would you trade?

No, this post isn't an announcement.

In June, I finally got to the travel part of my "up to 100% travel" job.  My normal schedule would be "standard" Monday through Thursday, but my first assignment ended up being a weekend project, which actually didn't bother me too much, as that would mean I'd have the middle of the week to relax, get things done, and hang out with the Royal Devil.  Of course, if we are friends in real life and/or friends on Twitter, then you know that since about the third week of June, I have basically been working every day since I was assigned to a second project.

Fun fact: from June 6 through August 5, I will have had exactly five days off from work.  One of those days was Fourth of July and two of those days were a regular weekend.  I work an average of 10-hour days, 7 days a week.

But on the plus side, spending all that time on the road means racking up lots of hotel points, and I was lucky enough to be able to take advantage of a great promotion with one of the big hotel chains.  Basically, at the end of this month, I'll have earned six free nights at a "resort" hotel - hotels that normally go for upwards of $500/night.

We have always wanted to go to the Maldives (we heard it is disappearing!), and it was on the list of available resorts - among the many fabulous destinations, which also included Fiji, Bora Bora, Bali, Tahiti, Seychelles, Mauritius, you get the picture!  Even though the nights are free, getting to the Maldives is another story, so Marek gave me a choice: get engaged this year or go to the Maldives.

Now, most of you know that Marek and I have been together for awhile (more than five years...and if you want to get all technical, substantially more than five years, according to the federal government - pulling a little policy debate nerdiness out for you!), and getting engaged was in the cards for this year.

Until six free nights at the resort hotel in the Maldives entered the picture.  I mean, look at it!!!

So, which would have you picked?  Would you trade getting engaged for a dream vacation?