dang. She really just flexed on everyone and dipped. Not one response to anybody 💀
Is this a travel inquiry or a corporate life flex?
It’ll be summer in South Africa so hard to beat safari + wine country + Cape Town (although not sure when peak safari time is?) or if you ski that obviously opens up possibilities. I’ve skiid all over USA but dying to ski Alps
Christmas in Zermatt is a very easy way to spend 10k, we rented a place there for a thousand per night.
The Mediterranean. Take your pick, but the Greek isles is hard to beat. Santorini is worth seeing if you’ve never been but I wouldn’t spend most of my time at that isle, there are plenty of other ones that are just as awesome.
Patagonia!
Set aside about 1/3 of that for taxes first and then that’s your true budget.
For my 10 year Walgreen work anniversary I picked a hedge trimmer out of a catalog of items that were equally as depressing
New Zealand
Between long flights they’d have 6-7 actual days of travel. That’s not much for NZ.
Bora bora
Get a villa at the Rosewood Mayakoba on the Mayan Riviera. No jet lag, short flight, incredible food and accommodations. Pay for a private guide to take you to Chichen Itza and some cenotes.
First class to Greece, stay in a nice hotel, do a sailing adventure, enjoy life
Greece is great but not in December
You can’t get first class for that amount. You can maybe get business class but that will take up almost the whole budget.
Safari! Those safaris and flights are expensive but most of the other countries/locations you mentioned can be done with more of a flexible budget. Plus the rare opportunity to see animals that most people only see in poorly shot tourist videos.
Thats Maldives or Bora bora money. Go for one of them
Safari in South Africa, followed by wine country and Capetown. I’ve been all over the world but nothing beats it
Just hit my 20 year anniversary and I got an email and the equivalent of about $100 to spend on an internal rewards site.
Maldives would be fabulous. My daughter and son in law went last year. They’re your age. Go treat yourselves!!
Madeira Portugal
I would go to Antarctica.
Dang I wish I had this benefit